From Nino des Buissonnets' Olympic gold medal with Steve Guerdat in London 2012 to Paille de la Roque’s victory in the World Cup Final, and all the way to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games (see Box 1), his descendants have been prominent at every major event. Critics may claim his results are due to the sheer number of his offspring, but in-depth analysis proves he consistently ranks among the best, regardless of calculation methods (see Box 2). The notion of a universally “perfect” sire is a myth: great sires transmit strong positive traits and may also pass on less desirable or sought-after characteristics. It is up to the breeder to take this into account when planning crossbreedings.
For instance, Galoubet did not enhance the elegance of his progeny, Clinton imparted a strong personality, Jalisco’s offspring had a tendency to lack blood, and Chacco Blue or Baloubet du Rouet horses are seldom seen at amateur-level shows.
In addition to his direct offspring competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, KANNAN continues to make significant contributions to the sport horse world. In 2024, he sired outstanding performers such as Nikolaj de Music, winner in 5* Grand Prix with Emmanuele Gaudiano, Derby de Riverland, victorious with Nicola Philippaerts, Kochio Z, ridden by Jimmy Torano, Toupie de la Roque, who recently secured 4th place in the Global Champions Tour Final with Pieter Devos, Drako de Maugré, who achieved 3rd place in Aachen with Patrick Stuhlmeyer...
He is also the grandsire of Olympic horses Ermitage Kalone, Caracole de la Roque, and Bond Jamesbond de Hay. His lineage extends to exceptional performers like the superstar Foxy de la Roque (Victor Bettendorf), winner of the GCT Final in Riyadh and the Longines GP of Rome in 2024, H&M Miro, GP winner in Stockholm with Olivier Philippaerts, and Van Het Steentje, ranked in the Longines Grand Prix in Doha and London with Wim Vermeir.
Kannan's influence remains prominent at prestigious events such as the Grande Semaine de Fontainebleau, the Young Horse World Championships in Lanaken, and the studbook rankings in Valkenswaard.
As a proven cornerstone of modern breeding, KANNAN’s legacy is firmly established. His consistent presence at the top of the WBFSH sire rankings underscores his enduring impact on the sport horse industry.
1. PARIS 2024
Kannan's influence at the Paris 2024 Olympics was unparalleled, with four direct offspring competing: James Kann Cruz, Dorai d’Aiguilly, Karamell M&M in show jumping, and Dao de l’Ocean in eventing. Additionally, he is the grandsire of four other Olympians, including superstars Caracole de la Roque, Ermitage Kalone, and Bond Jamesbond de Hay.
His progeny contributed to two team medals: Dorai d’Aiguilly and Olivier Perreau for France, and Caracole de la Roque and Carl Cook for the USA.
2. KANNAN ACROSS ALL RANKINGS
KANNAN ranks #1 in the WBFSH standings, with 227 offspring placed in ranking competitions in 2024.
When considering only the top six offspring per sire—an approach commonly used in studbook rankings to mitigate the volume effect—Kannan drops just one position but remains on the global podium in second place.
KANNAN is #2 in the Hippomundo global ranking by total earnings. Due to his large number of offspring in CSI 1* and 2* events, he ranks lower in terms of average earnings per horse, but moves back into the top 5 when only 1m55/1m60-level winners are considered. He also ranks #2 as a dam sire in the Hippomundo ranking.
In the Horstelex IPV ranking, which strongly penalizes stallions with many amateur-level CSI offspring (like KANNAN), he still reaches a very respectable 21st place. In eventing, he is 5th in the WBFSH ranking, and 11th sire of young horses in the SHF ranking.
