With the medals decided, it is a perfect moment to look back at the EC jumping in A Coruña. Three offspring of Carrera VDL (s.Cardento) and Harley VDL (s.Heartbreaker) competed in the event.

The 89 horses that started in the first phase descended from 71 different sires. The main contributor was top sire Chacco-Blue, with four offspring competing at this European Championship. Additionally, VDL stallions Carrera (out of Vantiels Esprit prest sport-spr PROK by Baloubet Du Rouet, breeder K. Muys JR form De Rijp), Harley (out of Larthago pref prest sport-spr by Carthago, breeder M. van der Bruggen from Goirle), and Cardento (Capitol I out of B-Estelle by Lord, breeder R. Witt from Germany) each had three offspring competing, making a strong impression. Under Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida, Karonia.L sport-spr (out of Laronia-L keur prest by G. Ramiro Z, breeder They Lemmers from Baexem) was the highest-placed Harley VDL offspring, finishing 31st. The best offspring of Carrera VDL was Krachtpatser (Carrera VDL out of Pandora keur prest by Animo, bred by Edwin Enzerink from Asten Heusden), finishing 43rd. A notable detail is that both horses, at ten years old, still have their best years ahead. Furthermore, three offspring each of Cornet Obolensky (Clinton out of Rabanna van Costersveld by Heartbreaker, breeder unknown) and his son Comme Il Faut (out of Ratina Z by G.Ramiro Z, breeder unknown) also competed.

Sport Mothers
According to research by Michael Doherty, one in five horses (21%) was bred from a mare that performed at a minimum of 1.45m level. Nearly half of these mares competed at the highest levels. Gold medalist United Touch S (s.Untouched) ridden by Richard Vogel comes from a mare that competed at 1.30m level. Likewise, the dam of silver medalist Hello Folie (s.Luidam) ridden by Scott Brash performed herself at 1.45m level. The highest-placed KWPN-bred horse, Imagine N.O.P. (Cassini Gold out of Nigel ster sport-spr prest by Lord Z, from Albergen) ridden by Kim Emmen, was bred by Conny Viscaal from the 1.60m-classed mare Audi’s Nigel (s.Lord Z). Additionally, Just Be Gentle sport-spr (Tyson out of Be Gentle Verte sport-spr prest PROK by Ticallux Verte, breeder P. Knijnenburg from Deurne), who finished 17th, inherited her talent from her dam Be Gentle (Ticallux Verte out of Waranda elite IBOP-spr sport-spr PROK prest by Gentleman, breeder P. Knijnenburg from Deurne), who competed at the highest level with riders including Cian O’Connor and Jelmer Hoekstra.

JS for KWPN / Photo Just Be Gentle – HippoFoto