[bornfreenowexpensive]

Seems like if you want an eventer, go with something that has produced eventers (or has evented).

Personally.....I don't believe that is really true for eventers. I've talked with some of the best of the best eventers (very BNT)....and those who also have experience in breeding....and they suggested looking outside the box of the typical "event" sires. And I ran all the typical event sires by them...

What makes a top eventer is often in whose hands they end up and how they are brought along. Most eventers don't always get the best horses. Until recently, eventers were the rejects from the other disciplines (not enough jump for the jumpers and not good enough movers for dressage). I don't think that is always the case anymore.

I think a top event needs to have a good gallop. A lot of good show jumpers also have that gallop...and both my mares have that gallop. I want a good mind, good movement and top jump (and Sound). And I want marketable so that if they do not want to be an event horse....they will be marketable in a different field.

I personally don't care for Irish and since I start my own horses...I pick what I want to ride (nothing wrong with them...some very nice Irish horses, I just know what I like and get along with). Most of the UK stallions I do like are not available in the USA. As for Trak...that may be a possiblity for my TB mare, but since this mare is a crossbred already...I would like something that could possibly be registered. I may not care about papers but since I do plan on selling the foal, I want that option. So the WB stallions seem to be more suitable. (I'm comfortable that I will get her approved ISR/Old N.A.--but she isn't eligible ATA) I've looked at her closely...and she is refined enough (as are her siblings) that I think we would be ok if the WB is a more modern stallion.

Edelweiss is more than 80% blood. Top GP jumper lines and he himself competed to GP in dressage. The sort of dual use sires that I think you will see more and more in event pedigrees given the sport we now have..and the direction I see it going. Not the sport we had 10 years ago.

I look at how the sire and his offspring move. Do the have the gallop that I'm looking for. Lordanos does...he has the movement that I think will work for an eventer. Edelweiss...I'm not sure.

I don't need the stallion to have evented. Honestly...if I owned a stallion...I wouldn't risk him eventing or risk the rider falling off xc and having my stallion running loose. And since it takes 7-10 years to produce an event horse to a reasonable level...and those offspring need to have ended up in the hands of eventers to begin with. I don't think limiting yourself to only "event" sires or sires who have produced eventers is what is needed to produce a top event horse.

Look at the pedigree of the Olympic gold horse...look at the pedigrees of many of the top WEG horses. A lot of them are all over the map....and they seem to be changing from what was seen years ago.

That said...there are many event horses who have the Alme blood of Edelwiess (and we will see many more) and Lordanos' pedigree also has pleanty of eventers (and he himself has produced a few--even though he is not an "event" sire).

ETA: I'm considering some of the typical "event" sires...but I'm also considering that the best match may be outside the box.