Zeus

Zeus

Zeus - Selle Francais Stallion

Zeus

Zeus - Selle Francais Stallion

Zeus {who is sometimes called ‘Nurzeus’ but actually started life as Gordios} is a balanced mix of Selle Français and Anglo Arab blood. His sire, the Anglo Arab, Arlequin is a distinguished sire of International showjumpers and eventers, Zeus’ full brother, Figaro (ridden for Zangersheide by Harry Wouters Van Den Oudenweyer} and sister, Diablesse (ridden by J. P. Bonneau}, won at International level, as did Enc’ Or, Elysée II, Fidelité, Filou Charriére, Fourni Rouge and Izmir - all by Arlequin. Arlequin was out of Nuit Bleue, by Le Pot aux Roses who was the sire of the showjumping superstar of the 70’s, Quo Vadis.

Arlequin is still an influence in France through his eleven approved sons, most notably Mister Charrier and grandson, Kapoc. His dam, Urielle is by Matador, a stallion represented in Germany through his Oldenburg son, Veritas. Matador is the sire of Unicol’Or whose son, Pivoine du Taillan, is an International Grand Prix winner with Michel Robert. Unicol’Or is the dam sire of Krawaat, an International Grand Prix winner with Ludo Phillipaerts. Another Matador International winner is Phosph’Or, ridden by Stéphanie Delaveau.

The dam sire, Talisman xx, is also the dam sire of the legendary full-brothers, Furioso II and Mexico. It was this matrilineal line that really impressed the stallion’s future owner George Vorwerk, as Dirk Zaggers in his article ‘Zeus: Last of the Great Oldenburger Frenchmen’ (Breeding News, October 1998} points out: ‘For George Vorwerk the dam line was a very important item in breeding, and he discovered that Evelyne the dam of Urielle was the by the Selle Français stallion, Talisman, who was also the sire of the dam of his star stallion Furioso II. George Vorwerk proved himself ahead of his time when he found out that a little inbreeding had a positive effect on sport performance, especially with Furioso II.’

Evelyne was the dam of several good jumpers including Opium C, a top performer in Spain in the 60’s.

Zeus was sold as a two year old at the annual auction at Poitiers for 26,000 francs. Soon after he was presented at the 1975 KWPN stallion grading where he failed! It was in Holland that the famous Oldenburg breeder George Vorwerk spotted him and brought him to Germany. Dirk Zaggers was on the spot: ‘A few years later, when I worked for George Vorwerk at his stud farm, I was curious why he was so interested in a non-licensed French stallion at a Dutch grading show. First of all George was impressed by his breeding. Although Gordios was a Selle Français, he had 82% Anglo-Arab blood in his veins and at that time Oldenburg was in great need of performance stallions with this blood to ennoble the breeding stock in that region of Germany.’ Zaggers records his impressions of the young stallion: ‘In conformation the young chestnut looked more like the modern sporting type horses than the German breeding stallions of those days. His trotting movements betrayed his Arab background, as he moved a bit flat and not from out of his shoulder. Nowadays we know that trot, although being important in breeding, has nothing to do with jumping performances or inheritance. On the other hand the Frenchman had a good walk, and could canter and jump like the very best. At the Oldenburg grading show, Gordios was approved as Zeus and sent to Adelheidsdorf for the performance test where he came second of the Oldenburg licesned stallions. At the test Zeus proved himself an excellent jumper but he had difficulties in adapting himself to the Germany way of riding. We are talking 1976, the year that Alwin Schockemöhle became Olympic champion and, in those days, horses had to adapt themselves to the stronger and more dominant way of riding that everybody copied from Schockemöhle.’

In 1981, the Dutch breeder, Hans Rehbergen leased Zeus from Vorwerk. This time the KWPN commission licensed the horse, under the name, Nurzeus (it was a year in which all stallions were given names beginning with the letter ’n’, hence Nurzeus}. Zeus sired 361 foals in The Netherlands, the most famous of which was Midnight Madness, bred by that well-known breeder, Henk Nijhof.

Zeus was a consistent sire of top jumping horses over a long career in both Germany and Holland. Playback with Rodney Jenkins won the 1987 AHSA Jumper of the Year and was sixth at the World Cup Final in 1989. Canadian rider Ian Millar had success with both Lonesome Dove and Czar – both by Zeus. Midnight Madness with Michael Whitaker, Hauser’s Zypria and Dirk Hauser, and Virtual Village Zalza with Nick Skelton, all contributed to Zeus’ fame. Zeus’ German registered progeny had won a total of DM4.3 million by the year 2001, and in that year, the grand old man still managed to finish in 10th place on the WBFSH rankings for the year, with his most successful progeny in that year being Zandor Z. Zandor Z has had a very successful competition career with Jos Lansink, placing second in the Hachenburg and Geesteren Grand Prix, and third in the Grand Prix of Europe at Aach.

Zandor Z is the only stallion son of Zeus still in competition. His two most influential stallion sons have been Zyklotron and Beach Boy (who has recently moved from Sweden to the United States}. Zyklotron - out of a mare by Admiral I - has sired two International jumpers, Zuckerpuppe and Zarzuela. Beach Boy, out of a Lucky Boy dam, is the sire of Beach Game, and more recently the stallion, Brandenburger who has been ridden Internationally by Rob Ehrens.

As a sire of broodmares, Zeus has been very important, with the International competitors: Cat Ballou, Ermis, Lysias, Prim Zaro, Riccarda, and most importantly, Tinka’s Boy, all out of mares by Zeus. Zeus is ranked 6th in the standings for 1990 to 2000 with 34 representatives!




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Zypria
Katja
Denise
Zeno 5
Callisto II

Hestia
Zorro T
Denise

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DUMARILLA
ELEKTRIK
EMMYLOO-IMOO
ENNIO
ERICA OLDENBURG
ETOILE
EVIDENCE
FAMA
FELLOW
FIMARILLA
GANIBUR
GIPSY
DOMINKA
DODIENA
DIOLITA
DILLENBURG
DIA ROSES
DELME D
DEE DEE
DASCHMI
NEUVELLE-S
NIPRO
NORFULJA
NUR ANKA
ONOSA
DARK-IMOO
DALTINA
DADONA
GIVOLDA
GEUZ
GALADRIEL
FROLOMA
FIVOLDA
FICARA
FANAKTA
FALANDRIA
ETRICHTA
ETIENNE
ERONETTE
EPAPHOS
Zymbal I
GIVRY DH
IDEM DITO
KARAMBA
KWDRAAT
M.ZAUBERHAFT
N.RUGERTH 61
NATION
NEW YORK S
LAMORATA
N.ADERMIE 2
ODIENA
OORNELL
ORFEUS
PARANDA
PERSEUS D
RAGGAE BOY SW
REGENT LEENDERT
RELLA
RISJA
NABRAXIS
EDELZYRA
SANTIAGO K
SEUZJE
SINOTA
SOLE MIO-S
TEQUILAMUNDE
UTA II
ZAANDAM
ZAPATEADO
ZARINA
ZAYSAN Z
THE END
HAZEUS
JOURNESSE
ZOU ZSA
UTA 2
UTANA VDL
LA ZORIA
ZANDOR
ZARAH
ZASTAH
ZENIT
ZINI
ZIPPO
ZITA Z
ZYRIKANA
NONDRIA II
O.ZEUS M
ROSELLE
RUBICO
OPPERHOOFD
PARINA K
PERITO
BALINO
BARBARELLA
BRENDIELA
RAM BAM
RANJA
CATRICHTA
CHANEL
Alesca
ANNEVANCK
RELEVA
ATHEM
BELLE-MADAME
BLIZZARD
BRIGETTE
BUMARILLA
CERISE
CHARISSA
CREOFINE II
CYRENAIKA
DAKAR
DAMIANO
Midnight Madness
REMBRANDT
RINCON ZEUS
DELISA
DESALIA II
DESIREE UTOPIA
DIABLO
DIETRICH
DOCILIA
DUBHA
DUSALINDE
ELEGANZ
ELSTERGOLD
ENJOLIE
RISSA
Zalza
ROSELINDE
ROTESSE D
S.ALMERIA VERTE
SAROLA
SILOMA
SOGAT H
STOERELEEN
ZENTURIO
ZINRIKA
ZACHARIAS
Zorro

Dianaroos

Simply Red
Albina
ANN PETIT
BRUTUS
CABARETT
Beach Boy (Stallion)
ARAGONDA
DAROLA
DATRICHTA
Cushty
Zerano III
Archidee
Xavier
Aries
Decadence
Chenei
Desire
Zeremonie
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HBC Michael
Billy
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Een Ander
Zodiac
Zandor Z
Irulan
Zanka
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Wasabi
Baltimoor
Ennio
Zerbin
Latina
Zirkana
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Zatino T
Zenus
Zippo
Zymbal II

Zapateado
Polarbraut
Zermatt
Marlon
Touch of Magic
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Zsensi

Saphire
Michael
Ediena
Esprit
Zaragh
Animation
Zyprius