Brazilians demand that the Mangalarga Marchador horse be the gaited horse that does it all, challenging disciplines that range from reining to dressage, from polo to endurance, from cattle herding to eventing to pulling a cart. In Brazil, exacting tests assure that the “brand” that signifies definitive registration as a Mangalarga Marchador is well-deserved.
At Rancho de los Cielos, we breed for "brains", meaning the inborn knowledge of how gait is done, for "bones", meaning the conformation that permits the performance of the gait, for "brio" or the brightness of spirit that expresses itself in posture, carriage, and attitude, and for the "bond", the willingness to "walk through fire for the right rider" that typifies Mangalarga Marchador horses. We breed for horses that gait out of the womb and will keep on gaiting for decades, for mile-upon-mile of distance down the road.
We are proud to present our stallion, Ninja de Sao Joaquim, as the embodiment of the highest expression of the breed standard. Ninja exemplifies the upright Spanish carriage, sloping shoulders, well-rooted, triangular, arching neck, balanced distribution of weight, and balanced proportions relating a racer's long legs, a jumper's modest back and loin length, an endurance competitor's spare frame and flat croup, an eventer's strong coupling of hind and forequarters, and the classic strong, sound, appropriately inclined joints and leg parts that underlie his incredible performance of picada and centered batida gaits. Function follows form, and, at the age of 16 year, Ninja is still distinguishing himself in the performance of the subtle, mile-eating, go-forever gaits of his breed. And then, there is the horse himself, the soul in his eyes, the heart that reached out to ours.
Blood will tell. On his father's side, Ninja traces his lineage through Abaiba Gim and the great horses of the Abaiba line, particularly noted for their grace, elegance, and sculpted features. On his mother's side, Ninja is likewise descended from gaiting champions, known for their power and performance. Ninja was named Regional Champion, Reserve Junior Champion Stallion for the Brazilian state of Oliviera in 1996. One in 5 of the 46 foals he sired in Brazil attained champion stature in their own right. In Brazil and in the U.S., Ninja stamps his get with his talent for gait, his athlete's physique, and the steady fire of his spirit.
At Rancho de los Cielos, we offer the stud services of our own stallion, Ninja de Sao Joaquim, and that of our guest, for the year 2007-8, Triatuba Zumbido. Owned and imported by Susan and Holm Neumann of Cascade Marchadores in Bend, Oregon, “Zumbido” is a silvery-metallic buckskin, dedicated in picada gait, from a competing lineage also known for smooth execution, graceful proportions, and classic beauty. A scion of champions but too young to have competed in Brazil, Zumbido is expected to join Ninja in making an American name for himself performing for such venues as the Fiesta of the Spanish Horse in Burbank, CA in 2008. He has already gifted us with a foal that promises his height, his artistry in movement, his shimmering color, and his sweet, willing mind.
Bookings for either stallion are available for breeding dates between March 1st and September 30th. To approved purebred and out-cross mares, we offer full services by either stallion, including live cover, AI and shipped semen. Stud fees are set at $1500 to purebred and $750 to out-crosses, but are negotiable, if sold as packages, and do not include booking fees, mare care, semen collection or semen transport. We depend on the assistance of certified artificial insemination technician and stallion manager, Cindy Polly, of C and C Show Horses,
Gavilan Hills, CA.
