Almé

Served France 1971-74; Zangersheide 1975-85, France 1986-1991 The Selle Français stallion, Almé influenced showjumping bloodlines all over Europe. Almé was by the great French stallion, Ibrahim out of Girondine.

Ibrahim is again one of those stallions who was shunned at first, only to become hugely popular far too late - in his case, after his death. Born in 1952, Ibrahim is out of Vailante, and by The Last Orange {born 1941}, another sire initially shunned by breeders. The Last Orange carried the blood of Eclipse xx, Matchem xx and Herod xx. His sire, Orange Peel (born 1919} is considered the founder of the modern Normandy horse, and left 19 licensed sons in the area. Ibrahim was champion of his age group in 1956 and was acquired by the State stud St-Lô and sent to Sartilly. However the local breeders did not like him much, thinking him only good enough to cover their Normandy draught mares. In 1965, Norvale, a mare from his first crop started to compete internationally with Jean-Michel Gaud, followed soon by Petit Prince C with Alain Navet and Quo Vadie with Michel Raoul-Duval. Still breeders were reluctant to use him and it was only when his progeny dominated the jumping finals at Fontainebleau in 1970 that he achieved real recognition. At this show, his youngsters won in hand classes, while his four year olds - Alcazar D, Aurore C, Azimut, Arteban and Almé - dominated the jumping finals. His daughter Val de Loire B won the five year old class. Girondine was a daughter of the Irish bred Thoroughbred, Ultimate, and as well as Almé she also produced his three full-brothers, all licensed stallions or successful jumpers. Her daughter, La Citadell (by Jus de Pomme} was bred to Ibrahim to produce three top stallions: Espoir (sold to Spain}, Gibramino (sold to Belgium} and Quastor who stood at St-Lô.

Almé at the age of five, showed great potential, ridden by Bernard Geneste. After his first season at stud, he was sold to the American Fred Lorimer Graham, who competed him for the next two years. Almé went on to compete internationally with François Mathy and Johan Heins, and sired many international performers. Before he left France for Belgium, he produced the stallion sons, Galoubet, I Love You, and Jalisco, all of whom competed internationally.

At the time, Almé stood at Zangersheide, the horses bred there were being registered in the Hanoverian studbook but this did not prevent the Almé genes making their way to Holstein where they were happy to use Ahorn Z (out of the Holstein mare, Heureka} and Aloubé Z and Athlet Z, both out of Hanoverian mares of Gotthard breeding. In the south west of Germany, Alexis Z - who is out of the Hanoverian mare, Wonne, herself an international performer with Peter Schmitz, was enormously successful and he was soon used in both Holstein and Hannover.

In France the breeders were also keen to use the blood of Almé, and at least some breeders used Galoubet (another international performer} before he was exported to the United States in 1983. He produced Quick Star and Quatoubet from his first crop and is currently brilliantly represented by three times World Cup winner, Baloubet de Rouet. The Almé grandson, Quidam de Revel has more recently been used in Holstein.

There is one drawback to the Almé line - many of his sons and grandsons, like him, suffer from scrotal hernia, and many after colic have had a testicle removed, still he is acknowledged as one of the all time great stallions of Europe.

Almé News

Almé Progeny

Almé Competition Results