Ermitaño III, the First Elite sire Stallion Dies

Ermitaño III has died at the age of 32 in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. He was the first Purebred Spanish Horse to earn the category of Elite Breeding Stock. Son of Ganador VIII and Ermitaña, he was bred by Yeguada Mª Fernanda de la Escalera de la Escalera and owned by Jaime Moreno García, who years ago decided to syndicate this stallion with five other breeders (Amador Alonso, Cristina Baquero, Ana Gamazo, Antonio Páramo and Fidel Sáez). 
 
When he was 27 years old, the PRE Stud Book declared Ermitaño III the first horse to become both Elite and Improver Breeding Stock.  He obtained the genetic assessment for his descendants by means of a positive Global Genetic Index, with a repeatability score greater than 0.6 in the PRE Breeding Program.   Thanks to this result, this stallion inaugurated the LG PRE ANCCE Elite Breeding Stock register.
 
Ermitaño III has bequeathed an impressive legacy in the PRE Stud Book, with 260 sons/daughters and 1907 grandchildren.  Over the years, several of his progeny have obtained the category of Young Recommended Breeding Stock.
 
Ermitaño III was a pioneer in Dressage.  Rider Luis Lucio was the first to compete with this Purebred Spanish Horse until the age of 6 on national arenas.  He also discovered the merit of Ermitaño III for Dressage.