A-Foal 2026

The foal’s sire Bugatti Eclat SH (Flash) combines world-class endurance lines with impeccable US foundation stock. His sire Karol du Cavallon was imported from France, from the famed endurance farm La Ferme du Cavallon. Led by international FEI rider Gabriela von Felten—ranked 35th in the world in 2022—the Cavallon program is world-renown as a center for Shagya breeding. Karol is a 15’3h chestnut by the endurance champion Carol, who competed internationally to FEI 2* level and sired Alto de Traclin, ranked number one in the world for FEI Endurance in 2022.

Flash’s dam Bajara Silver SH was bred by Shelley Child at Sterling Shagyas. Bajara is by Sterling Silver AF, who combined the blood of Shandor and Oman, two foundation Shagya stallions in the US. Sterling was the highest-scoring stallion at his NASS Inspection tour, and has produced athletic, versatile offspring. He passes on bone, height, outstanding movement, and a kind, willing temperament. Flash’s pedigree features sex-balanced linebreeding to O’Bajar through the full brothers Osiris and Oman—essentially doubling O’Bajar’s influence with the added genetic diversity of full brothers producing both male and female siblings in blood.

The foal’s dam Ariel of Solstice brings one of dressage’s most storied bloodlines to the breeding: the legendary 668 Absent. Ariel’s sire Abrikos was bred at the Russian State Stud Starozhilovsky, one of the oldest breeding establishments in Russia. Abrikos competed at FEI Grand Prix level from 2002 through 2012—first with Tina Konyot, achieving multiple Grand Prix wins including first place at the Grand Prix USET and Grand Prix Freestyle USET in 2002, then with Denielle Gallagher-LeGriffon, with whom he was short-listed for the 2008 Canadian Olympic Dressage Team. Abrikos achieved CDI Grand Prix success at prestigious venues including Dressage at Devon, the Royal Winter Fair, Wellington, and Palm Beach. Remarkably, he competed through age 21 with Junior rider Dana Rivera, demonstrating the exceptional longevity and amateur-suitable temperament characteristic of the Orlov-Rostopchin breed.

Abrikos is by Agdam, a son of 668 Absent—the black Akhal-Teke stallion who won Olympic Gold in dressage at Rome 1960 with Sergei Filatov and Olympic Bronze at Tokyo 1964. Dr. Josef Neckermann called him “undoubtedly the most beautiful horse of the 1960 Olympic Games.” Absent was a seven-time USSR National Champion and was named “Best Sport Horse of the World” in 1968. He was famous for his “clockwork” piaffe and passage—natural collection ability that has passed through generations to Ariel.

The Orlov-Rostopchin breed dates to the mid-18th century when Russia developed horses not only for carriage and military use but specifically for dressage riding. Through associations with the French court, the Tsarist upper class practiced horsemanship as an artistic pursuit, and Catherine the Great enlisted the Orlov brothers to develop a riding horse worthy of the Russian court—elegant enough for the parade ground, tough enough for war.

Ariel’s dam Bounding Arlene xx is a “Sport-Model” Thoroughbred bred by Glyn H. Stephens in Minnesota. At 16.1hh with a distinctly uphill balance and square frame, she represents a refining influence with mechanical emphasis on activity. Her pedigree consolidates elite racing genetics through Seattle Slew (Triple Crown winner 1977), one of the most influential sires in American racing history. Seattle Slew’s ability to transmit soundness, athletic ability, and competitive temperament has made him a cornerstone of modern Thoroughbred breeding. The presence of Tom Rolfe (4S×5D inbreeding) through multiple lines adds stamina and classic distance capacity.