Baloubet du Rouet, a tribute to a world class stallion

was reaching the peak of his career, this time in the world of jumping. Balabé Durué, born in 1989, was ridden by the world and Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa. The Selefrançais stallion was sired by the impressive jumper Galabé A. Balabé's dam was Massange Durué, line bred to the great thoroughbred Rantzau. Balabé Durué won many of the greatest international jumping competitions, however it was in the FEI World Cup where he made his name as one of the greatest jumping stallions. In 1998, Pessoa took Balabé to the FEI World Cup finals in Helsinki, where the pair took on the world's very best. They came out on top, winning their first title. The following year, they successfully defended the trophy in Gothenburg, a record two wins back-to-back, joining Big Ben and Ian Miller, E.T. and Hugo Simon, and Milson and John Whittaker. But what came next was a feat that today is still unmatched, and a record that looks to never be broken. Las Vegas, Nevada, USA was the location. The glitz and glamour of the entertainment capital of the world was a fitting backdrop for this iconic moment in the sport. Rodrigo Pessoa, of Brazil, 27 years old, and this wonderful 11-year-old French bred stallion, his partner Balabé Durué. Having won the FEI World Cup a record three times back-to-back, the following year they had the chance of a fourth title in Gothenburg, but they would have to settle for second place when beaten by the in-form Tinker's Boy and Marcus Fuchs in a jump-off for the title. Balabé and Rodrigo would compete at two Olympic Games, winning team bronze for Brazil in 2000 and claiming their individual gold in Athens in 2004. Balabé was retired from competition in 2006 and from breeding in 2010, living in Portugal during his later years. He died on August 7th, 2017. But his offspring continued, Chaman, Vidal Bubalu, Napoli Durai and Balabé de Halong to name but a few.