Roark has completed his breeding season for 2024, with several foals on the way. We will announce availability in 2025 once it is known.
Roark OBF, registered Son et Lumiere OBF with BWP-NAD, is a beautiful young stallion by Emerald van’t Ruytershof, out of Evita OBF (by Heartbreaker). Roark is easy to handle both on and off the ground due to his intelligence and easygoing nature.
Roark was presented to Belgian Warmblood in 2021, where he achieved great scores from Judge Boudewijn Schepers. As a result of his performance in sport, Roark officially earned his full approval with both Belgian Warmblood and Belgian Warmblood NAD in 2023. He is currently competing at 1.30m level with Katie Laurie.
His sire, Emerald, had countless victories at the highest level with Harrie Smolders, with wins in 2013 in the Nations Cup in both Aachen and Gijon. In 2015, they won the Nations Cup in Falsterbo and the World Cup leg in Washington. In the World Cup final in Gothenburg of 2016, they were 2nd, after which they participated in the Olympic Games in Rio and won the Nations Cup in Rotterdam. In 2017, they won in the Chantilly GP, and placed 2nd in the Versailles GP. In 2018, they won in the Bordeaux GP and a 2nd place in the Cannes GP.
Various Emerald offspring are now successfully performing at the highest level. Among the list of his impressive list of top offspring include: Igor, Imerald van’t Voorhof, Ibbo Van’t Keldertje, I’m Special De Muze, Ilias Van’t Vlasmeer, Jeunesse Van’t Paradijs, Kasper Van’t Hellehof, and Escape Z.
His dam, Evita OBF (Heartbreaker) has contributed much through her offspring. Her first foal, Havana OBF (Escudo I) was the highest scoring mare on the BWP-NA tour in 2010 and went on to compete to 1.35m. Evita is also the dam of Klinton OBF (Clinton), who was a BWP approved stallion and competed to 1.40m. Evita’s daughter Carmen OBF (Clinton) produced another BWP approved stallion Marcus OBF, who has gone on to successfully compete at FEI 5* shows at the 1.50m level.
Roark’s dam sire, Heartbreaker, was simply one of the greatest jumping sires, ever. Looking at the first two generations of the top 21 jumpers, Heartbreaker appears four times, Cassini I appears twice, Chin Chin and Numero Uno twice. The other remarkable feature of the stallion’s career is just how long he dominated the sport. Heartbreaker was originally approved by the BWP studbook and in 2007 Heartbreaker was declared a ‘Belgian Ambassador’ and not surprisingly given the success of his offspring.