The Dutch sire Irco Marco was a successful
International show jumper. He competed in Grand Prix, Nations Cups
and European Championships. He was Swedish Show Jumping
Champion in 1982 and had 22 victories of all his international
placings.
He was born in Holland with a top class pedigree for the
international sport. His sire Irco Polo, also an
international Grand Prix horse, was by the legendary Marco
Polo and linebred in the 2nd generation on the impressive
Sinaeda, who passes on his enormous jumping
ability, soundness and movements. Marco Polo who
has been considered the best jumping sire in Holland, seemed to
sire his best progeny in combination with
Sinaeda. Such as Marius,
who is another famous international jumper by Marco
Polo - Sinaeda. Marco
Polo sired an enormous amount of international jumpers,
Beethoven II, Pybalia, Mr. L.A., Interpol,
Recruut just to mention a few.
Irco
Marco has been leading sire
of jumper in Sweden for many years. His progeny jumping in the top
sport include Chaka Khan, Chouman (5th WEG in
Haag, ridden by Nelson Pessoa), Democrat, Feliciano 823,
Garden Chance, Gino, Greve Molke 937, Irco Candy, Irco Mena 763,
Kataleis Royal Marco, Marco Mitras 891, Marcos Lilla Liza,
Marcolina, Marcoville (6th Ind. Olympic Games in
Barcelona, ridden by Maria Gretzer), Margaux, Markenzi, May
I Do It, Milka, Mirca, Mirco,
Mirco Marco, Mischief, Nicklas 916, Otto
Marco, Pamplona, Rico Marco, Simple
Simon, Son of Marco, Star Fly, Trois Claques I,
William and many more. He still is leading sire in his
agegroup in Sweden. He has covered less than 780 mares in
total.
The Irish dam Ballymena
Park
had an outstanding Irish pedigree, of extremely rare bloodlines.
Her brother Felton jumped Internationally for 9
years, won with Buddy Brown Gold Cup Philadelphia and Invitational
in Tampa. He was No. 2 on World Cup list in America before
having a serious accident and had to retire just before the World
Finals. The sire
Menelekxx was
leading sire of jumpers in England and Ireland 2 years running and
was 2nd 3 times. He also sired 2 Grand National winners:
Rag
Trade and
Hello
Dandy. The maternal sire
Battle
Burnxx was maybe the
greatest sire of jumpers in Ireland ever, with international
progeny like Boomerang, leading jumper in the
world 3 years in a row, winner of Hickstead Derby 4 times, with
rider Eddie Macken, and Lochinvar, 3 Team Gold in
Eventing (incl. Olympic Games, Ind. Silver).
Ballymena
Park herself did not
compete for long, before a serious virus infection made us put her
into breeding. She only had 4 foals, before she tragically died in
an accident. All her progeny were successful jumpers, the best
being the three full sister and brothers, Irco Mena,
Marcoville, and Mirca (who combined brood
mare duties with jumping internationally under the Belgian rider
Evelyn Blaton), all being successful in International Grand Prix
and World Cup.
Pedigree of IRCO MENA G | ||||
IRCO MENA 763 ASVH grey 1982 |
IRCO MARCO 662 Dutch 1971 |
IRCO POLO 1 Stb |
MARCO POLO 1496 | POETXX |
MIRAKEL 1882 | ||||
LOTTIE 34896 | SINAEDA 1412 | |||
WIENA 29610 | ||||
J. CETSIE 3651 Stb |
SPORTMAN 1491 | SINAEDA 1412 | ||
RITTA 29489 | ||||
FRIEDA 32440 | CROMWELL 1203 | |||
WUFRIEDA 29147 | ||||
BALLYMENA PARK Irish 1972 |
MENELEKXX thoroughbred |
TULYARXX | TEHRANXX | |
NEOCRACYXX | ||||
QUEEN OF SHEBAXX | PERSIAN GULFXX | |||
OJALAXX | ||||
BALLYWALTER Irish Sport horse |
BATTLE BURNXX | SHAHPOORXX | ||
SWIFTFOOTXX | ||||
BALLYREADY | KING OF SPADES | |||
MELITTA |
Irco Mena started his career by winning the
Scandinavian Quality Show, proving to be the best 5year old jumper
in the Scandinavian countries. He was then approved as a stallion,
having done two stallion tests, which was required in Sweden at
that time, getting the marks 10 10/ 9 9 for jumping (highest is
10).
Irco Mena was a superb international jumper,
ridden first by his owner/breeder Ann Gustavii, until sold as a
10year old, he was later ridden by Royne Zetterman, in
International Grand Prix, World Cup and representing on several
occasions his country in Nations Cup, incl. WEG in Hague, where
they were individual 22nd. Irco Mena were also on
the Nations Cup team in Luzern 1994, together with his full sister
Marcoville, when Sweden for the first time won the
Nations Cup for 45 years. The second time the two horses were
together, they repeated the victory.
Irco Mena has been leading Young Show Jumper
sire in Sweden for the last 4 years. His eldest progeny, being just
a few that are reaching 10 years (he was approved in -89), are
starting to impress internationally. Cest la Vie, Dream On,
Imre, Intact MB, Katalei's Double Irco, Katalei’sFahrenheit,
Kullatosen, Lars Irco G, Miss B Irca, Nick of Diamonds, Sir
Manfred, Snowman, So What 908, Viktoria G, Vill Ja Mena
and Zixten, are some horses already reaching the
top classes.
Irco Mena as sire is continuing to impress. For instance, of the 16
horses from Swedish breeding qualified for the World Championships
for Young Horses in Lanaken end of September 1998, 4 are his
offspring (i.e. a quarter of the Swedish contribution). Of the 6
Swedish horses in the 7 year old class, 3 are his offspring, i.e.,
50%!! (The names are Lars Irco G, So
What, and Snowman.) Strong for a horse
that has not served a lot of mares! He also is the highest rated
stallion in Sweden, 32% winning progeny per covered mare!!
At the end of -99 the stallion Nick of Diamonds
(born 1991, by Irco Mena -Imperius xx - King of Diamonds) was sold
to USA, to be ridden by Leslie Burr - Howard. The week before he
competed in Malmö, and won all classes he started in! Two 1.40 and
his debut in 1.50, which also was the Grand Prix! In this Grand
Prix not only the winner was by Irco Mena, but the 2nd placed
Snowman, and the 3rd placed
Zixten were also sired by Irco Mena!
The stallion So What is on the shortlist for the
2000 Olympic Games, and several others,
Kullatösen, Snowman,
Zixten (Maria Gretzer) and Dream
On and Irco Sun (both with Malin
Baryard) are now also getting really good international
results.
In England the young Gramena are showing interest,
also impressive have the Irish stallion Dutch
Treat (also approved in Zangerheide) been, just
reaching international classes, he unfortunately died. In the
spring of 2001 also our own International promise Lars Irco
G died in a tragic accident.
Irco Mena is still leading the ranking as the best
sire in Sweden in his agegroup (stallions approved -87 and
later).
A superb horse to breed jumpers, as all inherit his fantastic temperament as well as jumping ability. They have a lovely rideability and have a willing attitude to work. Their jumping will impress more as they progress in higher classes, as they jump the bigger classes as easily as the smaller ones. Will suit any type of mare.
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