By the world famous Argentinus, out of Unika, Arko III was the Number 1 horse in Europe 3 years running. Some of his tremendous achievements include representing Great Britain in the 2004 Athens Olympics,winning the Dubai Classic and ranking second in 2006 Dubai Grand Prix. He won the CSIO Grand Prix in Rome as well as in Luscern, and ranked second in Cannes Grand Prix. Winner of the Estoril Grand Prix 2007, he also won the richest competition in the world with the Calgary CN Grand Prix 2008. He has achieved numerous Nations Cups double-clear rounds, and thanks to his accomplishments his owners were elected FEI Winning Owners for two consecutive years. In 2008, Arko III was crowned “KBIS British Equestrian Insurance Show Jumper of the Year” for an unprecedented fifth year.
Breed: Oldenburg
Colour: Bay
Height: 16.2hh
Owner: John Hales and Lisa Hales
Nationality: British
History: Not known

HORSE RECORD FOR ARKO III: BHD0068483
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313024
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ARKO III
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Grade A
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Total Winnings
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35932
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MR HALES Corcovada Cosford SHIFNAL Shropshire TF11 9HZ |
Area: 25 Telephone: 01902 373484 |
History
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Grade
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Last Rider: MR SKELTON (17074)
Breeding Information:
Sire | ARGENTINUS |
Dam | UNIKA |
Studbook | OLDBG |
Sire
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ARGENTINUS
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Dam
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UNIKA
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Studbook
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OLDBG
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Arko’s sire was Champion Oldenburg and Hannoverian Stallion of the year. He was until recently when he passed away the most successful stallion in Germany with progeny winnings of 3.5 million euro’s. He was acknowledged to be the best son of his sire Argentan and sired over 400 showjumping horses in Germany alone as well as 27 graded stallions worldwide. Show jumping progeny include: Armitage, Anka, Air Jordan – winner of over 1.5 million euro’s, Azzaro, Anastasia III and Nations Cup winner Asti Spumanti. He also sired Albano, winner of German Dressage team Gold at European Championships.
Argentan
Standing at stud from 1969 to 1996 he sired over 2000 foals including, 414 showjumpers and 22 graded stallion. His progeny gained him winnings of over £650,000 at a time when prize money was far less generous than it is today.
The presence of the D line (famous for such top performers as Dollar Girl, Deister and Demonstrator) through Duden II and the Wohler branch of the F/W line (from which come the many outstandingly successful dressage horses of the Woermann / World Cup and Weltmeyer line), reinforces even more the athleticism, versatility and suitability of this pedigree for all equestrian sport.
Unika
Arko’s dam, the Oldenburg mare Unika adds further top class proven bloodlines at every level. She produced Arko ESI, full brother to Arko III who achieved the highest price for a foal sold through a German auction 130,000 euros’. Her sire Dutch-bred Oldenburg stallion Beach Boy has been incorporated into the breeding programme of the Swedish State Stud at Flyinge. He has sired 8 graded sons who are already making a name for themselves and his own progeny includes the 1991 Oldenburg performance test champion Brandenburger, the international showjumper Beach Game and the international eventers Beach Star and Feldschwalbe.
Arko’s progeny is still very young and limited in numbers this is because the Hales family have concentrated Arko’s efforts on his jumping career. Both Lisa Hales and Nick Skelton have very talented and promising young stock. The stallions Argento (owner Keiley Durham, ridden by Whittakers) and Arkido (owner Nick Skelton ) recently gained full approval with the Anglo European Society, after being two of three Arko sired horses to have been placed in the first four of the 2007 five year old British Breeding Championships.