Cunningham?

[optimus3389]

i have a trainer friend looking at a young mare by cunningham. She seems to have a wonderful mind, isn’t the best mover, but jumps great.

Anyone have an idea how his offspring have turned out for the hunter ring? A quick usef search showed me lots of offspring but I found a lot that only showed for one year - not great results - and haven’t shown since… hoping there isn’t soundness issues (Note i only looked at a handful). Any issues his babies are known to have? As well as any good traits?

Thank you!

[Raine]

I have a coming 2yo by Cunningham that I’m just bonkers over. Pretty, huge stride, amazing jump the one time we build a little chute for her. He seems to be a pretty popular sire, so I’m curious about the lack of responses.

[soloudinhere]

This is my opinion and isn’t about Cunningham specifically - I think breeding specifically for a hunter is exceptionally difficult. Many horses who had a lot of success as hunters actually come from jumper lines and happened to have the temperament for being a hunter. That doesn’t necessarily mean their offspring will. I know a lot of people who have tried to breed for a hunter and ended up with a super low ammy jumper. And a whole lot of people who were breeding for a jumper and instead got a big bucks hunter.

That might be why you’re not seeing the results from a “hunter” stallion. And the fact that of all the horses born every year, there’s only about 40 horses consistently winning top level hunter classes coast to coast. The rest are in the average local show middle of the pack territory that a lot of horses fall into.
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[MCF1991]

@soloudinhere

This is my opinion and isn’t about Cunningham specifically - I think breeding specifically for a hunter is exceptionally difficult. Many horses who had a lot of success as hunters actually come from jumper lines and happened to have the temperament for being a hunter. That doesn’t necessarily mean their offspring will. I know a lot of people who have tried to breed for a hunter and ended up with a super low ammy jumper. And a whole lot of people who were breeding for a jumper and instead got a big bucks hunter.

That might be why you’re not seeing the results from a “hunter” stallion. And the fact that of all the horses born every year, there’s only about 40 horses consistently winning top level hunter classes coast to coast. The rest are in the average local show middle of the pack territory that a lot of horses fall into.
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I understand this as we usually breed to Dressage stallions with high jumping scores and jumper lines and get fantastic, beautiful hunters. While they are bred for Dressage, I make them all hunters. Cunningham has 100% jumper lines. He’s got Cor de la Bryere and Ladykiller whom everyone knows back in there and a lot of the C stallions. I looked into breeding to him and was obsessed with how massive his neck was! Adorable! but we never actually made it happen so I’m curious too about the temperaments. While he is a bit of a chunk, it looks like his babies were quite refined. I prefer the chunk look, but would take the few that I saw online.

[Didi]

Don’t know about long term, but we just had a Cunningham foal drop last month. The mare has had two previous foals, one Sir Caletto and one Crown Affair. The Cunningham colt has been the most refined of the crop. He has a beautiful small head and a smaller frame than his brothers. He is also the feistiest one! He loves to play and run and buck, much more so than his more laid back brothers. He is very friendly (all three have been), and is curious. I am looking forward to good things from him!

[BuckskinTB]

I’m just here for this My heart horse is 338 days today with a Cunningham foal. I searched high and low and spent several years deciding on a stallion for a keeper foal from her and I kept coming back to him. The kids I’ve seen from him have all had wonderful heads on their shoulders, great movement, and are improved from their dams. His owner is simply WONDERFUL as well, and seems to really enjoy keeping up with how everyone is doing.

[Meshach]

I have a Cunningham gelding who turned 4 this month. He is quite tall but not thick (and I don’t think he’s going to end up that way). He was measured in October at 17 1/2 inches and I think he has grown since then. Dam is tall though.

He is the SWEETEST boy, so laid back. He was very lightly started in the fall and then has been ridden sporadically over the winter (basically off). Starting to get back into it and I can not ride him for a week and hop on w/o any lunging or issues. He goes out on trail by himself or in a group, not herd-bound or distracted by stuff going on around him. No spook, buck or rear. He has never done anything naughty at all. (so far!!

He has been free jumped at the Young Horse Show series shows and could easily be a very nice hunter. But I am going to piddle in lower level eventing and dressage and just have fun.

I met Cunningham in person last year and yes, his neck is MASSIVE. Such a gentleman, so polite and well behaved. The owner is wonderful, she took time out of her busy day to show him to me and chit chat about him.

[optimus3389]

Thank you all for your responses!
This mare has the best brain - seems to be a trait he passes along!
Shes also big, 17+ hands but very well put together.

[sixtysomething2]

I have a four year old big boy by Cunningham who is 16.3 1/2. And he a gorgeous bay with a great temperament. He is out of Quite Easy mare that was a little more muscular. Also have a yearling grey filly that is more refined with fantastic temperment. She is out of a more refined Holsteiner mare ( by Cabaret). So, both great offspring- different types. Cunningham doesn’t seem to totally overshadow the mare like some stallions. The thing I love is that both have talent and both have a love personality. Both offspring are a win-win!!

[goodmorning]

For those who have seen Cunningham in person, is he huge?

[MysticOakRanch]

@goodmorning

For those who have seen Cunningham in person, is he huge?

I saw him go through his Old NA inspection, how many years ago? He is not a light, elegant looking horse, but he is pretty, not at all clunky. I’ve seen several of his offspring, and they were lighter then him. He does have a BIG neck - but he is a stallion, and some of that is just the result of testosterone. I wasn’t in love with his canter - but I’m a dressage person. He had lovely jumping form, I don’t remember the scores, but they were good. He has nice jumping lines.

I think he has a lot of California offspring - and many that are on the non-rated jumper circuit out here - we have a very competitive non-rated circuit (SAHJA), so that may make it harder to look up results since they aren’t recorded through USEF.

Not sure if that helps…

[SporthorseCalifornia]

I also saw him at the Old Na inspection, and I was impressed. He is tall, and not heavy (he was narrower than I was expecting). I think he produces very elegant offspring with the right mare. Everyone I’ve met with a Cunningham appears to be VERY happy with them. He also seemed to have a lovely temperament, which is important to me in a stallion.

[TatteredDaydreamer]

Bumping this up as I’m going to look at a Cunningham baby this weekend. Would love to hear from anyone that has a Cunningham baby and what they’re like. Pics are a bonus too! Pretty excited about this one.

[Didi]

Since this thread appeared again… the Cunningham we had drop three years ago is amazing. Level-headed, attractive, and a great mover and jumper. His dam was great mover, so that could be due to her, but I have nothing but positive things to say about Cunningham as a sire.

[SilverDragon]

cunningham is my favorite hunter stallion. very classical.