Ksar d'Esprit

[monalisa]

For you hunter-jumper historical gurus out there, I need some help. Am working on a history project for the VHSA. Need some information on this horse. Does anyone happen to know where he was born? Was it in Virginia by chance? Did he ever spend time in Virginia? We have some photos of him at a horse show at Carter Hall (Millwood) but we are not sure of his history other than Bill Steinkraus showed him. Any information anyone might have out there is greatly appreciated.

You can also send me a PM if you would like…

Thank you!

[vineyridge]

Can’t personally help you, but he was registered with the Jockey Club under that name. Their online database doesn’t show the breeder, but they will know in Kentucky.

[monalisa]

Vineyridge, who should I contact in KY? The Jockey Club? I am not a TB guru either. Thank you!

[M_Owen]

Maybe try contacting George Morris or even Bill Steinkraus? Although GHM may be easier to contact via the info on his clinic website. Someone else may field the initial request, but I bet GHM would be willing to pass along any information he knows. You probably already saw this info: http://www.pedigreequery.com/ksar+desprit

I have a book by Steinkraus that says the horse was owned by Eleanora Sears.

[Windsor1]

You might try checking the Steinkraus/Sam Savitt book Great Horses of the United States Equestrian Team, which was published in the '70s and contains profiles of several dozen USET greats and Savitt’s utterly drool-worthy illustrations. I’m almost certain Ksar d’Esprit is among the horses profiled. It’s not a lot of information, but it might be enough for your purposes. I have a copy but it’s in storage. Maybe someone else has one or you’d like to buy one? Just a gorgeous book and one of a kind.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=1669936135&searchurl=tn%3Dgreat+horses+of+the+united+States+equestrian+team%26sts%3Dt

[Dewey]

This site has a little information:

http://www.tbheritage.com/HistoricSires/JumpSires/JSimag/ksardesprit.html

My copy of Bill Steinkraus’ Riding and Jumping has the same picture as in the link above. Here’s the caption Steinkraus wrote for it:

“‘Ksarro’ had his share of personal idiosyncrasies, too, and getting bored with small fences was one of them. How grateful have I been to him for knowing just what to do with the big ones, however! In the picture he is taking me quite unconcernedly over the biggest fence I’d ever ridden up to that time, Rotterdam’s Puissance wall set at just over seven feet. He was to take me over many more very big walls before his retirement, and I can still say that if my life depended on jumping one of them, I’d prefer to see it looming larger between those wise gray ears of his.”

Bernie Traurig has posted a few clips of him on youtube. Here’s one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

He was something else–one of the horses I most admired when I was young.

[monalisa]

I am trying to determine if the horse had any link to Virginia. Like was he born in Virginia, bred in Virginia, did he ever live in Virginia…any ideas there?

Thank you for the information provided so far, very interesting and helpful…

[BAC]

He was bred in Maryland by Hugh Wiley.

[BAC]

[QUOTE=Windsor1;7933135]
You might try checking the Steinkraus/Sam Savitt book Great Horses of the United States Equestrian Team, which was published in the '70s and contains profiles of several dozen USET greats and Savitt’s utterly drool-worthy illustrations. I’m almost certain Ksar d’Esprit is among the horses profiled. It’s not a lot of information, but it might be enough for your purposes. I have a copy but it’s in storage. Maybe someone else has one or you’d like to buy one? Just a gorgeous book and one of a kind.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=1669936135&searchurl=tn%3Dgreat+horses+of+the+united+States+equestrian+team%26sts%3Dt[/QUOTE]

I do have a copy and yes he is in there. I was fortunate to see him compete near the end of his career and yes, he was owned by Miss Sears.

[BAC]

[QUOTE=monalisa;7933774]
I am trying to determine if the horse had any link to Virginia. Like was he born in Virginia, bred in Virginia, did he ever live in Virginia…any ideas there?

Thank you for the information provided so far, very interesting and helpful…[/QUOTE]

It says he retired to Miss Sears’ farm in VA.

[MHM]

Someone just posted a fantastic picture of him on Facebook with some information on his breeding and background.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1472483929695630?view=permalink&id=1521824941428195&ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_comment_reply&actorid=647762565

[monalisa]

Thank you everyone! Very very helpful. Does anyone know where Miss Sears’ farm was located? Name of it?

[Sunflower]

http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Fauquier/030-1017_Burrland_Farm_Historic_District_1997_Final_Nomination.pdf

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27332539@N07/7593454672/in/photostream/

Here is some information that might help you with respect to the information on the farm and its location. Interesting and colorful history!

Eleonora Sears is a descendant of Thomas Jefferson, according to information available here https://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/eleonora-sears/

[findeight]

[QUOTE=BAC;7933865]
He was bred in Maryland by Hugh Wiley.[/QUOTE]

The same Hugh Riley who had Nautical? AKA the Horse With the Flying Tail?

[findeight]

[QUOTE=BAC;7933865]
He was bred in Maryland by Hugh Wiley.[/QUOTE]

Thats quite a pedigree on the human side for an elite kevel show jumper.