Abdullah (horse)
Encyclopedia
Abdullah was a Trakehner
horse
ridden by Conrad Homfeld. He has won many international titles in the sport of show jumping
, and is considered by some to be the best Trakehner ever to compete in the show-jumping ring. Abdullah was inducted into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame
in 2009.
, Ontario
, Canada. He was originally bought as an event
prospect and breeding stallion, and proved himself first in the dressage arena
and then in eventing
before becoming a world-class show jumper
. He was ridden by Debbie Shaffner, Joe Fargis and Conrad Homfeld.
, Trakehner, Belgium Warmblood, Belgium Sporthorse, and Oldenburg
studbooks. His progeny were extremely successful, including seven United States Equestrian Federation
Horses of the Year in both the Hunter and Jumper disciplines. He ranks third place in money won by offspring in the International Jumper Futurity and International Hunter Futurity. He is the sire of showjumpers competing internationally in the Olympics, World Championships and World Cup Finals. Due to frozen semen, it is still possible to breed to the legendary stallion.
He helped the United States to the team gold, and took an individual silver at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
. He won the 1985 World Cup Final
in Berlin
. Abdullah also helped the United States to the team gold, taking individual silver, at the 1986 Show Jumping World Championships
in Aachen
, Germany. Abdullah also won or placed at numerous other international level Grand Prix events.
. The Chronicle of the Horse recently honored Abdullah as one of the top 50 horses of the century.
Trakehner
Trakehner is a light warmblood breed of horse, originally developed at the East Prussian state stud farm in the town of Trakehnen from which the breed takes its name...
horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
ridden by Conrad Homfeld. He has won many international titles in the sport of show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
, and is considered by some to be the best Trakehner ever to compete in the show-jumping ring. Abdullah was inducted into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame
United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame
The Show Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum is an American organization located at facilities at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. It came into existence in 1989 as a means to pay homage to the people and horses who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of show jumping.-Hall of Fame...
in 2009.
Life
Abdullah was purchased by Williamsburg Farm in 1973 as a three-year-old from Gerhard Schickedanz in UnionvilleUnionville, Ontario
Unionville is a suburban village in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is located 33 km northeast of downtown Toronto and 4 km east of southern Richmond Hill. Unionville is located between Woodbine Avenue as the western limit, alongside the Rouge River leading to McCowan Road as the eastern...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada. He was originally bought as an event
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
prospect and breeding stallion, and proved himself first in the dressage arena
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
and then in eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
before becoming a world-class show jumper
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
. He was ridden by Debbie Shaffner, Joe Fargis and Conrad Homfeld.
Breeding career
Abdullah was approved for breeding by the USA, Canada, Selle Francais, Sella Italiano, Anglo European Studbook, Irish Sport Horse, HanoverianHanoverian (horse)
A Hanoverian is a warmblood horse originating in Germany, which is often seen in the Olympic Games and other competitive English riding styles, and have won gold medals in all three equestrian Olympic competitions. It is one of the oldest, most numerous, and most successful of the warmbloods...
, Trakehner, Belgium Warmblood, Belgium Sporthorse, and Oldenburg
Oldenburg (horse)
The Oldenburg is a warmblood horse from the north-western corner of Lower Saxony, what was formerly the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. The breed was built on a mare base of all-purpose farm and carriage horses, today called the Alt-Oldenburger...
studbooks. His progeny were extremely successful, including seven United States Equestrian Federation
United States Equestrian Federation
The United States Equestrian Federation is the national governing body for most equestrian sports in the United States. It began on January 20, 1917 as the Association of American Horse Shows, later changed in 1933 to the American Horse Shows Association...
Horses of the Year in both the Hunter and Jumper disciplines. He ranks third place in money won by offspring in the International Jumper Futurity and International Hunter Futurity. He is the sire of showjumpers competing internationally in the Olympics, World Championships and World Cup Finals. Due to frozen semen, it is still possible to breed to the legendary stallion.
Eventing career
During his eventing career, Abdullah was awarded the American Trakehner Association (ATA) Trakehner Förderverein Award in 1976 and '77. This award is given annually to the ATA-registered purebred Trakehner who is the most successful in combined training.Show-jumping Career
Abdullah had an extensive international level career for fourteen years between 1979 and 1989. He won the American Trakehner Association (ATA) Open Jumper Championships for 8 consecutive years between 1979 and 1986, as well as in 1988 and 1989. He was also awarded the ATA Palmenblüte Award in 1980, '82, '84, '85, and '86. The Palmenblüte trophy is awarded to the "ATA purebred Trakehner who has contributed the most in competition to promote the breed in North America." After Abdullah won the trophy for the fifth time, the first trophy was retired, with an acknowledgement of Abdullah's tremendous contributions to the Trakehner breed throughout the world, and a new trophy was put into place.He helped the United States to the team gold, and took an individual silver at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He won the 1985 World Cup Final
Show Jumping World Cup
The FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final, is an annual international competition among the world’s best show jumping horses and riders. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 132 preliminary competitions qualify for the final. The FEI World Cup...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Abdullah also helped the United States to the team gold, taking individual silver, at the 1986 Show Jumping World Championships
Show Jumping World Championships
The Show Jumping World Championships, or the show jumping competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games, was started in 1953, with individual competition. In 1978 Team competitions began, and men and women began competing against one another. From 1990, show jumping was brought together along with...
in Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, Germany. Abdullah also won or placed at numerous other international level Grand Prix events.
Retirement
The stallion died January 5, 2000, due to colicHorse colic
Colic in horses is defined as abdominal pain, but it is a clinical sign rather than a diagnosis. The term colic can encompass all forms of gastrointestinal conditions which cause pain as well as other causes of abdominal pain not involving the gastrointestinal tract. The most common forms of colic...
. The Chronicle of the Horse recently honored Abdullah as one of the top 50 horses of the century.