The End of an Era: Capital Don Cumarco Retires

Few horses in South African showjumping history have the same legacy as the great Capital Don Cumarco. The famous four-time Derby winning stallion has been at the top of the sport since 2013 under Nicole Horwood, but after an illustrious career, the stallion has officially been retired. The news broke in a Facebook post from Capital Stud, simply titled: “Time To Say Goodbye”.

Capital Don Cumarco, or DC, as he was known to Nicole and the Capital Stud crew has been a top representative of the sport in South Africa, setting records that may never be broken. Among these, he is the only horse to have won the SA Derby four times, three of these being back to back to back victories from 2012 to 2014. But he wasn’t a proverbial one-trick pony, racking up numerous titles in his illustrious competition career:

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• South African Derby: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016
• SA Outdoor Grand Prix: 2013
• SA Showjumping Champs: 2013
• SA World Cup Qualifier Series: 2014
• SA Showjumper of the Year: 2014
• Wachmann Trophy for Top-Ranked Warmblood: 2013, 2014
• President’s Cup: 2019

In the statement from Capital Stud, the breeding outfit said, “We owe so much to this incredible athlete, character, and icon of equestrian sport. We will miss the partnership that Nicole and DC had and shared every time they stepped into the ring”.

The talented stallion, an imported Belgian warmblood by Cumano out of a Darco mare, was imported as a top breeding prospect by Henning Pretorius, owner of the Capital Stud. He has already left his mark on the South African breeding circuit, with progeny like Capital Don Costello competing at the highest levels of the sport.

A true legend of the sport, Don Cumarco retires at 17 years of age. He will make his final public appearance at a retirement ceremony at the 2020 South African Adult Championships in Shongweni next month, after which he will be happily retired to the rolling green fields of Summer Hill, the recently-acquired thoroughbred stud and new base of operations for Capital’s breeding in KZN.

Farewell, DC, thanks for all the memories!

-The JumpOff-

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