BY ADRIANA VAN TILBURG (COURTESY ROLEX)
PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER LLEWELLYN

The story of Hello Jefferson is one for the history books after the impressive gelding ridden by Scott Brash won the CPKC ‘Internationall, presented by Rolex, at Spruce Meadows, Calgary, just a few short months ago

Yet the background of this exceptional showjumper is far less straightforward than his performances might suggest. As a foal, he was registered with the BWP under the name Jerenmias van het Hulstenhof. Breeder Bernard Mols shares the remarkable story behind Hello Jefferson.

Jefferson’s English roots

The mother of Hello Jefferson comes from England, and breeder Bernard Mols recalls the beginning of this special story: “I spent about two to three years riding with Malcolm Pyrah. During that time, I also rode some of his horses and he guided me a bit. In the last year that I was there, I brought Hovis – the mother of Hello Jefferson – over from England. I bought her through Malcolm, and with that mare I competed in the Belgian Championship and was part of the B-team. She really performed at a serious level.
In England, I only received a recognition document from the studbook – basically just an ID paper. I later submitted that to the BWP, who registered Hovis and then issued me an official paper. When I retired her from sport, I presented her at a BWP inspection, when she was also confirmed. So from England I only had the sire recorded, but through the BWP I obtained an official registration document.”
Hovis’s recorded sire is Irco Mena (Irco Marco - Ballymena Park x Menelek xx), who was one of Sweden’s most influential stallions of the 1980s and 1990s, combining top-class sport performance with a lasting impact on modern breeding.
Bred by Ann and Lars Gustavii, who founded their Gustavii studfarm in the UK in the early 1970s, the grey stallion competed successfully at international Grand Prix level, representing Sweden in Nations Cups and World Cup qualifiers. A son of the legendary Irco Marco and out of Ballymena Park, Irco Mena carried a rare blend of Thoroughbred refinement (47.66%) and classic jumping scope. Among his many offspring competing up to 1m60 level is H5 Market Irminka (50.98%), bred in the UK by Sue and Derek Ricketts, further underlining his legacy as a producer of top-class sport horses.

Jumping out of fields

Bernard Mols remembers well the moment he met Hovis: “I was 21 years old when I was with Malcolm; in total I spent three years with him, starting at the age of 19, while I was also serving in the army. In my last year with Malcolm, he knew about this mare and recommended that I go and see her. Through him I eventually came across Hovis. I never really knew anything about her dam. What I do remember is that the owner told me the mother of Hovis was constantly jumping out of fields or paddocks; if she had enough space for a run-up and the fencing wasn’t high enough, she would simply jump over it.”

The quality of Hovis

After arriving in Belgium, Hovis’s quality soon became evident both in sport and character. “With Hovis herself, I achieved some great results. I competed her at the Belgian Championship and also in international classes up to 1m50. At Harrie Theeuwes’s show, she jumped a 1m50 class and was named the best horse of the event, finishing on the podium over all three consecutive days. As a seven-year-old, she was already ranked in the top 10 of the national cycle. Because of her qualities, I eventually brought her into breeding.
“Looking back at Hovis, one quality clearly stands out that she consistently passed on to her offspring: her tremendous go. Even today, there are very few dam lines in the world that possess such drive and willingness. And that is exactly what is needed at the highest international level – only horses with that kind of determination the most demanding competitions.”...

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