Cor de la Bryére is the stallion that revolutionised jumping horse breeding. His is the name astute breeders like to see, especially on the mare line for Cord tends to give great form over a jump.
His sire the French Thoroughbred, Rantzau, was bred to be a jumper being a descendent of the enormously influential Bay Ronald. Rantzau was by Foxlight by Foxhunter by Foxlaw by Son-In-Law by Dark Ronald by Bay Ronald.

A serious racehorse, Rantzau was third ranked three year old of his year - in nine races between 2000 and 3000 metres, he won two and was placed five times. Purchased by the National Stud, he arrived at the stallion depot of Saint-L on January 5th, 1951. Of Rantzau, the stud inspector noted: good front extension, remarkably built through the shoulder and fore-arm, long haunches, this classy stallion of rare nobility, also has low-placed joints and covers ground'.

Contrary to legend, the breeders in the area were quite enthusiastic about this well-bred, well-conformed and well-performed newcomer and between 1951 and 1962, he bred between 40 and 49 mares a year. In those days French state stud stallions were only allowed to breed 40 mares a year, plus the National Stud directors cards used by him in the interest of breeding. In 1971 he covered his last book of mares, with five foals the result. In twenty years of breeding he covered 772 mares at an average of 38 mares a year for 179 fillies and 194 colts. His fertility of 50% was regarded as normal for the time.

By 1964, Rantzau had moved into 3rd place on the ranking of aged sires of jumping horses, behind Lutteur B and Kenavo D, and the next year he moved into 2nd place with progeny jumping with success all over Europe, and held that second place until 1969. In 1970 he moved down to third place behind Ibrahim and Furioso, but the next year he moved into first place on the jumping rankings, as well as being in 5th place on the sire of eventers rankings - he was even ranking in the 20s as a sire of dressage horses. As late as 1976, when he had been dead for five years, Rantzau was still 3rd on the jumping sires rankings, by 1980 he had moved into 4th place. He remained for many years one of the leading sires of broodmares.

On the bottom side, Cor de la Bryère was royally bred, out of Quenotte B, by Lurioso a son of the most influential Precipitation son, Furioso. In French jumping circles, Furioso had been a sensation, siring the 1964 Olympic gold medallist, Lutteur B and the world showjumping champion of 1968, Pomone B. Lurioso was himself a sire of international showjumpers.

Cor de la Bryère almost never made it to the breeding barn. In 1970, the selection committee of the Haras du Pin visited his owner, Xavier Ribard and suggested that is not breeding stock, hes too much of a sport horse. Better geld him; hell make a useful gelding.

The horse was now on the market and it just so happened that the Holstein Association was looking for French blood, having seen the success of Furioso II and Futuro in Oldenburg. Oldenburg breeder (and showjumping ace) Alwin Schockemhle was looking for a stallion star, and leased the Furioso xx son Urioso however he was prepared to sub-lease the stallion to the Holstein Verband. Hence a Holstein inspection committee travelled to France to evaluate Urioso and in doing so, discovered Cor de la Bryère. Urioso ended up standing two forgettable seasons in Holstein while Cord left an indelible mark on the Holstein breed, and jumping the world over.

He was not only a sire himself but a sire of sires. The full brothers, Caletto I, II and III were stars, as were the brother quartet of Calypso I to V. In the jumping arena, his handsome grey son, Corrado has been a star for Franke Sloothaak, while Cordalm Z with Gilbert Bckmann has also been successful at international level.