His name has become synonymous with speed, precision, and major victories: Hello Jefferson, the impressive gelding ridden by Scott Brash, made history this year by winning the CPKC ‘International’, presented by Rolex in Calgary. Yet the background of this exceptional showjumper is far less straightforward than his performances might suggest.
As a foal, he was registered with the BWP under the name Jerenmias van het Hulstenhof. Breeder Bernard Mols shares the remarkable story behind Hello Jefferson.
The English roots
The mother of Hello Jefferson comes from England. Breeder Bernard Mols recalls the beginning of this special story: “I spent about two to three years riding with Malcolm Pyrah. During that time, I also rode some of his horses and he guided me a bit. In the last year that I was there, I brought Hovis – the mother of Hello Jefferson – over from England. I bought her there, through Malcolm. With that mare I competed in the Belgian Championship and was part of the B-team. She really performed at a serious level.
“I bought Hovis from Malcolm Pyrah. In England, I only received a recognition document from the studbook – basically just an ID paper. I later submitted that to the BWP, who registered Hovis and then issued me an official paper. When I retired her from sport, I presented her at a BWP inspection, and that was also confirmed there. So from England I only had the sire recorded, but through the BWP I obtained an official registration document.”
Hovis’s recorded sire is Irco Mena (Irco Marco – Ballymena Park x Menelek xx). He was one of Sweden’s most influential stallions of the 1980s and 1990s, combining top-class sport performance with a lasting impact on modern breeding. Bred by Ann and Lars Gustavii, the grey stallion competed successfully at international Grand Prix level, representing Sweden in Nations Cups and World Cup qualifiers. A son of the legendary Irco Marco and out of Ballymena Park, he carried a rare blend of Thoroughbred refinement and classic jumping scope. Among his many offspring competing up to 1.60 m level is H5 Market Irminka, further underlining his legacy as a producer of top-class sport horses.
Jumping out of fields
Bernard Mols remembers well the moment he met Hovis. “I was 21 years old when I was with Malcolm; in total I spent three years with him, starting at the age of 19, while I was also serving in the army. In my last year with Malcolm, he knew about this mare and recommended that I go and see her. Through him I eventually came across Hovis. I never really knew anything about her dam. What I do remember is that the owner told me the mother of Hovis was constantly jumping out of fields or paddocks; if she had enough space for a run-up and the fencing wasn’t high enough, she would simply jump over it.”
Jefferson as a foal. Originally named Jerenmias van het Hulstenhof, the horse was renamed using the ‘Hello’ prefix by his owners Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham. (Bernard Mols photo)
Quality of Hovis
After bringing Hovis to Belgium, her quality soon became evident both in sport and character. “With Hovis herself, I achieved some great results. I competed her at the Belgian Championship and also in international classes up to 1.50 m. At Harrie Theeuwes’s show, she jumped a 1.50 m class and was named the best horse of the event, finishing in the top three on all three consecutive days. As a seven-year-old, she was already ranked in the top ten of the national cycle. Because of her qualities, I eventually brought her into breeding.
“Looking back at Hovis, one quality clearly stands out that she consistently passed on to her offspring: her tremendous go. Even today, there are very few dam lines in the world that possess such drive and willingness. And that is exactly what is needed at the highest international level – only horses with that kind of determination can succeed in the most demanding competitions.”
The legacy continues
Bernard Mols notes that this special energy continued through the generations. ““The first generation, including Hello Jefferson, already demonstrated this strongly. Now the second generation is also present. There are seven or eight offspring of Cooper van de Heffinck in total out of Hovis and her daughters. In addition, the Cassini II daughter Hovina produced Mia van ’t Hulstenhof, winner of the Young Riders Prize in Valkenswaard, and from that same mare line several more offspring by Cooper van de Heffinck were bred. Among them are Tiamo van ’t Hulstenhof, a son of Cooper van de Heffinck out of Hovina, and Ubelle van ’t Hulstenhof, also a daughter of Hovina, who has been flushed with Casallco and is currently in foal herself. At the time Hello Jefferson entered training with Scott Brash, Cooper van de Heffinck already had thirty offspring, of which fifteen to sixteen were competing successfully at 1.50 m level. This speaks volumes about the stallion’s genetic influence.
“From the very first day, he trotted after me like a little dog … It was as if he was asking, what should I do?”
“Although Hovis was by no means a perfect mare and certainly had her flaws, it was exceptional to breed a horse like Hello Jefferson from her. The cross with Cooper van de Heffinck turned out to be particularly successful. In fact, he has shown that even with mares that were not considered among the very best, he was able to produce top-class sport horses. That is why he remained a cornerstone in the breeding program.”
From sport to breeding
The success of the Hovis line did not end there; Mols continued to compete and breed from her daughters. “Hovina, the Cassini II mare, I competed up to 1.45 m myself. Now I still have a few offspring from that line: a Cooper van de Heffinck, seven or eight years old, out of the sisters. I also breed with another Zirocco Blue mare. Out of that one came a full brother, Oscar van het Hulstenhof, who competed in Eindhoven. There is also Mia van het Hulstenhof, who is competing with Roy van Beek. She even won the Grand Prix in Valkenswaard once, in the young riders division. She also comes from that Cassini II mare, combined with Zirocco Blue.”
The influence of Cooper van de Heffinck
Mols remains convinced that the cross with Cooper van de Heffinck was decisive in creating Hello Jefferson’s balance of energy and control. “What Cooper van de Heffinck mainly contributed was overview. Where Hovis’s dam had so much go that she wanted to do everything at once, Cooper van de Heffinck added the ability to stay composed and channel that energy effectively. This was especially evident with Hello Jefferson: his tremendous go was combined with the overview inherited from Cooper van de Heffinck, which made him truly special.
“Hello Jefferson was already remarkable as a foal. From the very first day, he trotted after me like a little dog. With other foals, I always had to teach them — put on a halter, lead them along — but Jefferson followed me freely, in trot, without needing any guidance. It was as if he was asking, what should I do? That was truly extraordinary. I don’t know if there is still anything in the line today that resembles him in quite the same way.”
Cooper van de Heffinck originates from the same Holsteiner dam line as Quaprice Bois Margot. Both trace back to the renowned Stamm 504 — the Wella line — which has produced numerous international showjumpers and is considered one of the most influential Holsteiner families, also behind horses such as Operette La Silla. Cooper van de Heffinck achieved placings with three different riders at 1.45 m level.
The same determination that Hello Jefferson showed as a foal now drives him in the world’s biggest arenas — a quality that shone brightest during his triumph in the CPKC ‘International’, presented by Rolex in Calgary.
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