British Breeder Magazine November 2019

Feature - ARTICLE
El Thuder
Thunder van de
Zuutheove
Ula
Argentinus
Jura van st. Martens
Larome
Ekster
Argentan
Dorle
Nimmerdor
Landlady
Landgraf
Miara
Goldspring de Lauzelle
Silberkunde
“He now concentrates on his breeding
work but is still in work and goes to
stallion parades and local shows,” says
Greg. As a stallion, El Thuder was a
‘best kept secret’ but a very impressive
display at the British Stallion Event at
Addington early in the year resulted in
2019 being his busiest stud season to
date. “He loved all the attention and
was relaxed and happy as everyone
came in to meet him in the stable,”
said Greg.
“Most people want fresh or chilled
semen and he is very efficient to
collect from and very fertile. He goes
in the trailer and I take him to the
Sussex Equine Hospital which is close
by and has excellent facilities and a
complete service including packing and
sending out. At some points we were
going to collect two or three times a
week!” Providing some insurance for
the future, El Thuder has also been to
Stallion AI to collect and store frozen
semen. He produces excellent quality
semen and has a very high first attempt
pregnancy strike rate.
At home he is stabled on a mixed
yard with mares and geldings and is
exceptionally well mannered, enjoying
hacking over the Hickstead showground
and local woodlands. “We’ve some
pretty good hedges round here and he
loves hedge hopping and is so bold and
brave! He has plenty of TB blood and is
fast, so he also appeals to the eventing
breeders and has been eyed up by
several eventers”.
As well as his bold and scopey jump, his
super paces are naturally straight and
elevated. His Thoroughbred influence
makes him a fantastic refining stallion
for the heavier showjumping mare
resulting in more agile and athletic
offspring.
“It is exciting that he has offspring at
all levels in different disciplines - some
jumping internationally and some
eventing at grassroots. He produces
progeny with kind, straightforward,
trainable characters.
None of them are really sharp”. Greg
has four El Thuder sired horses at
home being produced and competing
successfully. For next year Greg has a
Golden Hawk mare and an Unbelievable
Darco mare, both in foal to him. “He
adds quality and we get some really
good progeny from the Unbelievable
Darco mares. Mostly he produces dark
bay offspring with very few markings,
but he has produced one grey”, said
Greg.
His eldest stock are 11 years old and
are already competing internationally
at 4* and 5* shows and on the Global
Champions tour. Some of his older and
more experienced progeny include:
* Rumbolds Starlight: International
grade A mare competing 5* 1.50m
classes and showing potential to
become a good Grand Prix horse.
Recently placed at Paris and Horse of
the Year Show 2019.
* NP Zelah: Competed internationally
at 4* 1.40m level with Jessica Mendoza.
* NP Calne: Gelding sold abroad
competing nationally up to 1.40m
classes.
* Lord Thuder: Graded stallion
competed to 1.45m internationally.
* Amelia 16: Mare competed to 1.35m
internationally.
In Eventing, he has offspring that have
successfully competed at BE Novice
level and have won Event young horse
evaluations. A Grade A silver disc
stallion, El Thuder is fully approved
by Breeders Elite and Anglo European
Studbook and is available AI only with
fresh, chilled and frozen semen.
For more information -
Website: www.glgequestrian.com
Telephone: 07870485339
BRITISH BREEDER| 51