Stryker’s Relatives Featured in Book
Historical and Current Stallions of the Purebred Spanish Horse, produced by Messidor Ediciones of Spain, highlights the best stallions in Spain including several of those in Stryker’s pedigree.
Stryker’s bloodlines combine MILITARY, ESCALERA and BOCADO from his Dam and MILITARY and ESCALERA from his Sire. This article will introduce you to the important history he carries in his genetics.
Stryker is line-bred on Agente/Maluso and is a cross between Vinatero III (through his dam’s sire) and the elite stallion Ermitano III (through his sire’s sire). (see Blog Post Ermitano and Vinatero).
Stryker’s famous relatives include Agente (son of Maluso), Leviton, Maluso, and, of course, the first Elite stallion in Spain - Ermitano III (sire of Doblon-TR and grandsire of Stryker DD). Sons of Ermitano III, such as Doblon-TR (Stryker’s sire), Betico los Arcos, Cacique IX, Gumiel, and Carinoso LXVI all inherited the nobility, beauty, and athletic ability of Ermitano III.
Ermitano III - elite stallion
Ermitano III, # one ranked PRE stallion in Spain, opened the doors to dressage for the Pure Spanish Horse.
Agente and Maluso - Military (Yeguada Militar of Spain) Influence
The book Historical and Current Stallions of the Purebred Spanish Horse highlights bloodlines and famous stallions in Spain known as Pura Raza Espanola or PRE, for short. In American, these royal horses are referred to by name as “Andalusians”. In Spain, they are “Pure Spanish” horses. Once in the care of the military branch of Spain, the breed rose to popularity in the U.S. in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.
The military lines that came from the military oversight of the breed are known as “Yeguada Militar” in Spain. The most famous of these military stallions are Agente and his sire Maluso (a son of Lebrero born in 1934).
Maluso stood at stud from 1953 to 1977, most of that time at the Jerez de Frontera farm. He died in 1978. He had approximatey 150 offspring, 115 of which were approved as breeding stock in the Spanish studbook. His son Agente was considered at the time to be the perfect prototype of the Spanish horse. Notable offspring of Maluso include Jerezano XIX, Talismán, Tangible, Ébano, César and Urbano.
In the beginning, only a few stud farms used Maluso as a stallion. However, as the popularity of the Bocado horses increased and other lines faded away, the military program continued to have success with Maluso - of which the Yeguada Militar (YM) and the Escalera farm, had much to do with.
By 1970, Maluso had sired 25% of the existing PREs in Spain. Many breeders used Maluso as a "fixer" or "correction" for their herds that mainly had inbred Bocado lines. So much so, that today these lines can be found in 83% of Spanish horses.
Maluso's movement was considered "elastic" with great extension and cadence. Maluso, thus, moved more like a modern dressage horse than those Bocado lines which had higher elevation, little extension, minimum use of the hind quarters, and the up and down movement known as "sewing machine".
Son of Ermitano showing dressage style movement in the PRE.
This divide between the followers of military lines and those who preferred the old style Bocado, continued through the years. Those who preferred Bocado lines said that military and Escalera horses had necks with less volume, movement too forward, and not enough elevation in the movement. It's these characteristics, however, that dressage enthusiasts often seek. With one noted difference, novice dressage riders are often drawn to the exaggerated front-end movements of some PREs, forgetting that it's the hindquarters that drive the engine!
That's where Ermitano III comes in, as you will read later in this article.
Old-style Andalusian horse showing thicker neck and elevated movements.
Leviton, a son of Agente, stood at stud at the Yeguada Militar in Jerez. While he was alive, he earned the distingition of being the #1-ranked PRE stallion. He sired Granadino XI, who was later imported to Texas, USA, where he stood at stud for the mares of Denham Ranch. Nobleza D was a daughter of Granadino IX and I bought her as a yearling. Her imported dam carried Escalera and YM breeding. Nobleza D was bred to Gitano MOR (who goes back to Vinatero III, discussed in this article) and gave birth to the beautiful black mare Jandira DD. Jandira DD was then bred to Doblon-TR (a son of Ermitano III) for her first colt - Styrker DD.
Ermitano III’s sire, Ganador VIII, is a grandson of Cesar, by Maluso!
Doblon’s dam, Espuela, is a grand-daughter of Agente (by Maluso) and a great grand-daughter of Juglar!
Additional famous modern Spanish horses that descend from Agente and Maluso include Albero II, Talisman IV, Cesar, Impaciente II (mostly Grand Prix dressage winners), plus Yerbero (twice champion of Spain), Armas Tarugo, and Armas Zarzeno who was champion of Spain in functionality (movement) and reserve champion of Spain in morphology in 2009.
Also included as modern-day offspring of Agente/Maluso are Judio VII (reserve champion of Spain in 2001 and 2005), Kabileno VIII (twice champion of Spain in functionality in 2008 and 2009) and the famous Olympic horse Fuego de Cardenas (great grandson of Agente).
Other descendants include Rondeno IX who was twice champion of Spain (2002 and 2005) and Panadero VII who sired three Olympic horses - Flamenco XX, Invasor II (three times Olympic), and Gaucho III (dressage team USA).
Ermitano, with 256 offspring, was bred by Maria de la Escalera.
Ganador VIII, sire of Ermitano III, was a key horse in Escalera breeding history. His bloodlines combined pure Bocado (Carthusian) with Maluso-Cesar lines from the military (Yeguada Militar).
Ganador VIII was a fine specimen who could transmit his walk and gallop as well as his character to his offspring.
Ermitana IV, the dam of Ermitano III, was considered one of the best PRE mares. Her offspring, in addition to Ermitano III, included Nadadora VIII who was the most highly awarded mare of all times with 7 gold medals at SICAB, two Spanish championships (1991 and 1994), various medals at SICAB, and winner of Functionality. Ermitana IV’s lines go back to a key historical horse of the breed - Cazo (from the Duke of Alburquerque). Cazo was an important horse in the history of the Escalera herd.
Ermitana IV was also the dam of Ermitano IV (Ermitano III’s brother) who won various SICAB competitions and was also a conformation champion.
Nadadora VIII, daughter of Ermitano IV (the great granddam of Stryker DD).
Ermitano Sons in Dressage Competitions
Ermitano III on the cover of Pura Raza Espanola magazine.
Doblon TR (sire of Stryker) was a prominent heir of Ermitano III who won the ANCCE dressage cup at age 5 in 2003 and one year later participated in the world championship of young horses in Germany. He was, in 2004, the only PRE to achieve “excellent” at the finals for the Selection Trials of Young Horses (PSCJ) of MAPA.
Doblon-TR, son of Ermitano III, sire of Stryker DD
Another offspring of Ermitano III, Gotardo, at 5 and 6 years was qualified as “very good” and obtained the category of Recommended Young Breeding Horse for Dressage (in 2006).
Betico Los Arcos and Carinoso LXVI (by Ermitano III) were the only four-year-old PRES to gain “excellent” at the Finals of the young horses for dressage of MAPA and were graded to be Recommended Young Breeding Horses for dressage in 2008. Betico won 2nd place at the ANCCE cup in 2007 and Carinoso was champion at Castilla and Leon, as well as finalist of ANCCE cup in 2008 and 2009.
Carinoso LXVI by Ermitano III
Isleno FS
Isleno FS, by Ermitano III, was reserve champion of Spain in 2011 at 4 years of age and reserve champion of Spain in the Spanish Championship of Young Horses where he qualified as “excellent.”
Cacique IX, a son of Ermitano III, was a finalist at SICAB and the ANCCE dressage cup. He was also a finalist in dressage in 2008 and 2009. Cacique IX qualified as “very good” at the young horse selections. He is also a Recommended Young Breeding Horse for dressage and morphology.
Cacique IX, son of Ermitano III, photo from book Historical and Current Stallions of the Purebred Spanish Horse.
Offspring of Ermitano III
The sweetness of their look, the nobleness that they hold, their beauty, the easiness with which they learn, their compromise, and mainly, their large heart, with a disposition for dressage and a well above average devotion towards work, ensure that whoever has the opportunity to try an “Ermitano” (offspring) remains captivated for life.
- Fidel Saez, owner of Arroyomonte Stud Farm in Spain.
Betico los Arcos, by Ermitano III placed 1st with “excellent” marks in dressage at the Prix St. Georges level at MAPA in 2007. He placed 2nd at the ANCCE dressage competition in 2007 and won the bronze medal at ANCCE in dressage in 2011. He stands at Los Arcos in Spain.
Gumiel, by Ermitano III, was champion in 2008 at Expovicaman, Spain, champion at Equimur in 2007, champion in Puertollano (2005), and silver medalist at Ecuzar (2004). Gumiel debuted in the dressage ring in 2012 earning first place with 65.72% points. He was champion at ANCCE in 2012. In 2011 he ranked first at Prix St George, Intermediarre, and Kur 1. Gumiel was also dressage champion at Aragon in 2009 and 2010. He also won dressage at ANCCE in 2010 and 2nd place in Prix St George in 2009 at Asturcon. He was the ANCCE dressage champion (Grand Prix) in 2012 ridden by Diana Ostariz.
Manchego ARB, by Gumiel (by Ermitano III) won the ANCCE dressage in 2010 and was the only PRE to participate at the World Championships at Verden, Germany in 2011. Manchego also won the Young Horse Championships for Spanish stallions of 5 Years.
Ermitano’s Competition and Rankings
Ermitano III was sent to dressage training at the age of 3 to be ridden by Luis Lucio. One year later, he became the winner of the Real Federacion Hipica Espanola awards. This was the first time a PRE had won this dressage competition. He did it in 1987 and 1988. It was here that Ermitano III competed against warmbloods and was judged by international judges.
Luis Lucio, his trainer, describes Ermitano as “above the standard, serious, expressive, intelligent.” Ermitano was not only athletic, but he had manners and was a “privileged student”. He had length in all three paces, fluency, and harmony.
To ride him was to ride a King’s horse.
Ermitano III ridden by Luis Lucio.
According to his trainer, Luis Lucio, Ermitano was an extraordinary being, with a privileged morphology and exceptional intelligence. Lucio recalled the sensation of riding a horse of incomparable beauty and collaboration, highlighting its amplitude, fluidity, and harmony in every step … Luis Lucio said this about Ermitano’s offspring -
I’ve had the opportunity to train and observe many of Ermitano’s offspring and the vast majority of them show the features of his natural balance, length of stride, movement of his gallop, and enormous class.
A Jumping Horse? Ermitano III?
According to his trainer YES!
My friends used to say that he galloped like a “jumping horse”. It is true that at that time it was difficult for the judges to see this breed as a model for the discipline, although when they saw this horse in the show ring they could not fail to see his great potential and quality of gaits.
Did you Get All THAT? Stryker is ALL THAT
To sum it up, Stryker’s genetic heritage is strong and proven through Agente/Maluso and Vinatero III (dam’s side) and Agente/Maluso/Cazo and Ermitano III (sire’s side).
This is not all the horse’s in Stryker’s heritage but covers many of them!
Styrker’s dam, Jandira DD, was sired by a champion of IALHA shows - Gitano MOR. Gitano was imported from Mexico where his father was a champion, and has the military/Escalera, and Vinatero III lines. Jandira’s dam, Nobleza D, was a granddaughter of Leviton of Spain (military son of Agente).
Jandira DD was bred using Frozen Semen to Doblon-TR, a son of the first elite stallion Ermitano III (bred by Maria Fernanda de la Escalera). Doblon-TR, himself, earned elite status before passing away, based on the qualifications of his offspring and his scores as a young horse.
