UNBELIEVABLE DARCO

Fred to his friends! We bought Fred as a hairy 9 month old weanling direct off the breeder. As a 2 yr old he covered 4 mares the old fashioned way – but these days he only covers via AI.

Once he came in to be broken he quickly became THE favourite. Right from day one he always tried to please, super easy to break, a gent to cover in hand, never a problem to load or shoe or clip…..!! Do you think I’m biased yet? And to top it all he jumped clear after clear!!

In 2002 at Zangersheide I turned down a big money offer for him, as I was hungry to win the Newcomers at HOYS! The Foxhunter wasn’t really on the cards……

When I did the entries for HOYS, we decided not to enter the Foxhunter final as it was £110 entry and we thought it’d be to much for him. Anyway as I put the envelope in the postbox, at the last minute I pulled it back out, added the class number and a personal cheque for £110!! We were going to be there anyway as the Young Horse Evaluation Finals were there that year [Caretino Glory was Champion!!] So the plan was to see what they built, if it suited we’d jump, if it didn’t suit we wouldn’t jump! As he went down the funnel to jump, I said to Joe [Clee] “if you get in trouble come out” The rest as they say is history!! In the collecting ring afterwards Joe having sash put on, Fred was having rug put on, me doing fillet string [I can’t stand seeing a slipped rug] with scotch in hand! Drum horses lurking, everyone doing congrats and all that air kissing rubbish and no one holding Fred!! He has many wins and some of them were superb wins!!

BREEDING

The sire: Unbelievable Darco is by the great Darco, who is THE name in breeding showjumpers in this millennium. A prolific winner in Grand Prix's and World Cups he also gave Belgian rider Ludo Philippaerts his 1992 Olympic ride. Indeed Ludo rode a son of Darco at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 [Otterongo]; he also rides Parco a winner of current world cups. Other Darco progeny include King Darco, Nustria and Jolly Boy to name just a few. The grand sire is Lugano I whose best-known progeny are Peter Charles' European Champion ride La Ina and Jos Lansink's Egano. Darco's dam sire is by Codex, a graded son of the Holstein thoroughbred stallion Cottage Son xx.

The dam: Quina van het Roelof is a daughter to the top Hannovarian sire- Grandeur who is by the super successful Grannus. Needing no introduction Grannus is the sire of John Whitaker's top ride Grannusch and Jan Tops' Olympic ride Top Gun. Quina's dam line goes back to Lugano van la Roche crossed with thoroughbred. Grannus was ranked as the number one Jumper sire in the WBFSH rankings 1996/97.

PERFORMANCE

August '01 2nd at Pyecombe in 4 & 5 year-old Championship. Winning 4-year-old.

5th at Scope National Championships in 4-year-old Championship.

October '01 Awarded Full Approval with AES.

January '02 Winner at Royal Leisure in Foxhunter.

May '02 Winner at Pyecombe in Grade C qualifier. Qualified South of England Final.

July '02 2nd at Kent County Show in B & C.

August '02 3rd at Pyecombe in Newcomers Regional Final to Qualify for Festival of Showjumping.

Winner & 2nd at Wales and the West in Newcomers & Foxhunter Regional Finals to qualify HOYS.

Winner & 2nd at Hickstead in British 5-year-old Championship and qualifier.

Winner and 2nd at Scope National Championships in 5-year-old Championship & qualifier.

September'02 Winner at Zangersheide, Lanaken in 5 years Consolation Championship.

October '02 Winner at HOYS in Foxhunter Championship.

6th at HOYS in Newcomers Final.

May ‘03 Winner at Pyecombe in 1.30m

=1st in Olympic Star Spotters. Qualified for Festival of Showjumping.

July ’03 =1st at South of England in AON 6 year old.

=1st at The Royal Show in AON 6 year old.

=1st at East of England in AON 6 year old.

Winner and 2nd at RIHS Hickstead in 1.30m Championship and qualifier.

August ’03 Qualified for AON 6 year old Championship at HOYS.

Winner at Scope Festival in 6 years Championship & Qualifier.

Sept ’03 4th at HOYS in AON Final.

Winner at Zangersheide World Breeding Jumping Championships in 6 year olds.

Spring ’04 Winner and qualified for Scope Festival in 1.25m and 1.35m Opens.

Winner at Pyecombe in 1.30m Open.

July ’04 Winner at Kent County in Open.

=1st at Wales & West in 7 yr olds.

August ’04 Winner at Wales & West in Toggi Grand Prix.

October ’04 3rd, 5th & 6th at Horse of the Year Show in 7 years final and International classes.

Winter ’05 Doing Dressage! Now has 17 points with BD.

2005- 2008 Winner of Grand Prix at Stallion Show. Winner of Area Trial at Aldershot.

2nd at Ardingly Area 46 in Area Trial. Winner at Scope Festival in the Gentleman’s Championship.

Winner at Pyecombe in 1.40m. 3rd at Surrey County in Grand Prix.

2nd at Area 38 in Area Trial. Winner at Patchetts Premier Show in 1.35m.

6th in 1.50m open at Royal Windsor. 2nd in British Open Qualifier at Hartpury.

Winner at Arena UK Premier in Grand Prix. Winner Hickstead in International Derby Tankard.

BSJA winnings of approximately £27,550. International Grade A.

As a young horse he qualified British Novice, Discovery and Newcomers second rounds through jumping double clear rounds. He then qualified Newcomers & Foxhunter Masters and Finals. Also qualified the finals for Style & Performance, Milton, and Scope Blue Riband, B & C, 1.25m, 1.35m. & Festival B & C and Olympic Star Spotters. Represented GB at the World Breeding Championships held at Zangersheide as a 5 and 6 year old.

He travels to the shows along side other stallions and mares.

PROGENY

His foals have inherited his looks and delightful temperament, they are athletic, correct and very trainable. He has progeny competing BSJA, BE and BD with great success. Listed below is some of the progeny that I know of!!

DARQUIN - competing BSJA Foxhunter/ 1.30m

DARCO DREAM - competing BSJA Discovery, Finalist at Addington Young Horse Championship

DARCO CHARM - competing BSJA Discovery and Newcomers.

DARCO FERRARI - competing BSJA and Dressage.

SIR DARCO - qualified Badminton Young Dressage Horse, competed BSJA Discovery and now BD.

DARCANNA - competing BSJA Newcomers and BE Pre novice/Novice

D’ARTAGNAN IV - competing BSJA 1.30m and FEI veterans Nations Cup

DARCO ONE - competing BSJA Foxhunter/ 1.30m

CONCO - competing BSJA Newcomers

UNBELIEVABLE CAPPOLLA - competing BSJA

UNBELIEVABLE GOLD - competing BSJA

UNBELIEVABLE DIAMOND - competing BSJA

EVITA – Winner at BEF futurity, Reserve Champion at Final

DARCO MAESTRO – about to competing BSJA!!

DARCOS NITE FLIGHT – competing BE

BELTONS DARCO DELUXE – competing BE

DARCO PART EX – competed BSJA

Please contact Brendon Stud for Unbelievable Darco's current stud fee.