Bringing In New Blood - Western Canada's new breeding stock set to make their mark in the jumper ring
by Jan Mansfield

Seven stallions with impressive bloodlines have recently been brought to B.C. and Alberta which, according to their owners, will be making an impact not only with their prodigy, but also with their performance on the international show jumping scene.

B.C.’s Lower Mainland recently became the home of five Holsteiner stallions owned by Doug and Judy Spink of Portland, OR, and being managed by Olympic Show Jumping Stallions Corporation. Local rider and businessman Isauro Flores has secured the ride on Capone (Contender), Cantour (Cantus), Aquilan Calypso (Ahorn Z) and Carrington (Concerto II). In addition, Flores and two other Canadian investors have established International Performance Stallions which has purchased Cotopaxi (Carbano). The newest stallion at the facility Flores rides out of in Ladner is a throughbred, Mr Whisper Jet (King Concorde). He will be competing in the hunter rings at the Desert Classic in Indio this winter.

As impressive as the stallions’ bloodlines are to breeders, Flores said their performance in the show jumping ring will be noticed as soon as this coming show season. He plans to have the eight-year-old Cantour in the grand prix ring beginning at Thunderbird Show Park in May and the Spruce Meadows “National” in June, with plans to be in the International ring at the Spruce Meadows “North American” in July. He is confident that the results will earn the duo a place on the Canadian Show Jumping Team for the 2004 Olympic Games. Capone (six) and five-year-old Cotopaxi are aimed for the 2008 Olympics.

Flores, who began riding in Mexico at the age of 11 and trained with Pan Am Games gold medallist Robert Mondevil, said he has paid his dues, stuck to his guns, and finally, at the age of 38, his efforts are paying off. Financial constraints when he came to Canada at the age of 18 kept him out of the upper echelons of show jumping and immersed in the fifth-generation family business of chocolate making.

“I just tried to keep in touch with people who have horses, riding here and there, and focusing my attention on learning horse psychology, how to get them to be comfortable, and how to get them to enjoy what they’re doing”, Flores said. While studying towards his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry he learned how human athletes condition themselves, and uses similar techniques for his horses. He concentrates on muscle and mental conditioning while doing very little jumping.

“I haven’t had an opportunity to compete, for whatever reason, but I’ve had the opportunity to learn about horse training, and the horse mind, and how to get each and every horse to be the best they can be, regardless of their condition or their past history,” said Flores.

Now that he possesses the equine talent he believes will take him to the top, Flores said he is looking forward to springing onto the show jumping scene where he isn’t really known. “I think it’s a really neat opportunity for Canada to have sponsors of this nature so we can do well internationally,” Flores said.

A recent performance at the Breeders’ Classic show in Langley, BC added fuel to Flores’ extremely ambitious plans. Capone, Cantour and Aquilan Calypso passed the Canadian Sport Horse stallion inspection and by many accounts wowed the spectators with their jumping form and ability. His conviction that his results in the show ring will pave the way for a spot on the Canadian show jumping team is stronger than ever. In the meantime, he is pleased that breeders can access top bloodlines at a reasonable cost.

Flores said, “These horses are top performance horses. Breeders won’t have to spend too much money to get some good horses”.

“Predominantly we just want to have the stallions, compete with them and then offer them for people to breed to.” Flores said. “We are very excited that we can offer that here in B.C.”

Flores said another high priority is to contribute to the financial support of young riders. “It took me 27 years to get here and I still haven’t made it, but eventually I will,” he said. “What I want to do is make sure that we implement a structure that will provide financial assistance on an ongoing basis to those young riders that are getting started and have a dream to compete internationally.”

New stallion owners Jan and Jacqueline Van den Bosch of Red Deer, AB, also have international show jumping aspirations for a three-year-old Pinto by Voltaire, Sandstorm. Acquired at the select sale in Holland earlier this year (under the name “Second Best”) he recently passed the Canadian Warmblood inspection with the highest score ever awarded by the registry – an average score of 8.25. Jacqueline Van den Bosch said the stallion’s wonderful nature comes from his mother and grandmother who scored high points by the KWPN for behaviour. “He is really easy to ride, very down to earth. Like a big dog,” she said.

She said Sandstorm has shown successfully at the 3’ level at schooling shows this year. Her 13-year-old daughter, Femke, hopes to get permission to ride the stallion as a junior, and has claimed him as her future Olympic Games mount.

Next season’s plans include doing some winter schooling shows and maybe entering the competitions for four-year-olds.

In the meantime, he has been bred to five mares – three warmbloods and two thoroughbreds. The Van den Bosch’s are considering offering frozen semen, but plan to be very selective in who they allow to breed to Sandstorm.

Horse Sport February, 2003