LUIDAM – Make the most of him this year

“Make the most of him this year,” is the message to Irish breeders intending to use Luidam (165cm), whose international reputation has taken off in the past year thanks to his successful offspring. Having realised what a loss Guidam has been to sport horse breeding, European breeders have now turned to his in-demand son, the star of the winning home side in the 2003 Aga Khan Nations Cup.

Among his book of mares this year are sisters of Fragrance de Chalusse, the dam of Penelope Leprevost’s French team horse Mylord Carthago, and Omega Star, Tim Gredley’s Grand Prix winner. American breeders have also recognised Luidam’s success as a sire and Ed and Sue Davies’ stallion is scheduled to leave Ireland at the end of this breeding season for the UK to meet this demand for frozen semen from international customers. He is currently available here in partnership through Emma Rose Conroy’s Euro Stallions and Alan Robertson’s Robertson Equine.

While Luidam is still readily accessible here – chilled semen is available nationwide or mares are welcome at stud – Irish breeders should capitalise on the sire of Blue Angel and Ard Ginger Pop. More winners are on stream from Luidam’s main Irish crops with 19 competing in the recent Horse Sport Ireland studbook series at Louth County Show.

Kent Farrington’s brilliant Blue Angel won at Dublin, Los Angeles, Rome, Spruce Meadows and Wellington last year and her 12th place in the 2014 WBFSH rankings made this 1.60m Grand Prix winner the highest-placed offspring of an Irish or UK-based sire.

Luidam’s star performer here in Ireland in 2014 was Ard Ginger Pop, winner of the ISH studbook five-year-old series and Millstreet Ruby final with Ger O’Neill. Sold for the top price of €95,000 at the Goresbridge Supreme Sale of show jumpers, the Luidam mare then won a silver medal at the WBFSH young horse championships at Lanaken for new Swedish rider Angelica Augustsson.

BP Castlefield, last year’s Dublin four-year-old champion with Greg Broderick, is another advertisement for Luidam’s early Irish offspring. Luidam was also represented on another Irish team at the WBFSH young event horse championship at Le Lion d’Angers by Heidi Hamilton’s two-star eventer Dam Easy.

Mares best suited to Luidam, whose list of wins with Billy Twomey include the La Baule Grand Prix, are the more blood-type sort.

Luidam has an impressive pedigree. He is the only approved son of the Keur sire Guidam standing in Ireland and Guidam is renowned for producing the multiple Olympic, world and European medal-winning show jumpers Authentic and Ninja La Silla.

Another less-known part of Luidam’s pedigree is he shares the same Lucky Boy grand-dam – Poline – as Ludger Beerbaum’s multiple Grand Prix winner Chaman. As important as pedigree is the fact that Luidam has had such a promising string of international winners since retiring. This is another reason for Irish breeders to avail now of Guidam’s successor while he is so easily available this year.