Selle Français
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The Selle Français (pronounced "Sell-fron-SAY") is France's most important sport horse. It is renowned primarily for its success in show jumping, but many have also been successful in dressage and eventing.
[edit] History of the Selle Français
The Selle Français was named a breed in 1958, with its first stud book published in 1965. The Selle Français was created by crossing regional breeds with trotters, Thoroughbreds, Arabians, and Anglo-Arabians. All stock was registered in the stud book with pedigrees tracing back generations, making the Selle Français one of the few Warmblood breeds to have received very little foreign blood.
The most influential breed was the Anglo-Norman, developed in Normandy in the 19th century by crossing Norfolk Trotter, Thoroughbred, and Arabian stallions to refine the local mares (which themselves traced back to the medieval Norman war-horse). About 90 per cent of today's Selle Français trace back to this breed. Other regional breeds used to influence the Selle Français were Charolais, Corlay, Vendee, Anjou, Ain, and Ardennes.
A small number of Thoroughbred stallions influenced the breed. The first was Orange Peel who stood at the national stud from 1925 to 1940. His grandson, Ibrahim, also had a great influence on the Selle Français. Furioso, who is thought to be the most influential Thoroughbred in warmblood breeding, Rantzau and Ultimate were also incredibly important in the Selle Français breed. The names of these three Thoroughbred sires can be found in virtually every successful modern Selle Français.
Today, there is still quite a bit of cross breeding between Selle Français' and other breeds, making it suitable for a wide range of activities. Well-known horses include:
- Almé Z: foaled in 1966, this show jumper has contributed a great amount to the breed. He sired Galoubet A, Jalisco B, I Love You, Herban, Jolly Good, and others.
- Galoubet A: was foaled in 1972, and was champion French 5-year-old in 1977, and champion of France in 1979. He finished either first or second in 19 international Grand Prix show jumping events, and was on the French World Championship winning team in 1982 at Dublin. In 2002, he was the top money earning sire American-based sire of show jumpers. He sired two incredible, and very well-known, horses, Baloubet du Rouet and Quick Star. He also sired Irish bred Touchdown, who in turn sired 2002 World Equestrian Games Individual Gold medalist Liscalgot, in Show Jumping.
- Baloubet du Rouet: was foaled in 1989, and won the World Cup of Show Jumping an unprecedented three years in a row (1998-2000). He was a member of the bronze-winning team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
- I Love You: foaled in 1974, by Almé Z, he won the World Cup of Show Jumping at Vienna in 1983. That same year, he was named Horse of the Year in the United States, and has become an important sire or show jumpers.
- Jappeloup: Olympic Individual Gold medal winner Seoul 1988. Team Gold medal winner 1990 World Equestrian Games at Stockholm. 1986 World Championships 4th Individually.
- Quito de Baussy: foaled in 1982. Won six international medals in show jumping, including individual and team gold at the 1990 World Equestrian Games at Stockholm.
- Quidam de Revel: foaled in 1982, was a member of the bronze medal winning French team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he finished fourth individually. Recognized would-wide as a sire of show jumpers.
- Laudanum: foaled in 1967, was an approved French Thoroughbred stallion. In 2001, was named leading sire of show jumpers by USA Equestrian. Oh Star, ridden by Todd Minikus, is the son of this stallion.
[edit] Breed Characteristics
Selle Français are supple, strong, with good bone. They are powerful movers, fast, bold, and very trainable. The Selle Français stud book covers a wide range of types. The horses used for sport, especially in showjumping are the most famous, but they are also used for racing and eventing. Lastly, the non-speciallist horses are used for leisure and riding schools.
The horses usually stand 16-16.2 hands high, and can be any color, although bay and chestnut are the most common.
