Darco

Darco's list of achievements as a jumping stallion is testimony to his dream-like career and that of his rider who credits the stallion with getting him into the international show-jumping circuit: the pair came 7th at the Barcelona Olympics, 2nd at Spruce Meadows/Calgary, 6th in the World Equestrian Games and Stockholm, and won and placed highly at countless World-Cups and other important international events. Darco is by Lugano van la Roche, Hanoverian breeding from Lugano I, out of a mare by the Holsteiner, Codex, by Cottage Son.

Darco is one of the best stallions in the world. If you look at what his offspring are doing, he is very special – a top jumper and a top breeder. He has been unbelievable for the Belgian breeding. He was a really careful horse himself, and his progeny are very honest horses, with a very good character and mentality. Darco looks like a heavy horse, but was not heavy to ride, he has a lot of blood so he just needs normal sized mares. He breeds well with Belgian, Dutch, French and Thoroughbred mares.

Darco was described by his rider as an extremely honest and intelligent horse never known to produce offspring that fell short of excellence, was always on top of the list for breeders from all over the world. Mares produced by him are highly coveted as brood mares and often sell for astronomical prices, while many of his male offspring have gone on to become highly successful. He has produced among the best: Trudo King Darco, Atlanta Olympic Games, Belgium Champion and 5th at St. Gall European Championships, without listing all his victories and rankings in GP and World Cups. Darco has also produced in France the stallions: Klassique de Gue ISO 142, Vesuvius v/h Moeshof ISO 141, and the performers: Eros du Bois Blanc ISO 148, Insolente ISO 166, Jolly Girl de Kervec ISO 153, Papillon ISO 140, Patchouli’t Kesterbeekbos ISO 153, Qui Voila ISO 147, Res ISO 138.

After his retirement from the sport, Darco became one of the World’s best breeding stallions for show-jumpers and has remained so until his death in mid-June 2006. Darco is presently listed as #2 by the WBFSH in the World breeding Stallion rankings.