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During his career, Baloubet Du Rouet was one of the most successful jumping horses. Athletic, fast, and powerful, he dominated the jumping scene from the 1990s to the early 2000s.
Baloubet Du Rouet was born on May 8, 1989, in Saint-Aubin-de-Terregatte, France. A stunning chestnut, he stood at 16.3 hands tall and was registered as a Selle Français. In addition to being a talented jumper, he was also a successful sire.
Baloubet Du Rouet was bred by Louis Fardin and as a three-year-old, he was purchased by Nicole and Diego Coutinho Pereira of Portugal. After purchasing him, the couple sent Baloubet to their good friend and world-famous Brazilian equestrian, Nelson Pessoa.
Baloubet progressed nicely under the guidance of Pessoa and his talent quickly shined through. As a young horse, he was shown successfully on the French circuit, including winning the seven-year-old stallion test at Fontainebleau. In 1997, Pessoa’s son Rodrigo became Baloubet’s rider and the two blossomed into one of the most famous partnerships in the jumping world.
Stats About Baloubet Du Rouet:
| Breed: | Selle Français |
| Sex: | Stallion |
| Height: | 16.3 hh |
| Born: | 8 May 1989, France |
| Color: | Chestnut |
| Owner: | Diogo Pereira Coutinho |
Here are Ten Facts About Baloubet Du Rouet
1. Rodrigo and Baloubet Began Their Partnership with a Bang by Winning the 1998 FEI Jumping World Cup Final
In 1998, Baloubet and Rodrigo took the equestrian world by storm winning their first FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Helsinki. This was just the beginning of a successful partnership.
Though the two quickly became quite a pair, Rodrigo had his uncertainties about the stallion when he first saw him. Fortunately, Baloubet proved to be quite the performer.
“When I saw Baloubet getting out of the lorry, I said to myself ‘what on earth is that thing?’ He was gangling and uncoordinated. We made him jump but no more, he was too green. The next day, just to clear our conscience we had another look at him. Well, I did, because my father insisted. And I was stunned. All the mistakes he had been making the day before had vanished. He had been thinking things over during the night and had found the answers. It was unbelievable. A really unusual intelligence, which is still working well for me today in competition,” said Rodrigo.
2. Baloubet is the Only Horse to Win Three World Cup Finals in a Row
Baloubet’s success didn’t stop at the 1998 World Cup Finals. In fact, he went on to win the finals in 1999 and 2000.
Baloubet is the only horse to win the Jumping World Cup Finals for three consecutive years. The incredible stallion came close to winning his fourth straight World Cup Final in 2001, but fell just shy of the victory, coming in second place. In 2002 and 2003, Baloubet and Rodrigo made the podium again at the finals, coming in third place and second place respectively.
3. Baloubet Du Rouet Won Team Bronze at the 2000 Olympic Games and Individual Gold at the 2004 Olympic Games
Despite his phenomenal success at the World Cup Finals, Baloubet fell short in Individual Jumping at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Baloubet hit a rail on the first jump and then refused the eighth jump, leading to elimination.
However, with Rodrigo’s expert guidance, Baloubet helped Brazil earn bronze in Team Jumping. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the pair had an excellent performance to secure gold in Individual Jumping. In 2004, he was even named Best Horse in the World.
4. His Sire and Dam Were Both Successful Jumpers
Baloubet comes from a family of successful jumpers. Both his dam and sire had success in the show ring.
Baloubet’s sire, Galoubet, won 19 International Grand Prixs. In addition, his sire was also a part of the French Gold Medal winning team at the 1982 Show Jumping World Championships.
His dam, Mesange du Rouet, won eight competitions at age four and had five wins at the age five. She then went on to become a successful broodmare, producing five foals.
5. He Became a Successful Sire Retiring in 2008
In addition to their World Cup Final wins and Olympic medals, Baloubet and Rodrigo won numerous Grand Prix competitions. Such wins include the Paris-Bercy Grand Prix, Las Vegas World Invitational Grand Prix, and Budweiser Invitational.
After a truly incredible career, Baloubet formally retired from the show ring in 2008. Upon retiring, he stood at stud, passing on his good genes to his offspring.
Baloubet is licensed in the studbooks of the Selle Français, Belgian Warmblood, Holsteiner and Hanoverian. In 2012 and 2013 he was the leading sire in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses. Some of his top offspring include Ludger Beerbaum’s Chaman, VDL Bubalu, and Balou De Rouet.
6. Baloubet Du Rouet Moved From Brazil to Portugal in 2010 For His Retirement
Baloubet spent most of his career living in Brazil. In 2010, he moved to Portugal to live with his owners Nicole and Diego Coutinho Pereira. He earned a well-deserved retirement after having one of the most outstanding jumping careers in history.
Is Baloubet Du Rouet Still Alive?
Baloubet passed away on August 7, 2017, at the age of 28. He died of natural causes while living out his retirement in Portugal.
“You arrived as a wild five-year-old kid but you showed a lot of potential on the very first jump. The start was not easy but you were so intelligent that you understood everything very quickly. You grew up to become one of the greatest horses in history. Talent, beauty, energy, power, skill, and elegance made you the best,” said Rodrigo in a heartfelt tribute to his talented partner.
What Was Baloubet Du Rouet’s Temperament Like?
As a jumper, Baloubet was known to have balance, suppleness and speed. He had a quiet personality and was known for being easy to handle.
Rodrigo praised Baloubet for intelligence, saying the stallion never needed to be explained anything twice. Along with his athleticism, his intelligence has been passed down to many of his offspring.