By Jean Llewellyn
Photography: Courtesy Ecurie de la Virgina

Only once before in the 27-year-history of World Breeding News/Breeding News for Sport Horses have we reported the successful birth of twin foals – the first time with a Canadian breeder, and in 2024 in France thanks to one of the world’s best known stallions, Diamant de Semilly.

Of course, this doesn’t imply that the occurrence is as exceptionally rare as it appears but, certainly, the birth of two live and healthy foals – one male, one female – is an occasion to be celebrated, especially when the sire is one of the world’s best known names in sport horse breeding: Diamant de Semilly.
Conversely, Candy Lamoureux is not a name associated with the world of major studfarms or breeding royalty. But in 2000, just 100 kilometres due east from the central Paris, a 47-year-old who has herself been in the saddle since childhood established a stable together with her husband, Sueur Jerome. Offering livery stabling and a pony club, their Ecurie de la Virginia also encompasses small-scale Warmblood breeding.
The twin’s dam, Nahla was the first mare Candy and her husband bred themselves, and she was 14 before she had her first foal; “It’s also the first time she’s had twins. She is our only mare used for breeding this year, so we are producing a maximum of two foals a year. We are a very small breeding operation. Our foals are intended for our personal use as my husband and I are both showjumpers... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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