Sons of Callaho’s Lissabon won both the Derby and the year-long Ultimate 4×4 Series, and seven of the 18 Derby starters carried his blood

When Callaho Lucetto jumped the only clear round in the Toyota SA Derby, and Equine Walker SA’s Lexington was crowned Ultimate 4×4 Series champion the same weekend, the two biggest jumping titles at Kyalami went to sons of the same stallion: Callaho’s Lissabon.

The Toyota SA Derby field showed how far his influence reaches. Six of the 18 starters were by Lissabon, and a seventh, Callaho Sequoia-Vella, is out of a Lissabon mare.

Horse	Born	Dam (Damsire)	Rider	2026 Toyota SA Derby
Callaho Lucetto (grey gelding)	2012	Cassina (Cassini I)	Paige Lee Goetsch	Won the Toyota SA Derby, only clear round
Luc du Ayenne (liver chestnut gelding)	2014	Bianca du Ayenne (Baloubet du Rouet)	Carl Boonzaaier	Third in the Toyota SA Derby
Equine Walker SA’s Lexington (black gelding)	2010	Callaho Fiorella (Callaho’s For Joy)	Jeanne Korber	Won the Ultimate 4×4 Series; Derby starter
Callaho Lorenzo (bay gelding)	2010	Ramona (Ramiro Z)	Laurence Mowatt	Derby starter
Rivendell Lamborghini (bay stallion)	2015	Calvyra Z (Calvaro Z)	Nicola Sime-Riley	Derby starter
Callaho L’Amour (mare)	2011	Chocolat (Contender)	Tracey Carney	Derby starter

Who is Lissabon?

Lissabon (Lordanos x Sion x Contender) was born in Germany in 1999. As a three-year-old he won both sections of his Oldenburg performance test, and he went on to win eight of nine young horse classes. He jumped in the Bundeschampionate finals. After coming to South Africa he became Callaho Warmblood Stud’s foundation sire and competed at 1.50m, with placings in two Derbys and in World Cup Qualifiers.

Callaho Lucetto

Lucetto’s story shows what a breeding programme and a dedicated rider can achieve together. He was bred by Callaho Warmblood Stud and sold at the stud’s auction in 2016 as a four-year-old. Paige Lee Goetsch then produced him through every grade herself, to a Derby win ten years later.

Not a one-season story

His offspring have been delivering for years. Callaho Lorenzo, who started in this year’s Derby, was the 2019 South African 1.35m champion. Another son, Callaho Liantos, represented South Africa with Tamara Rueda at the FEI World Championships in Aachen this August.

Their age stands out too. Lexington and Lorenzo are both 16, and Lucetto is 14, which says something about the soundness and durability of the line.

His daughters are breeding on, too. Geordi Byrne’s Callaho Sequoia-Vella, a 1.55m mare by Sampras, is out of Callaho Lola Vella, a Lissabon daughter.

His influence also reaches beyond his home stud. Rivendell Lamborghini, who carries the Rivendell prefix and is owned by Karin Koep and Nicola Sime-Riley, is one of the few Lissabon sons still standing as a stallion, and was a Derby starter this year.

The rest of the field

The Derby rewards a particular kind of horse, and the rest of the field showed how varied that can be.

Top qualifier Corlensky de Revel Z, Colin Ferreira’s ten-year-old stallion, is by Cornet Obolensky out of a Quidam de Revel mare. Cornet Obolensky also sired Crack HV, who took bronze at the FEI Zangersheide Sires of the World in Lanaken last month.

At the other end of the age range, Zara-Didi Lurie’s Illiano is an 18-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Toulon. Johan Lotter’s Best Compagnie Z, a piebald gelding by Best Man Z, would stand out in any line-up. Defending champion Rainer Korber rode 334 Impossible, formerly Capital Impossible, as well as the Westphalian Big Smile Lunedi, by Lordanos. Ebb & Flow Branic Cabana Boy ridden by John Bouwer is a South African Warmblood by Consuelo.

Different horses, from different studbooks, but with one thing in common: they were brave enough to do the Derby!