By Jo de Roo
From February 13-15, 2025, Studbook Zangersheide organized their spring stallion inspection at Sentower Park. Of the 120 inscribed stallions, 37 were finally approved. We made a ranking of the sires who were represented by three sons or more.
Chacco-Blue (no. 2 in the WBFSH sire ranking) achieved the best score with five approved sons out of the five presented (100%); followed by Balou du Reventon (2/3, or 66.67%); Dominator 2000 Z (3/5, 60%); Emerald van’t Ruytershof (5/11, 45.45%); and Aganix du Seigneur (2/5, 40%).
We interviewed Stijn Van Campenhout, one of the three jury members, who is himself a breeder, horse dealer, jury member, and member of several auction committees.
Q How do you look back on the stallion inspection?
There was a large supply. I’m happy because we have approved several stallions that are promising for the future, with or without a career as a breeding stallion, but definitely horses with Grand Prix potential. We have also seen several complete stallions that can mean something for both the sport and for breeding. If we can select those stallions, then we can be satisfied and dare to look back on a good inspection.
Q Which sires really impressed you?
Chacco-Blue clearly stands out as a supplier of horses with Grand Prix potential. And by that, I mean Chacco-Blue directly, but also his influence through sons, including Chatinue. The approved Chatinue son Cento Z went well during the free jumping on Friday and Saturday, and suggests that he has the potential to become a Grand Prix showjumper later.
Q What does Chacco-Blue bring?
The good front part, being withers, shoulder, and foreleg. If he has a potential of 11/10, then you are already many steps ahead. A feather in the cap of Paul Schockemöhle.
Q Why is that front part so important?
If the body of a horse is constructed in such a way that the horse can jump a high or delicate vertical without much effort and without having to think about it or, for example, jump over an oxer without touching the first rail, then as a rider you have a good chance of jumping a clear round. This has to do with basic qualities, such as jumping back, lifting the knees, and elevating the withers up.
This is the added value of Chacco-Blue, on top of high-leggedness, the will to go for it, and the athletic scope that he passes on to his offspring. Sometimes you see in various online databases that Chacco-Blue offspring from a particular mare perform on average 20cms higher than her non-Chacco-Blue offspring. Then you know what he does and contributes. People who have had descendants of Chacco-Blue in their sport stable, tell me that you have to be a bit more patient. If the turning point at seven or eight years takes the right direction, then they usually perform at a higher level.
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