Cor de la Bryère

Cor de la Bryère is the stallion that revolutionised jumping 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. 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.

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 showjumping champion of 1968, Pomone B. Lurioso was himself a sire of international showjumpers.

Cor de la Bryère 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 Franke Sloothaak, while Cordalmé Z with Gilbert Böckmann has also been successful at international level.

Cor de la Bryere progeny continue to shine - at the 2001 European Showjumping champs, the Cor de la Bryere son, Broere VDL Corland, led the competition going into the final day.

In his first season, Cor de la Bryère covered 70 mares at Siethwende and four colts from his first crop were licensed. He was a stallion of great vigour, 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 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.

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