JE ROCHER COUVERT D’OR

JE Rocher Couvert D’or (meaning: Gold Covered Chocolate) is the only stallion son of imported KWPN sire Ramazotti available at public stud in New Zealand

Sire: RAMAZOTTI

Ramazotti was a 17.1hh stunningly beautiful bay stallion (now deceased) of impeccable pedigree. He was an impressive modern type with long legs and fantastic movement. He competed in the Netherlands up to Prix St George level dressage and was training Grand Prix movements with one of the top Dutch riders until an injury whilst jumping ended his competition career.
Ramazotti was the result of crossing the Kuer Preferent mare Bilithya to the tremendously popular G. Ramiro (later known as Ramiro Z). Bilithya herself was the product of the famous cross of Joost and Abgar XX. Thus Ramazotti’s pedigree reads like a who’s who of famous Dutch lines: Ramiro/Joost/Abgar.

Progeny by Ramazotti are showing talent in all phases of equestrian sports including dressage, show jumping, showing and eventing – one being dressage mare RE Silver Reef.

Rocher is also highly prized due to the untimely death of his beautiful sire.

Grandsire: RAMIRO Z

Ramiro Z was one of the most successful breeders of show jumpers the world has ever seen and was known as the “King of Sires” and also dubbed “Stallion of the Century”.

He produced many notable international show jumpers including Ramiro’s Girl, Donau, Rodney, and the Gold Medal winning mare Ratina Z. He also sired Grand Prix dressage stars like Rio Negro, Rampal and Lectron.

Ramiro Z was a Holsteiner decending from Ramzes I, and stood in Holstein, the Neatherlands and then at the Zangersheide stud. 

Dam: CAITHNESS FLEUR DU MAQUIS

Rocher is out of top Holsteiner classified 16hh TB mare Caithness Fleur du Maquis by the well known 16.1hh classical TB sire Dorchester, who has produced many top level show hacks and hails from a prestigious turf one black type racing family.

Fleur has done very well showing at national and A&P level and is now commencing a career in show jumping.

JE Rocher Couvert D'or has been shown extensively in-hand at top level where he has won many wide sashes including firsts for temperament.
He is dark bay with a stunning copper undertone and lots of bling - white socks and blaze. This colouring is very strong in his blood lines on both sides of the family tree.
Rocher has an impeccable temperament, wise beyond his years, being curious and confident with a compact frame, good length of leg and of course great colouring.

He has been classified, as a 2 year old, by principle classifier Herr Hanno Koehncke from Schleswig-Holstein who scored him top equal in his class with the overall top mark for movement.

Rocher already showed a great aptitude for jumping by clearing his 1.3m high timber paddock fence as a yearling several times in his winter cover. He has also been free jumped since and shows great confidence and technique over varied fences up to and including 1.50m high.

He recently completed his stallion classification under the NZWB Association, undertaken by German assessor Gerd Kust, who has been involved with the Holstiner Verband and the ZDFP for at least 15 years.

Rocher did very well gaining a STATUS OF MERIT, one mark off excellence and his top mark was 83.75% (excellent) for jumping. 

Judges comments: Movement - good over-track in walk, elastic swinging free trot, loose ground covering elastic uphill canter, Jumping - always jumps well, good overview, good bascule, quick reactions, good scope and technique, good attitude, Conclusion: Breeding to him will benefit any mare irrelevant of faults, he should be bred to.

Rocher is destined for a career in show jumping and eventing but will also be out in the dressage arena.

He started his initial schooling under professional eventing rider Maria Miller who recently moved to New Zealand from the United Kingdom. Maria previously managed one of the UK’s premier eventing yards, Headley Stud, the base to Julian Cournane (nee Stiller) - USA, Mark Todd - NZL, Giovanni Ugolotti - ITA, and Kathryn Robinson - CAN.
Maria was involved in all aspects of training, schooling, and management of horses to 4* level, including grooming at Burghley and the London Olympic Test Event.

Rocher is now being ridden by Jaide Bezuidenhout, a competitive young show jumper from South Africa. She has a lovely classical seat with soft hands and is forming a solid connection with Rocher as we continue schooling.

They are presently competing at 1.0m in show jumping and schooling at to 1.2m at home. We have also recently started cross country training as a precursor to competing in eventing. Rocher is very brave and shows no issues whatsoever with water, drops, skinnies, banks etc proving that his breeding is definitely coming to the fore.

Rochers progeny, bred by JATSAR EQUESTRIAN out of a selection of top mares, have produced beautiful heads & great markings, intelligent minds, elevated movement and natural jump and most important of all, kind temperaments

Rocher has strengths in show jumping as well as dressage and is classically beautiful so would benefit the showing scene with a bit of Warmblood input. He is a very versatile stallion who will be a great asset for the New Zealand market.