BELGIUM (by Jo de Roo) The PAVO stallion competition began during the second phase of the BWP stallion expertise, and one week later the second round took place in the same location, the Azelhof equestrian centre in Liege. The third round was ridden in Hulsterlo.
Many spectators followed the three heats, and breeders were really keen to watch and evaluate the performances of the stallions as a valuable tool in making selections for their brood- mares.
A number of four- and five- year-old stallions reached the maximum number of points thanks to three faultless rounds. It was impossible to speak to all the breeders of the faultless stallions, so choices had to made with the greatest respect to those breeders or owners that were not interviewed.
Four-year-old stallions
Thanks to three faultless rounds, 14 four-year-old stallions achieved maximum points, including Le Blue Diamond van’t Ruytershof/ex- Liebert van’t Ruytershof, bred by Bert van den Bran- den. Born out of the mar- riage between Plot Blue and Diamanthina van’t Ruyter- shof, and partnered with Constant van Paesschen, Dia- manthina is performing at international five-star show- jumping level. Via his dam, Le Blue Diamond belongs to BWP performance line 69, also represented during the stallion competition by Jack- son de Regor (Vagabond de la Pomme - Fata Morgana x Querlybet Hero), Jilbert van’t Ruytershof (Numero Uno - Gianthina van’t Ruytershof x Cartani) and Kentucky van’t Ruytershof (For Pleasure - Diamanthina van’t Ruytershof x Diamant de Semilly).
Van den Branden explained the particular qualities of Le Blue Diamond: “He always wants to jump faultlessly. He
has quick forelegs and a good hind-leg technique. He is not a sensational show- jumper, but an efficient showjumper. From his sire Plot Blue he has inherited his conformation and show- jumping manners, from his dam Diamanthina the technique and the will to not touch the fences”.
