In 1965, the legendary Bertalan de Némethy, then serving as the coach of the U.S. show jumping team, wrote in the Aug. 6 issue of the Chronicle about two of Mrs. Eleanora Sears’ great jumpers who had served on the U.S. team—Ksar d’Esprit and Diamant.

Ksar d’Esprit

Ksar d’Esprit, a gray gelding by the famous steeplechase sire Coq d’Esprit, out of Kristin by Ksar (who was sired by Tourbillion, once the leading sire of France), was foaled in 1947 and was to become by 1963 the most consistent and spectacular Prize of Nations horse the world has ever known.

An awkward colt, he grew to his full 17.2 ½ at an alarming rate. Shown by his first owner, Hugh Wiley, as a green hunter, Ksar soon revealed unusual ability to jump, and from his 5-year-old year was successfully shown as a jumper.

Ksar was acquired by the noted sportswoman, Miss Eleanora R. Sears, and in 1958 was loaned to the United States Equestrian Team by Miss Sears, with hopes that he might serve as a nucleus for the 1960 Olympic team. During his first year on the team under USET coach Bertalan de Némethy and ridden by team captain Bill Steinkraus, Ksar won not only the Grand Prix of Ostende and Rotterdam, but also the International Stake at Harrisburg and the individual championship of Toronto. In all, seven European victories and four U.S. fall circuit wins—quite a good beginning!

When the USEF returned to Europe the following summer, Ksar was already a mainstay of the team and an established international favorite. He moved with majestic grace, and took the course with such calm dignity, it looked almost like slow motion, but not of the tremendous length of his stride, his time was, in fact, extremely fast.

Willing and fearless, Ksar never refused a jump. His respect and interest would grow with the size of the obstacle. He could clear a 7’2 ½” stone wall, but sometimes he would touch a 4’ fence. He might get a hind foot wet over a 16’ water jump, but across a big oxer or triple bar his stride measured up to 28’!

Although he never bit or kicked, his size came him a certain upper hand in the stable. If he didn’t like a particular vet or treatment, he just moved away and whoever was holding the halter either let go or moved too. With these tactics, he won almost as many rounds in the stall as he did in the ring.

In 1959, Ksar was “anchor man” on the victorious Nations Cup teams at Rome and London, and he confirmed his standing as a Puissance specialist with triumphs at Wiesbaden, Ostende, Washington and New York.

1960, the Olympic year, was also to prove Ksar’s most brilliant as a member of the USET. Ksar warmed up for his duties on the team that won an Olympic silver medal at Rome by winning the Puissance classes at Aachen and London, and the Grand Prix of Ostende for the third time.

In the world championships at Venice following the Olympic Games, Ksar’s performance in four qualifying competitions placed him at the head of the qualifiers against the best horses in the world. Back home, he again accounted for the Puissance classes at Washington and Toronto, which means he was the winner of all six Puissance classes he entered in 1960.

In 1961, Ksar showed the benefit of a quiet summer (in which the USET squad traveled to Europe) but winning four competitions at the Pennsylvania National and his second straight Toronto Puissance. Returning to Europe in 1962, Ksar won the Aachen Puissance for the second time, before an injury incurred while schooling forced him to the sidelines for the rest of the season.

Thoroughly recovered from this in 1963, but no longer quite so young, Ksar was nevertheless a member of the team that won the Proba Brazil at Sao Paulo. In training for the 1963 fall circuit, Ksar suffered another, though not serious, injury and it was decided to let his younger teammates carry the U.S. colors. In preparation for the 1964 European trip preparation and the subsequent Olympic Games, he was plagued with old injuries and age and the decision was made to retire him.

In his six years with the USET, Ksar travelled more than 50,000 miles by air, competed in 10 different countries and chalked up a record of 34 firsts, 14 seconds and 14 thirds at the international level, including over a dozen Puissance victories at heights ranging from 6’6” to 7’3”.

Diamant

Diamant was purchased in 1954 by Miss Eleanora Sears from Mr. Fritz Tiedemann, the famous German rider who placed second in the World Championship at Paris on Diamant.

Diamant had a very successful European record and continued his victorious career in this country with Frank Chapot riding.

In 1958 he and his stablemate Ksar d’Esprit were loaned to the USET by Miss Sears and returned to Europe, representing the United States.

In that year, Diamant won classes in London and Rotterdam and was highly placed in Aachen, Dublin, Ostende and Rotterdam. On the team with Ksar, he competed in the Nations Cups, winning the Prince of Wales Cup in London, second in Aachen, Dublin and Ostende.

In the fall circuit in 1958 he won a class with Ksar, was third in the stake at New York and won nine more ribbons through Toronto.

Returning again with the team for the European tour of 1959, Diamant won the Belgian championship at Brussels as well as collecting seven high places during the Paris, Aachen, Ostende, London campaign.

During the fall circuit in 1959, he won a class at Harrisburg and two good seconds in New York.

He was shown only during the fall circuits in 1960, 1961 and 1962—winning four more classes at Harrisburg, Washington, New York and Toronto; twice second and twice third, making a very good contribution of points toward the USET championship at every one of those shows.

One of his last brilliant performances was in 1962 at the Piping Rock Horse Show, where he won the Blitz Memorial Championship.