Big Star

Double gold medallist at the Olympic Games

Big Star was an exceptional athlete, who, ridden by Nick Skelton/GBR, led the British team to gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London/GBR at just nine years of age (and an individual fifth place) and who won individual Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro/BRA four years later. Big Star, who always jumps with a perfect style, has also won the Grand Prix in Aachen/GER, Antwerp/BEL, Hamburg/GER, Wellington/USA and Rome/ITA, the Prize of Europe in Aachen and the Nations Cup in Dublin/IRL. In Nations Cup competitions, he delivered eleven consecutive clear rounds. Nick Skelton described Big Star as the best horse he had ever ridden, and when Big Star retired from sport, he also ended his long and successful career in show-jumping.

Although he has only been used in breeding sparingly up to now, Big Star has already produced six licensed stallions in the world. His oldest offspring, such as Jay Jay ES/Borja Villalon Puras/ESP, Lone Star/Joanne Whitaker/GBR, Chaccos Star TW/Felipe Ramos Guinato/BRA, Ashdale Starlight/Jonathon Buxton/GBR, Kelling Star/Charlie Jones/GBR, G-Star ES/Kim Hoogenraat/NED and I-Star/Bianca Schoenmakers/NED, are successful in the Youngster Tour. Big Star's foals are also in demand: at the fifth edition of the DSP "Überflieger" auction in Donaueschingen, a son of Big Star was the top price, auctioned for 19,250 Euros. 

Big Star’s sire Quick Star was highly successful with Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and was one of the world's best show jumping sires in 2010.

His dam Jolanda was successful in sport and is the half-sister of the KWPN stallion Matterhorn. She has produced successful sport horses, such as Zimoteo de Revel K (by Timoteo la Silla), Belycette K (by Taloubet Z) and Telysette K (by Quick Star).

The dam's sire Nimmerdor was successful with Albert Voorn/NED in many international show jumping competitions, World Cups and the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles/USA. He was honoured in the Netherlands with the highest award "preferent" and was even named "Stallion of the Century” in 1999. He also had a lasting influence on breeding with his numerous licensed sons, including Ahorn, Wellington, Goodtimes and Heartbreaker. 

His grand-dam Elysette is the half-sister of the licensed stallion Amethist (by Nimmerdor).

Ramiro, who appears in the third generation, is the most important representative of the valuable Ramzes AA blood, who has left his mark in almost all show jumping horse breeds worldwide. He was the first Holsteiner to prove himself in sport and was internationally successful with Fritz Ligges.

Big Star’s Dutch dam line 169 produced various licensed stallions and top sport horses.

Big Star: the name speaks for itself