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California Riding Magazine • May, 2009 Rancho Agradecido
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Having spent several years shopping for top quality horses to buy as investment prospects, Jenny McLaughlin knows first hand how difficult it is to find a great horse with a great mind. Not long after purchasing just such a horse, the stallion Jadalco, the amateur jumper rider decided it was better to breed her own. “The top horses are generally the ones that are not for sale,” McLaughlin notes. A well-known international jumping competitor and sire in Europe and Australia before he was imported, the now 23-year-old is the foundation sire in McLaughlin’s Rancho Agradecido sporthorse breeding program. In this role, Jadalco has produced several crops of babies who’ve inherited his great temperament and impressive athletic abilities. Trained by Sandy Aston at home and campaigned by Susie Hutchison, Jadalco’s offspring are making their mark in the jumpers, hunters, dressage and eventing world. And that’s on top of 50-plus registered foals in his native Belgium, several of whom have gone on to national and international successes, and close to 100 in Australia.
Jolie, a 4-year-old hunter mare by Jadalco. On Sun. June 14, from 1-4 p.m., McLaughlin’s private ranch will open its doors to the public to showcase its for-sale horses. The afternoon at the beautiful ranch in San Diego County’s Valley Center will begin with under-saddle demonstrations from Rancho Agradecido’s riding age horses. Youngsters and the stallions, Jadalco and his spectacular 4-year old son, Jerrick, also a stallion, will be showcased at liberty. The approximately 25 horses for sale range from weanlings to 7-year-olds and also include retired top competitors ready to excel at lower levels. Licensed and approved for breeding with the American Holsteiner Horse Assn., Belgian Warmblood and Rheinland Pfalz-Saar International registries and nominated in the International Jumper Futurity, Jadalco has all the right stuff in his bloodlines. His dam, Ladalca, is a Landgraf daughter and his resume includes four of the most popular Holsteiner lines: Ladykiller, Ramiro, Cor de la Bryere and Farnese. But the proof is in the pudding, McLaughlin says. Pedigree is important, she acknowledges, “but that alone won’t give you that extra foot of scope you need to get over a wide oxer in the Grand Prix ranks.” Jadalco racked up many Grand Prix successes, mostly as top Australian international rider Vicki Roycroft’s mount. Together they won the Park View Wyong World Cup and other big classes in Australia and beyond. In Australia, Jadalco also competed successfully in dressage. Once imported, Jadalco continued his Grand Prix career with Susie Hutchison in the irons and also carried his owner in the Amateur Jumper divisions.
Jet Tour and Jubilant, yearling sport horses by Jadalco. A Beautiful Mind What doesn’t show up in Jadalco’s show record is his temperament, but it’s evident to everybody that works with him. “What we’ve been most pleased about is that he throws horses with very good minds,” says veteran horsewoman Sandy Aston, who has been working with Jadalco and the farm’s youngsters for eight years. Jadalco’s son Jerrick is a perfect example. “He is a multi-talented horse that could do hunters, jumpers or dressage and, most of all, he has a wonderful mind. He’s very intelligent in the way that he processes his training and, most importantly, he’s very agreeable. He tries to figure out what you want him to do and he wants to work with you. McLaughlin concurs. “I am very fortunate to have found a top quality horse with a user-friendly mind.” Good minds need the right nurturing and that’s a priority at Rancho Agradecido. Babies are handled daily and taught to lead, be groomed, have their feet trimmed and be trailered. They’ll free-jump, try on tack and learn to lunge, then they are introduced to walk, trot and canter under saddle at 2. These lessons are revisted throughout their 3-year-old year.
Grounds of Rancho Agradecido. The youngsters’ “pre-school years” include plenty of time to roam the pastures at Rancho Agradecido. The yearlings enjoy a hillside paddock where they can jump ditches and gallop on natural terrain. “It’s a great way for them to find their own balance and learn to organize themselves and find where their feet are,” McLaughlin says. Aston works with the horses four days a week, with help from Hutchison’s assistant Brit Harley. Hutchison herself takes them through the show ranks, typically in the International Jumper Futurity for 4-year-olds and the Young Jumper classes. While Jadalco and Jerrick are sure to be the stars of the show during the June 14 open house, they’ll have a great supporting cast featuring horses of all experience levels and in a wide range of prices. Whatever their ages, they’ll all have the common trait of being top quality horses.
For more information on Rancho Agradecido ’s horses or the open house, visit www.ranchoagradecido.com or call 760-749-4279.
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