Classic Quainton (Son of Contender)
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| Stud Fee: £425 - Introductory fee Premium Graded Stallion Featured In the 2008/09 Yearbook of German Sires: Ausgewahlte Hengste Deutschlands (Select Sires of Germany) - click to download |
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| Gender | Stallion | Height | 16' 2" |
| Breed | Holstein | Stamm | 2004 |
| Colour | Bay | Horse Ref | 58 |
| Date of Birth | 31/05/04 | Covering Options | Chilled or Fresh |
Bloodline
Description
Classic Quainton is a powerful young Holstein stallion that has been produced from a combination of the two famous and successful stallions Contender and Landgraf I. At the stallion approval in Munich, February 2007 Classic was one of the most striking stallions presented and he was awarded the grading level of Premium Stallion Status.
Classic Quainton is from the Dam Line 2004. His mother Arizona II successfully produced six licensed stallions - Lord´s Highfly by Lord (Spr. S), Cool Man by Carthago (Spr. S), Caronimo by Carolus (Spr. M), Contect by Carolus, Candy Man by Carthago (Spr. M) and Cardoso by Cambridge (Spr. M).
Classic Quainton is a promising stallion and with his excellent bloodlines Quainton Stud expect great things from this exceptional Holstein stallion.
Sire Line
Contender
Contender is the sire of Montender, ridden by Marco Kutscher, winners of Olympic Bronze Team Medal 2004. Contender is one of the most popular sires in Germany at the moment (2005). Conterno Grande and Cordobes 1 & 11 and Contendro. Contando is now in the US being used as a breeding stallion.
Calypso II
Calypso II is the Sire of Contender, he is very influential in breeding for both dressage and jumping.
Cor de la Bryère
Cor de la Bryère is the stallion that revolutionised jump horse breeding. His is the name astute breeders like to see, especially on the mare line for ‘Cord’ tends to give great form over a jump.
His sire – the French Thoroughbred, Rantzau, was bred to be a jumper being a descendent of the enormously influential Bay Ronald. Rantzau was by Foxlight by Foxhunter by Foxlaw by Son-In-Law by Dark Ronald by Bay Ronald. A serious racehorse, Rantzau was third ranked three year old of his year - in nine races between 2000 and 3000 metres, he won two and was placed five times. Purchased by the National Stud, he arrived at the stallion depot of Saint-Lô on January 5th, 1951. Of Rantzau, the stud inspector noted: ‘good front extension, remarkably built through the shoulder and fore-arm, long haunches, this classy stallion of rare nobility, also has low-placed joints and covers ground'.
Contrary to legend, the breeders in the area were quite enthusiastic about this well-bred, well conformed and well-performed newcomer and between 1951 and 1962, he bred between 40 and 49 mares a year. In those days French state stud stallions were only allowed to breed 40 mares a year, plus the National Stud director’s cards used by him ‘in the interest of breeding’. In 1971 he covered his last book of mares, with five foals the result. In twenty years of breeding he covered 772 mares at an average of 38 mares a year for 179 fillies and 194 colts. His fertility of 50% was regarded as normal for the time.
By 1964, Rantzau had moved into 3rd place on the ranking of aged sires of jumping horses, behind Lutteur B and Kenavo D, and the next year he moved into 2nd place with progeny jumping with success all over Europe, and held that second place until 1969. In 1970 he moved down to third place behind Ibrahim and Furioso, but the next year he moved into first place on the jumping rankings, as well as being in 5th place on the sire of eventers rankings - he was even ranking in the 20s as a sire of dressage horses. As late as 1976, when he had been dead for five years, Rantzau was still 3rd on the jumping sires rankings, by 1980 he had moved into 4th place. He remained for many years one of the leading sires of broodmares.
On the bottom side, Cor de la Bryère was royally bred, out of Quenotte B, by Lurioso a son of the most influential Precipitation son, Furioso. In French jumping circles, Furioso had been a sensation, siring the 1964 Olympic gold medallist, Lutteur B and the world show jumping champion of 1968, Pomone B. Lurioso was himself a sire of international show jumpers.
Cor de la Bryère almost never made it to the breeding barn. In 1970, the selection committee of the Haras du Pin visited his owner, Xavier Ribard and suggested ‘that is not breeding stock, he’s too much of a sport horse. Better geld him; he’ll make a useful gelding.’
The horse was now on the market – and it just so happened that the Holstein Association was looking for French blood, having seen the success of Furioso II and Futuro in Oldenburg. Oldenburg breeder (and show jumping ace) Alwin Schockemöhle was looking for a stallion star, and leased the Furioso xx son Urioso – however he was prepared to sub-lease the stallion to the Holstein Verband. Hence a Holstein inspection committee travelled to France to evaluate Urioso and in doing so, discovered Cor de la Bryère. Urioso ended up standing two forgettable seasons in Holstein while ‘Cord’ left an indelible mark on the Holstein breed, and jumping the world over. He was not only a sire himself but a sire of sires. The full brothers, Caletto I, II and III were stars, as were the brother quartet of Calypso I to V. In the jumping arena, his handsome grey son, Corrado has been a star for Frankie Sloothaak, while Cordalmé Z with Gilbert Böckmann has also been successful at international level.
In his first season, Cor de la Bryère covered 70 mares at Siethwende and four colts from his first crop were licensed. e was a stallion of great vigor, and as late as 1977 served a full book of 111 mares. although best known as a sire of jumping horses, Cor de la Bryère was also the sire of Corlandus, a World Cup Dressage Champion in 1989, and his sons Calypso I and Calypso II have proven a useful sire of dressage horses. Current German Olympic team member, Chacomo ridden by Alexandra Simons de Ridder is by Calypso I, as was Alexandra’s other FEI star, Champus.
In Australia the influence of Cor de la Bryère has been strong through his son, Contact imported in 1976. Although subject to a vicious campaign of vilification by established breeders (with stallions of their own), Contact produced a number of international level competitors: Corroboree (Grand Prix dressage) and the show jumper, Talking, ridden by Colleen Brook at the first WEG in Stockholm in 1990, and sold on to Italy. The Contact son, Northern Congress is the sire of Australian Grand Prix champion and World Cup representative Charisma.
Calypso Classic (by Calypso II) was imported by Barbara Burrows, and after quite a successful dressage career, he has now gone show jumping. In Western Australia, Barrabadeen Stud imported two own daughters of Cor de la Bryère. More recently, two offspring of the Calypso II son, Carbid – the stallion Carbine and the mare, Cinderella, have been imported. Carbine has been a finalist at the Australian Young Horse Championships, while Cinderella won the five year old title in 2000. In the latest WBFSH ratings, Cor de la Bryère is ranked 18th with 28 points earning progeny, but there are a staggering 20 own sons on the rankings: Calando I, II, IV; Caletto I, II; Calvados I, II; Calypso I, II, III; Cantares, Carneval, Carte d'Or, Casanova, Cavalier Royale, Cinzano, Constant, Contact, Corrado I, Cortez 679, Cosinus. There are also 12 grandsons of Cor de la Bryère in the standings - not to mention important stallions like Cathago Z and Burggraaf - who are out of Cor de la Bryère mares.
Here is Romedio Graf von Thun-Hohenstein in his book, The Holstein Horse, commenting on Cor de la Bryère's shape over a jump: 'When the goal was to join the exciting powerful jumping ability of the Holstein with a sophisticated skill, combined with an ideal bascule, sooner or later a stallion such as Cor de la Bryère had to be selected. The arching back, like a taut band of steel combined with the super elastic end gives limitless, but always expedient, springing capability to the natural dynamics of each effort. Add to that ease of riding, marvelous disposition, and a floating, highly balanced canter. These qualities are absolutely to the benefit of young horses, who will no longer have to pay with premature breakdowns caused by jumping and showing solely with a raw, crude jumping talent.'
And perhaps it was a case of a stallion being in the right place at the right time - French equestrian journalist, Bernard le Courtois is firmly convinced, that left in France, Cor de la Bryère would have simply confirmed the original assessment of the French selection committee:
According to Bernard: “Some stallions cross very well in a particular situation. For example, Cor de la Bryère. He was exceptional in the 70s in Holstein because he was a horse that was very quick with the front legs. He did not have the power on the back side, but he was a very electric horse, with the blood of the Thoroughbred, Rantzau, and mixed with the heavy Holstein mares, he was fantastic. But when we tried to breed Cor de la Bryère with the French mares, we had rabbits. Cor de la Bryère needed a very strong mare, and we didn’t have this kind of mare in France.”
Ramiro
Ramiro is one of the foundation sires with a world wide reputation. One of his best sport horse off spring was Ratina Z who competed twice at the Olympic Games by Ludgar Beerbaum and Piet Raymakers. Stallions sons of Ramiro are Rasso, Romino B, Ronald, Rollando, Ritual B, Ramiro Son, Rebot, Rebel Z 1,2,3. Raphael Oldenburg sport horses in 1972, 1973 Monsum & Mario in 1976.
Dam Line
Arizona II
Landgraf I
When you visit Elmshorn, Germany, these days, and you stop at the century-old "Riding and Driving School", then you are where the heart of the Holstein Horse Breeding is beating.
And there you meet that characteristic shape of Landgraf I in front of the complex, the symbol of the modern Holstein Sport Horse and performance sire. The original himself died in 1996 at the age of 30.
In his article in Breeding News (August 1999) French journalist, Pascal Renauldon records the great stallion's passing: "On 10 April 1996, the Holstein breeders had celebrated, with great pomp, their charmed stallion, during a ceremony which had embed some of his most celebrated progeny: Libero H, Taggi and some 30 others. Exactly one month after this homage, Landgraf passed away due to heart failure, even though his physical condition had showed no signs of decrepitude. His strong back was not swayed, his proud eye of a dominant stallion and imposing neck were still as superb as when they appeared on photographs of him as a youngster."
Yet Landgraf was not initially widely accepted as a stallion in Germany because sons of Thoroughbreds were still regarded with suspicion . It was after the 1975 Equitana in Germany, where Landgraf easily cleared a 6'6" several times a day, that international ders started to buy his offspring.For many years, Landgraf led the list of sires of sport horses. His offspring have won just under seven million dollars mainly in show jumping, and in this respect he is the top sire in the world today. The runner-up, Furioso II is more than two million dollars behind, and Landgraf still has a few offspring in competition to add to the total.
Born in 1966, Landgraf I belongs to the first vintage of his sire, Ladykiller XX, who produced another hero one year later in Lord, another of the most influential stallions in Holstein.
Ladykiller XX was a very popular Thoroughbred stallion, born in England, and a descendant of the very famous stallion line of Phalaris - Fairway - Blue Peter - Sailing Light, combining with Hyperion. His dam also carried Phalaris-blood, as well as Son-in-Law.
>In spite of his famous ancestors - Ladykiller was a failure as a race horse. His performance genes were still there, of course, but they emerged not as speed but mainly as jumping talent with the occasional good dressage horse as well. All of Ladykiller's offspring could easily be recognised as such, and Landgraf was no exception. These horses have beautiful noble faces with large bright eyes, bay - brown coats - and they could jump!
Landgraf had a very good temperament which he passes on, together with excellent movement. His dam, Warthburg, came from the stem No. 275 and accumulates the performance genes of Ethelbert, Aehill and Cicero, who are responsible for laying the foundation of the Holstein Sport horse as the world's leading jumping stud book.
Warthburg was born in 1962 and was bought as a weanling by Baron Friedrich Christian de Kielmansegg.After a competition career as a jumper, she produced Jenni, by the thoroughbred stallion, Little Lion xx - Jenni is the dam of Orchidee, who was a member of the gold medal winning German jumping team at the Seoul Olympic Games with Dirk Hafemeister. Orchidee in turn was the dam of Avion (Athlet Z) ridden in international competition by Ludger Beerbaum.
Warthburg then produced six foals by Ladykiller. Landgraf was born in 1966, the following year saw his full brother, Landgraf II who was sold to the south of Germany where he was gelded! Under the name - Leon III - he was on to compete at Grand Prix level with Manfred Schlusselburg. In the following two years, the fillies Eva and Frederica were produced - Frederica when bred to Farnese produced the licensed stallion, Fridericus. In 1970 Warthburg produced another filly, Landgraffin who was ridden in the 70's and 80's by Hugo Simon, winning many speed and puissance classes. Bred to Cor de la Bryère, Landgraffin then produced the stallion Cash, who also competed internationally with Simon before his death at the age of 10 while competing at Aachen.
Landgraf was licensed in 1968 along with twelve other sons of Ladykiller xx. Landgraf finished in 5th place with the comments 'a lot of presence, good gaits with excellent propulsion, good confromation and average hindquarters.'
Landgraf was chosen to represent the Holstein breed at the 1972 German National Agricultural Show - and finished last. Following protests from the Holstein officials, this was converted into second place, and then in an elegant piece of gobbledegook to 'first place C'.
Jumping is the field where he excels most as a sire. The list of his show jumping offspring is endless. A few names for example: Freestyle (formerly Lalique) won Aachen Grand Prix, Libero won the Dutch National title five times (!) and also the 1994 Volvo World Cup. The licenced stallion, Lacros, is another along with top performers: Lucky Luke, Lanciano, Landlord, Lausbub and Taggi.
Nearly sixty colts by Landgraf I have been licenced for the Holstein stud book, like the champion of 1991, Linaro, and the dressage talent, Loutano. Some of his sons have already achieved top positions as performance sires, for example, Letus II, a jumping sire, and the versatile Landadel, who produced three champion stallions for the Oldenburger breed alone, and also the outstanding international show jumper, Le Cou Cou, a licenced stallion.
So far, 340 broodmares by Landgraf I are registered in the Holstein stud book, 260 of these are in the Head Stud Book, 70 have been awarded the State Premium, and a considerable number have been champion mares at shows. Landgraf I was a legend already during his life time. His genes are securely anchored in the breed of the modern sport horse.
In his Stallion Book of the Holstein Warmblood Breed, Dr Dietrich Rossow comments: "Imposing appearance with enormous crest and neck carriage. Smooth total topline and much presence. Beautiful face with marvelous eye. Long, rather broad neck, long sloping shoulder. Withers, could be more clearly defined. Well shaped, muscular croup. Strong bone. Good in front. Slightly sickle hocked in youth (became very straight with age). Tied in below the hock and faults in the hind fetlocks. Good mover. Marvelous temperament. Phenomenal jumper; tight in front, lots of bascule, careful and talented. Great performance capabilities."
"Offspring are of various sizes and usually late developers. In youth, the tall ones appear leggy and narrow. Nearly always passes on his face, type and also his hind leg faults. Almost all offspring are endowed with their sire's jumping ability. In the beginning they jump rather awkwardly with less than ideal form which improves with increased maturity. Seldom passes on his overly heavy neck. Huge number of international class jumpers. Up to now (the book was published in 1988) Landgraf is far and away the most important ,jumper sire in the world!"
Ladykiller XX
When the German Warmblood breeders in the 60s and 70s turned to the Thoroughbred for refinement and athleticism, there were a number of important stallions that played a key role in the shaping the modern sport horse – none was more significant than Ladykiller. While he stood in the far north of Germany, in Holstein, his influence continues to spread… in 2002 the most expensive horse at the prestigious Fences Auction in France, was l’Arc de Triomphe, sold for 460,000 euros, a world record for a three year old – and he is a direct descendent of the great Ladykiller, indeed with a double cross on the sire line since he is by Landor S, by Landadel by Landgraf by Ladykiller, out of Novella out of Furth, also by Ladykiller.
Ladykiller was born in England in 1961 but he was no star on the racetrack, racing three times in two years and rating only a 80.5 kilo handicap – which luckily for him, was 0.5 kilos more than the minimum required for a Thoroughbred stallion to be accepted into German breeding ranks. Before his death in 1979, he sired 35 stallion sons including the twin pillars of Holstein: Landgraf and Lord. Both it should be noted out of mares with a good percentage of Thoroughbred blood – Lord’s dam was a full blood, while Landgraf’s dam was 25% Thoroughbred.
Ladykiller’s breeding features all the usual suspects found on jumping Thoroughbred pedigrees – Blue Peter, Phalaris, Son in Law, and you will find more discussion of this blood on the Bay Ronald page.
In his Stallion Book of the Holstein Warmblood Breed, Dr Dietrich Rossow had this to say about Ladykiller and his influence: "He was an averaged sized, clearly masculine type with a beautiful head, really heavy neck, good shoulder, rather flat loin, and a nicely coupled, heavily muscled croup. He had first rate legs and feet for a Thoroughbred and was an elastic mover. He was everything a state breeding program could wish for. With his 35 approved sons and 195 approved daughters, he has had the greatest impact of all on the Holstein breed. His best produce came through crosses with mares with some Thoroughbred blood. This was just the opposite case as with Anblick. When crossed with coarse, common mares, he produced accordingly. Today he must be viewed as one of the most important jumper sires of modern time. To enumerate all of his great performance offspring in the world of jumping s beyond the limits of this essay. He sired fewer dressage horses. Whereas Marlon and Anblick influenced this Holstein modification phase more in the direction of riding horse types, Ladykiller offspring correspond more to performance, jumper types. As a rule, they are strong horses, they are not, at first, very tight with their front ends. This however, quickly improves with increasing maturity."
Despite the proliferation of C line horses in Holstein breeding, the Ladykiller line retains its pride of place, indeed Claus Schridde draws attention to its proliferation even on the one set of papers: "Today it is almost a necessity of fashion in Holstein that a horse carries Ladykiller xx blood at least two or three times, whereby it occurs from time to time, that horses in the first generations are inbred five or six times to this invaluable foundation sire. All along, a certain measure of inbreeding has been a regular formula for success in Holstein breeding. Anyone looking more closely at Holstein bloodlines or respectively, the pedigree papers of individual horses down to the roots, is frequently taken aback about how frequently the same name literally jumps into one’s face in the earlier generations. Today, where fresh blood in Holstein does not take effect at all, continued inbreeding to the proven ‘classic’ Ladykiller xx is a piece of brinkmanship that demands a great amount of sure instinct by the breeders of Holstein." (from Selected Sires of Germany – A Yearbook of German Sires 2000, see www.horse-gate.com for information).
In his review of the Holstein Upgraders in Z Magazine, Jasper Nissen has this to say of Ladykiller as a stallion: "Passed on a good temperament, although sometimes a little hot. In spite of his early injuries he did not pass on any defects in the limbs. Produced numerous first class broodmares and licensed stallions, including the top progenitors, Landgraf I and Lord, Founded his own, wide-branched stallion line. Ladykiller xx passed on specific characteristics, such a s a fine head, an often light brown colour with white on the legs, sometimes less coupled loins, good, powerful and correct bones, very good jumping qualities (lots of guts, power, fine technique and rounded back over the fence), excellent basic gaits and on average, good sized products; his chestnuts were often a bit more noble than his bay offspring."
Farnese
Farnese is a foundation sire in Holstein.