OBOS Quality (Stallion)

[beowulf]

Just a stallion crush thread. My eye keeps getting drawn to young horses by him. I saw Luckuan Quality back when he was a young horse in Area 1 (Millbrook), and he took my breath away as he galloped by. At the Goresbridge / GFG my catalogue favorites always seem to be sired by him. I enjoy following Elisa Wallace and she has a lovely mare by him (Lissavorra Quality). Grafton Street is another, I love watching this horse go.

He’s been around a while - and he’s now climbing up the WBFSH ranks. Anyone have a horse by him or bred to him?

[anonevent]

I have one! He’s very new to me, but so far, he’s been easy going and idiot-ammy-proof, while also being athletic and trainable enough for my trainer to have a blast with him.

[beowulf]

How exciting!! Will you please show us pictures??

[anonevent]

I will when I get him home. All of my videos have my trainer in them and I don’t want to post without her consent. He’s a cute lil guy though.

[Willesdon]

Certainly see a lot by him running around UK Events

[beowulf]

Got any thoughts? I was so disappointed I didn’t get to see any in Ireland - but I sure see a lot of them on the irish FB groups.

[weixiao]

I rode with someone for a few years that had one by him. He was incredibly difficult as a young horse and I think there was a period of time that this person would have just about happily given the horse away if anyone would have taken him. Ultimately, he did end up quite successful at a high level, but I think he was just about into his teens before it came together. I believe he had a career with a young rider afterwards too. I suspect the temperament came from the dam’s side, however, because by all reports OBOS Quality was supposed to have a lovely temperament and most people say the same of his foals. I’m guessing for this horse the dam was difficult and OBOS Quality was chosen to try and improve that in this case.

He’s been a super sire for eventing and show jumping. I’m out of eventing now and don’t follow as closely but I’ve seen some excellent show jumpers by him. I was disappointed he wasn’t available in the US a few years ago. I think he would have suited one of my mares well.

He seems to have crossed very well on mares with blood, and I’d expect that you would especially want blood and a lighter mare if you were breeding him for a show jumper now. He also seems to have been a good cross with Cruising, likely because of the temperament, and Cruising mares benefitted from the “continental” blood.

It’s a shame he doesn’t seem to have any sons carrying on his legacy as a sire but I think he’ll shine through his daughters and we’ll see his legacy as a damsire.

[Willesdon]

Well, just for you @beowulf, I counted how many by OBOS Quality 004 went past today. We were doing Intermediate, Open Intermediate and one section of Novice. Out of the 200 horses, 12 were by him. I can’t see any particular model or type but he certainly seems to produce capable horses who stand up to training and can be successful with both amateur and professional riders.

[beowulf]

Wow! That is quite a few. Thank you for thinking of me and counting! Did you have any favorites of the 12 that ran by?

@weixiao it is a shame about him not having any sons. I wonder if he’s available to the US yet - he’s certainly proved himself (imo).

I’m mostly daydreaming - I don’t have a mare that would suit him, but I’d love to someday.

[weixiao]

Unfortunately, to my knowledge he was never frozen for the USA and since he is deceased I don’t think there is any chance of frozen being available in the US unless the regulations change.

I do stand corrected, I checked the ISH database and it seems his son Beach Ball may actually still be available, at least in Ireland. Hippomundo didn’t have any offspring after 2016ish but Horse Sport Ireland shows foals through 2023 so he may still be available, at least in Ireland. I don’t believe he was ever available in the US either and if he is still alive he is 24 this year so frozen is unlikely to become available for export. I’m not sure if he has any approved sons. It doesn’t appear so on first glance but the databases aren’t always complete.

[Willesdon]

He is described as producing easy going, big striding horses who are super brave. You will see several at Badminton, I suspect.

He died June 2022 at the age of 30.

[anonevent]

So far, I think there are three by OBOS Quality (Brookfield Quality, Shanbeg Cooley, and Buzz Factor) on the Badminton list.

Birkhof’s Grafenstolz is the most represented sire with four babies listed. Chilli Morning has two kids listed.

*plus, on the dam side, Maiden Voyage has two kids running…Jalepeno and Fever Pitch.

[Willesdon]

Back to my paperwork from Barbury with the breeding listed… Grafenstolz had 2, Chilli Morning had 2.

There are a lot by OBOS Quality 004, over 500 on his performance pages.

The Chilli Morning clones are starting to shine through.

[Janeway]

He’s been an incredibly successful stallion for sure!

Does anyone know what the OBOS stands for? I always wanted to know and never found out even after googling a few times.

[weixiao]

I’m not exactly sure. He was born Quality 004 and then sold through a PSI auction. Marie O’Brien owned him and as far as I know she added “OBOS” to all her horses. Google suggests she may have been affiliated with O’Brien’s Office Systems, also located in Cork, so I always assumed there was a connection.

[Janeway]

Thanks very much! That would make sense where the OBOS came from. A tiny mystery solved in my life lol

[Willesdon]

I’ve also tried to find out - with no luck. I couldn’t find any evidence.

[Willesdon]

Inspired, I sent an email to O’Brien Office Systems (OBOS) in Ireland and almost immediately had a lovely reply from Marie O’Brien explaining she was involved in show jumping and had seen Quality at auction in Germany (as @weixiao said) and she took a punt on Quality 004. Obviously, very proud of her stallion. And I’ve just solved a mystery that has been mildly bugging me for years.

[weixiao]

Oh that’s so nice! Thank you for sharing that!

[beowulf]

@Willesdon

Inspired, I sent an email to O’Brien Office Systems (OBOS) in Ireland and almost immediately had a lovely reply from Marie O’Brien explaining she was involved in show jumping and had seen Quality at auction in Germany (as @weixiao said) and she took a punt on Quality 004. Obviously, very proud of her stallion. And I’ve just solved a mystery that has been mildly bugging me for years.

Thank you for sharing that!