"TOP 25 DRESSAGE SIRES"

What a simple pleasure it is to have received the August/September 2010 issue of the MODERN ARABIAN HORSE magazine in the mailbox last week. While kicking my shoes off, one of the front cover headlines, "Top Dressage Producing Sires 1960-2010", grabbed my attention. Reading this article became my first priority and I sat on the sofa with magazine in hand, thumbing to the article before thinking what was for dinner.

At first glance, the list is familiar, with a similar lineup we've seen before. It seems to be a repeat of the Top Sire of Numbers of Foals printed each year where sires are ranked by the volume of foals they produce. There was Khemosabi ++++// on top, followed by the Varian stallion Desperado V, then Ivanhoe Tsultan, Bey Shah+, *Aladdinnn, Huckleberry Bey ++ and so on. Perhaps I misread the title? No, definitely this article is presenting the horses here, on this list, as the 25 top sires of dressage horses. Clearly this list is arranged with those stallions at the top siring the highest number of dressage winners, while working down the list to the bottom of the stallions siring the fewest number of dressage winners.  There is no indication in the list that the horse at the top is any better a sire of dressage winners than the horse at the bottom, simply that the horse at the top sired more dressage winners.

Some sires have sired over 1,000 foals while others have sired under 100.  It makes sense that the sire with 1,000 foals has more dressage winners than the sire with 100 foals,but that is no indicator that this sire has better odds in siring dressage foals. To determine which sire has better odds in siring dressage winners, the percentage of offspring that are dressage winners by a given sire becomes a more useful number and provides more accurate data when speaking of stallions as Top Sires of any given discipline or attribute.

Taking a closer look at the numbers and rather than stating a sire with high volume is a top sire by virtue of sheer numbers (having 1,000 foals on the ground), let's say the sire that produces a higher percentage of dressage winners, is truly a top sire because quality over quantity is a sound rationale in any day and age.

The number one horse on the list was the beautiful and talented Khemosabi++++//. He produced 1264 foals. That is an unimaginable number!  Of those 1264 foals, 45 were dressage winners . . . or 3.6%.  Next in line is Desperado V who produced 876 foals of which 43 were dressage winners . . . or 4.9%.  Just looking at the order of the first two horses picques my interest to look further.  

Looking at the List:

Khemosabi++++// produced 45 dressage winners out of 1264 foals or 3.6%
Desperado V produced 43 dressage winners out of 876 foals or 4.9%
Ivanhoe Tsultan produced 38 dressage winners out of 698 foals or 5.4%
Bey Shah + produced 34 dressage winners out of 984 foals or 3.5%
*Aladdinn produced 33 dressage winners out of 1213 foals or 2.7%
Huckleberry Bey++ produced 33 dressage winners out of 699 foals or 4.7%
Hucklebey Berry +/ produced 26 dressage winners out of 489 foals or 5.3%
Bask Flame produced 25 dressage winners out of 568 foals or 4.4%.
Perkee Rhoyal Gem produced 24 dressage winners out of 61 foals or 39.3%
Fame VF+ produced 23 dressage winners out of 534 foals or 4.3%.
GS Khochise+++// produced 22 dressage winners out of 269 foals or 8.2%
*Padron produced 21 dressage winners out of 815 foals or 2.6%
Abi-Sha Polka produced 20 dressage winners out of 114 foals or 17.5%
GG Jabask+/ produced 20 dressage winners out of 943 foals or 2.1%.
*Novator produced 20 dressage winners out of 176 foals or 11.4%
Cytosk+++/ produced 20 dressage winners out of 362 foals or 5.5%
Negatraz produced 18 dressage winners out of 563 foals or 3.2%
Monogramm produced 18 dressage winners out of 440 foals or 4.1%
*Napitok produced 18 dressage winners out of 324 foals or 5.5%
Percussion produced 17 dressage winners out of 209 foals or 8.1%
Out of Cyte produced 17 dressage winners out of 201 foals or 8.5%
BA Bey Elation produced 17 dressage winners out of 217 foals or 7.8%
Safire++ produced 17 dressage winners out of 356 foals or 4.7%
Le Fire produced 17 dressage winners out of 467 foals or 3.6%
Aire Bey V produced 16 dressage winners out of 1215 foals or 1.3%
Promotion produced 16 dressage winners out of 530 foals or 3.0%
Barbary+++ produced 16 dressage winners out of 760 foals or 2.1%
El Kasaka produced 16 dressage winners out of 295 foals or 5.4%
Oran Van Bandy produced 16 dressage winners out of 81 foal or 2.0%.
*Muscat produced 16 dressage winners out of 1039 foals or 1.5%
Bey Oro produced 16 dressage winners out of 232 foals or 6.9%
Al-Marah Canadius++/ produced 16 dressage winners out of 204 foals or 7.8%

using the rational basis of the sires being ranked by the percentage of dressage winners they actually sired, thereby being more likely to produce potential dressage winners, the list below is a more accurate reflection of what the order of the top 15 of the "Top 25 Dressage Sires" should be in.  Ironically the list below, which is geared toward "quality over quantity", is headed by horses that are relatively unknown, which deserve a little bit of recognition for their accomplishments in spite of their humble origins:

Perkee Rhoyal Gem produced 24 dressage winners out of 61 foals or 39.3%
Abi-Sha Polka produced 20 dressage winners out of 114 foals or 17.5%
*Novator produced 20 dressage winners out of 176 foals or 11.4%
Out of Cyte produced 17 dressage winners out of 201 foals or 8.5%
GS Khochise+++// produced 22 dressage winners out of 269 foals or 8.2%
Percussion produced 17 dressage winners out of 209 foals or 8.1%
BA Bey Elation produced 17 dressage winners out of 217 foals or 7.8%
Al-Marah Canadius++/ produced 16 dressage winners out of 204 foals or 7.8%
Bey Oro produced 16 dressage winners out of 232 foals or 6.9%
*Napitok produced 18 dressage winners out of 324 foals or 5.5%
Cytosk+++/ produced 20 dressage winners out of 362 foals or 5.5%
El Kasaka produced 16 dressage winners out of 295 foals or 5.4%
Ivanhoe Tsultan produced 38 dressage winners out of 698 foals or 5.4%
Hucklebey Berry +/ produced 26 dressage winners out of 489 foals or 5.3%
Desperado V produced 43 dressage winners out of 876 foals or 4.9%

For dressage enthusiasts wishing to breed their mare for a dressage prospect, it may be a best practice to use a list such as the "Top 25 Dressage Sires" article in conjunction with the arabian horse data source (to get the total number of foals as a divisor) as a means to discover which stallions are siring the highest percentage of dressage winners as using such a sire should increase the odds of producing a dressage horse from your mare.  Then it is up to you to make that horse a dressage winner.   Isn't that what being a Top Sire of dressage winners is all about?  It surely is from where I sit . . .

Happy Trails!

MB Satulah found JEVA Farms, LLC

Just look at that face.  The serenity is clear as is the desert gift of large nostrils and veins obvious to the naked eye just beneath the fine coat of hair.  She found me and I am glad she's here.  From the rare Julyanne branch of the *Bint Bint Sabbah family. 

MB Satulah
(Imperial Saturn x Nahifah Shulah by El Saqlawi)