Pedigree

The sire Nordlys xx is one of the big legends in Irish showjumping breeding. He sired among others Ambassador who with Graziano Manchinelli, Italy, won the individual Olympic Gold medal 1972 in jumping as well as Olympic Team Silver. They were in the winning Nations Cup team in Rome -72 and Barcelona -74 as well as winning numerable Grand Prix'. Other famous progenies from Nordlys xx include Gone Away (Raimondo d'Inzeo, Italy) International Grand Prix horse, Miss Moet ex. Abbeyville (Nelson Pessoa, Brazil) International Grand Prix and Puissance specialist, Kwept (Sönke Sönksen, Germany) International Grand Prix and Nations Cup Nordel (Michael Hickley, Ireland exp. Italy) International Grand Prix, Kingsize (Finland) 3 times Finnish Champion, placed Alternative Olympic Games best Scandinavian, Manxman (Paula Graham, England) International Grand Prix, Mullacrew (Ireland) International Grand Prix (and dam of Cruising (Ireland) Int. Nations Cup), Nordoff (Belgium) International Grand Prix, Norvic (Italy) International Grand Prix, Maigh Cuilinn (Ireland) International Grand Prix, Lough Crew (Ireland) International Grand Prix and many more.

The dam Ferns Lasscompeted herself as a showjumper and was exported to Belgium after the birth of Norson.

Dam sire Water Serpent xx is one of the other truly great jumping sires in Ireland. He like Nordlys xx has sired an enormous amount of International horses with all kinds of mares; such as The Rock who with Piero d'Inzeo, Italy, won individual Olympic Silver and Team Olympic Bronze in 1960, European Silver -58 and -62, won Nations Cup 5 times and lots of International Grand Prix victories, he had a total of 172 International victories(!), Rockette (Graziano Manchinelli, Italy) who won European Gold -63, Olympic Team Bronze -64 and numerable other International Grand Prix victories, Kilkenny (J.C.Wofford, USA) World Championship Bronze -70, just to mention a few of his many progeny. 

This is a truly world famous pedigree, and Norson is the only stallion in the world with this pedigree combination, (and who also happen to have stored frozen semen.)

 

Grand dam sire Ballycotton 432 is a registered Irish Draught and sire of stallions. Also, great grand-dams sire Gortlee426 is registered Irish Draught and is also a sire of stallions. This fine old Irish Draught blood has some thoroughbred blood mixed in further back, and they have produced very good jumpers, with exceptionally good technique.

 

NORSON grey 1970	NORDLYSXX grey tb 1951	NASRULLAH xx 1940	NEARCO xx 1935	PHAROS xx 1920
				NOGARA xx
			MUMTAZ BEGUM xx 1932 bay	BLENHEIM xx 1927
				MUMTAZ MAHAL xx
		MOON DRIFT xx grey 1944	MIEUXCEXX 1933	MASSINEXX
				OPOTTXX
			SNOW WHITE xx 1936 grey	COLOMBOXX
				DOUSHKA
	FERNS LASS	WATER SERPENTXX bay	SHINING TORXX 1931	PAHROSXX
				ERIKAXX
			HYDRAXX 1934 brown	SPION KOPXX
				DOUBLE WIDTHXX
		LISMORE BELLE	BALLYCOTTON 432	GALTEE BEG 198
				FARUE LADY (1/2 tb)
			KELLY'S LASS	GORTLEE
				INCHAMORE (1/2 tb)

 

 

Performance

Norson himself started competing rather early, already as a 3-year old and was progressing to Grade C as a 5-year old, jumping approx. 1m20 – 1m30 and qualified to Dublin Horse show. He was described as a talented jumper with a very good style and an exceptional and honest temperament. Because of an accident in 1976 he was retired to stud and was used only for the owners own mares.

 

Progeny

Norson gave some superb jumpers, most of them sold to a dealer from Switzerland by the name of Max Hauri, very few stayed in Ireland, and it has been difficult to find them this long after, but Parkgate was jumping internationally and became Irish Speed Champion. Norson was imported to Sweden in 1989 and one of his foals (Wilson) was bought by a dressage rider and he became an integral part of the Swedish Dressage Team, competing at the Olympics. Other horses are Nordpol G who has been successful in Sweden up to 1m50, jumping with a junior rider. NorChin G ended up in Belgium and was very successful with a junior rider for many years. Many progenies have been both jumping and eventing and turned out very good schoolmasters. Even though the Swedish Studbook did not recognise the Irish Studbook, Norson still got a few mares in Sweden. We have our own lovely broodmare Nordic Imp Gii and his grand-children are for instance Normann Gii who is the 5-year-old Winter Champion jumper at World Equestrian Centre in the USA, and in Sweden Gloria Gaynor from Cornetto - Norson was placed in Grand Prix 1m50.

 

Stud managers recommendations

What sort of mares suit Norson best?
Norson was reported to have been 165 cm, (16.1 hh) but when I found him (at 19 years of age) he was just 162 (16 hh) and looked like he had shrunk. Even though Norson was not a big horse, he can give both big and small depending on the size of the mare. He gives jumpers with every mare, heavier and lighter mares alike, and also passes on his very good balance and ability to collect. This has even been proven in dressage at the highest level. Superb canter work, pirouettes, piaffe, passage, etc. Very good technique in his jumping, typically Irish with a leg in each corner, keen and careful. A sweet horse with a cool temperament, but also a great character. All the progeny we have had from him have been very easy to ride, and light in the mouth, sensitive and very attuned to their rider. They all have gone like magnets to the jump and were just as careful at full speed as when going nice and slow. I would also like to add that Norson was an extremely sound horse, with superb legs and X-rays which impressed the vets when Norson was shown at the stallion grading in Sweden. Norson is perfect if you happen to have a heavier type of mare considering the fact he’s 81% thoroughbred.