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sire of numerous showing winners. Jumbo’s on him for a heavier type of horse and could
dam was grade B show jumper Betty, by the jump a big fence.”
Thoroughbred Seven Bells. After retiring from eventing, Jumbo show
“I loved the way he moved,” recalls Carolyn. jumped with William Funnell, won the Spillers
“He wasn’t bought as a stallion, I just bought Dressage and Show Jumping Championship at
him because I liked him.” Blenheim in 1997, whipped-in to the Bicester
Having been brought up with ponies in with Whaddon Chase, appeared in the
Sussex, Carolyn kept up her involvement with hunt’s inter-relay team and even starred in a
horses and Jumbo was her second stallion — pantomime at Addington with Carl Hester.
her first being the 15hh Thoroughbred Magic “He hated the spotted pantomime horse,”
Story, who was bred to show but broke his laughs Carolyn.
shoulder as a yearling. At the time she bought These days, Jumbo is still ridden to get fit
Britain’s top event horse sire, Jumbo, Carolyn was working in the music for the stud season, and is best known as a sire.
business — she promoted pop artists including Only the late Cavalier Royale tops him in the
Abba, Neil Diamond and The Beatles. She used 2007 roll of sires by the British Eventing points
Jumbo, has Badminton winner to be married to the Radio 1 DJ Simon Bates,
although they are now divorced.
won by their competing progeny.
Badminton and Burghley winner Headley
Headley Britannia among his Carolyn says: “I never thought Jumbo would Britannia is Jumbo’s flag bearer, but she is
be an eventing stallion. Ferdi Eilberg rode backed up by a raft of advanced performers,
him when he won the Masterlock Potential not least Henry Tankerville, 2006 Bramham
flag bearers and is still going Dressage Horse competition as a five-year-old.
He gave him a nine for his paces, and said:
winner under Andrew Nicholson and twice
placed in the top 15 at four-star level. Another
strong at 24, says PIPPA ROOME ‘This is a dressage horse’. But a show jumper
told me he should be a show jumper. He could
of Andrew’s rides, the 2007 British Novice
Championships runner-up Avebury, is chiefly
T
have gone either way, but I loved eventing.” responsible for Jumbo’s place as last year’s
HERE’S clearly a love affair going Moira Horton (née Macdonald, who also leading sire of seven-year-olds.
on at Grafham Stud and the competed at top level under her first married Andrew adds: “Jumbo’s progeny are all
man involved is tall, dark and name, Moira Synge) worked straightforward with good
handsome. He’s also one of the
grand old men of his trade at 24.
for Carolyn, broke Jumbo
in and started eventing
Jumbo wasn’t bought minds. I haven’t had one
that hasn’t been a good
The male in question is Jumbo,
the leading British-based eventing sire. His
him, but when she became
pregnant, Carolyn asked
as a stallion, I just bought jumper with good basic
movement. Sometimes
lady is Carolyn Bates, who bought him as a six-
month-old foal at the Malvern sales.
Andrew Nicholson to take
the ride.
him because I liked him they can be a little plain
as three- or four-year-olds,
When going into Jumbo’s box I turned back In 1991, Jumbo finished Carolyn Bates but as they get older they
to latch the door, thinking he might make a sixth in the CCI** at Le Lion get lighter and look more
run for it. Lucy Wiegersma competing Jumbo’s stallion son d’Angers, winning the quality — unlike most plain
“Don’t worry, he wouldn’t go anywhere with Jigilo II. He is aimed at a three-star this season Young Horse Trophy — at that time any horse four-year-olds who get heavier.”
Carolyn here,” says her friend, Cathy Wood. could contest the CCI** (now restricted to seven- Carolyn says: “Jumbo stamps his youngsters
It’s soon obvious what she means — the big For anyone who knows Carolyn, it is no year-olds) with the leading six- or seven-year-old every time with his movement and
black horse shoves his muzzle in Carolyn’s surprise that her love affair with Jumbo taking this trophy. He remains the only British temperament. You could put a baby in a
hand as she takes his rugs off and willingly started at a sale. stallion to have achieved this. A year later, he pram with him and leave it there all day and
clomps off after her to the indoor school. “I love going to sales,” says Carolyn. finished 15th in the CCI*** at Boekelo. he’s passed that on. That’s why so many of his
Once there, it is hard to believe that “But I’m so happy if I come home without That was the end of Jumbo’s eventing career. colts have not been castrated, because they are
Jumbo is 24 years old. Still a good-looking buying anything.” It was rarer for stallions to event then than so normal.”
horse — Carolyn says he lost some muscle That didn’t happen at Malvern sales 23 years now and Carolyn felt the risk was too great. Carolyn also owns three Jumbo stallions.
tone on his stomach after colic surgery ago, but I doubt Carolyn regrets buying the Andrew Nicholson recalls: “He was a very The eldest, Jigilo II, will stand alongside his
10 years ago, but that is not obvious — colt then called Beeston Jumbo Jet. straightforward horse and easy to have father at Twemlows in Shropshire this year.
he struts round, checking who’s been Jumbo was bred by respected show judge around. Being a stallion made no difference He is an 11-year-old advanced eventer out of
on his patch, then demonstrates Archie Smith-Maxwell, being by his Irish to the way he behaved. He was a powerful ride, the Thoroughbred Summer Jane, by Teofane.
his paces. He’s an excellent mover Draught Skippy, a grade A show jumper and very classy, a good mover. He had a good gallop “He’s like Jumbo on a hot wash, a refined
and his hock activity would be
outstanding in a horse of any
age, let alone one into his
third decade.
8www.horseandhound.co.uk .
7 FEBRUARY 2008 HORSE & HOUND 75
A 2007 foal by the piebald Jumbo son Free Spirit shows off his paces Wish Upon A Star, by Gribaldi, whom Carolyn bought at a sale in Holland
.
76 HORSE & HOUND 7 FEBRUARY 2008 8www.horseandhound.co.uk