The mare makes the difference: Fragance de Chalus.

Fragance de Chalus (Jalisco B – Nifrance x Fury de la Cense, bred by Solange Planson), has created a dynasty in the European breeding. Unfortunately she passed away this month, at the age of 26. It was a true honor to have met her twice.

With Joris de Brabander as owner, Fragance de Chalus wrote history in the breeding world. Valerie Planson recalls;

“Joris was always ahead with his ideas and that's why I'm giving him Fragance. With him she had every chance. She was well cared for, well attended. Although she had a lot of embryo transfers, this is what has led to the development of the branch, that I could not have made possible myself.”

It is interesting that Solange Planson bought a filly back from Fragance, Valerie Planson says;

“Joris had promised me an embryo from Fragance. He gave me one of Vigo d'Arsouilles (Vigo was still very young then), but he told me that Vigo was an absolute super star, and he was right. I was lucky to have a filly; Prune de Chalusse. I haven’t been doing so well when competing with her (I am blaming myself for this). She is a nice mare, big, very powerful, with very nice strides, so I am going to try to breed her as much as I can from now on.”

FRAGANCE AND ITS PRODUCTS

Fragance was in sport with Karline de Brabander, she is the daughter of Joris de Brabander. Karline recalls about her time with Fragance and her offspring; “I rode Fragance up to 1.40m classes. She is a fantastic mare, her determination was very strong for jumping well and to please me. Based on her determination she might have actually jumped higher than she was suited for. Her son Bamako (by Darco, born in 2001) is also a fighter like Fragance, he wants to jump every fence clear. Sometimes he is a little bit too eager, but in the end that is an important characteristic for horses (at least that is my opinion) a horse that wants to jump, with a good mind and honest over the fence. I have ridden several other offspring out of Fragance, like Nais de la Pomme (full sister to Bamako and also born in 2001, embryo transfer). Nais de la Pomme was ridden before by Patrick Delaveau. She might not have been good enough for the top level, but she was difficult to beat as a six and seven year old in young horse classes and as an 8 year old in 1.35 – 1.40m classes. Also, Nais had the willingness to perform. In general you can say that Fragance and her offspring have very good characters, they can please amateur and professional riders alike. They have a winner’s mentality, going clear over the fences and you can make short and sharp turns with them. An even bigger characteristic from this line is that they can kick out really well from behind.”

Joris de Brabander, a specialist in embryo transfers, says about Fragance;

“A while after I bought Caprice I bought Fragance for a lot of money, But she was worth it! As well her mother and father have jumped at the highest level, which is for me really important! She has never failed in my expectations. As a two year old we started with flushing embryo’s out of her.”

Fragance has also several grandchildren, one of them is Twister de la Pomme (by Darco) out of Nimfe de la Pomme (by For Pleasure, with Karline de Brabander successful at international level in the young riders). Twister de la Pomme is standing in the Netherlands at Stud Zwartjens. Robin Zwartjens’s experience with this stamm is the same as from Karline; “Our experience with this mareline is that it produces ‘Blood typed’ horses, the young offspring we have from Twister seem to jump with good reflexes. Twister is a stallion that was already super to ride as a young horse, jumps very easily and we think he has a lot of scope. Ronaldo de la Pomme (by Stakkato) out of Nais de la Pomme was sold to Christine McCrea.” Twister de la Pomme jumped at 1m60 under the saddle of Wesley Mulder.

Fragance’s son Hugh Grant is owned by Ariane de Backer from Belgium, she says; “His name is Hugh Grant de Muze. "De Muze" is from Joris De Brabander's breeding stud. Hugh Grant was born in 2007. He's an approved stallion and was bred by Joris de Brabander. Joris sold half of the horse to Mihkel Kangur from Estonia when the horse was 2 or 3 years old. From that point, the horse was in Estonia and was ridden by Estonian rider Margit Mägi. (Joris still owned the other half of the horse!) In 2011, he jumped classes for four year old horses in Estonia. In 2012, he jumped classes for five year old horses in Estonia, as well as 1m10 and 1m15 classes. Last year in October he also jumped in Helsinki during the World Cup show (there were also classes for 5 year old horses). The five year old competition was held over two days: he won the first day and placed second the second day. So he won the competition overall, and was best five year old horse! After this show in Helsinki, I went to Estonia to try the horse along with my trainer Jos Kumps and his son Alexander Kumps, and we bought the horse. So now he's in Belgium at our stables!

Hugh Grant is a very, very clever horse! Clever when you jump also and he really knows when he does something good, then he's proud of himself and he stands straight, with the head high and ears forward and almost expects to be rewarded with a treat. Also, when he's doing something he's not allowed like biting on the lunge when we hand walk then he has this look; he's proud of himself for being cheeky! He's funny!” Hugh Grant de Muze is currently jumping at 1m50 under the saddle of Frederic Bouvard.

BIG NAMES

Mylord Carthago (Carthago) and his halfbrother Farfelu de Muze (by Quel Hero de Muze) were both under the saddle of Penelope Leprevost, her groom Julie Martijn said about them in 2013; “They both enjoy life a lot. They also both like it more to be at shows. At home they are lazy and they don’t like to work, they are really horses who love to be at the show and to perform well.” Mylord Carthago has won several classes at the highest level last year and participated at the Olympic Games in London.

Joris de Brabander says about this line;

“The mentality of these horses is fantastic, they always want to work and they never stop at a fence! This is also what stallions like Bamako de Muze and Mylord Carthago will pass on the offspring. Before Bamako enters the ring he is looking at the rider like he wants to say ‘let’s go!’.”

For now Fragance de Chalus has 6 direct offspring that jumped at 1m60, three offspring that jumped at 1m50, two at 1m45 and seven at 1m40. On Horsetelex are listed in total 45 offspring, she has 25 daughters. They have produced many offspring that are competing at the highest level. Her dynasty will grow and will stay for a long time in breeding!

 

May 2019, Adriana Van Tilburg