Arko III ♂ †
🇩🇪 Germany · Oldenburg / AES · by Argentinus · brown · 1994–2021
Go to pedigree ↓Photo · newnormandyfarm.com ↗ · report
Breeding Index
Arko III's record is history-heavy: the researched top crops are ageing out.
World ranking
Arko III finished #60 of the 100 ranked sires on the 2025 WBFSH world list — ahead of 40% of the field.
Proven offspring
10sons / daughters split — being researched
His sons and daughters proven at 1.60 m — the sport's greatest height. How many won at 5★ is still being researched.
Career on the world list
11 seasons on the WBFSH world list — best #34. Arko III being researched — is Arko III higher on the world list than last season? Hover the line for each season.
Next generation
being researched — are Arko III's newest sons and daughters reaching the top, or did the best crops come long ago?
How the score is mixed: record 25% · depth 20% · quality 15% · momentum 15% · trajectory 25%. Only researched parts count — nothing is ever guessed in. Weights v1. Decision support, not a guarantee — no stud can buy a higher index.
About Arko III
Arko III is a (died 2021) brown Oldenburg / AES showjumping stallion foaled in 1994, by Argentinus out of a Beachboy dam.
Arko III, a showjumping stallion, was born in 1994 and is registered with both the Oldenburg Studbook and the Anglo European Studbook (AES). His lineage boasts Argentinus, a renowned Hanoverian sire, as his father, with the Oldenburg mare Unika as his dam. Bred by P.M. Schütt in Germany, Arko III was recognised for his athletic prowess in elite competitions. Throughout his career, he excelled on the international showjumping circuit, often ridden by British rider Nick Skelton. Arko III secured major victories, including the Dubai Classic, Rome, Lucerne, Cannes, and the Estoril Grand Prix, and won the world's richest Grand Prix in Calgary, Canada, amassing earnings exceeding £1 million. From 2004 to 2006, Arko III was ranked as Europe's number one showjumping horse. After retiring to stud in 2008, Arko III became a respected breeding sire until his death in 2021.
Arko III has sired numerous accomplished showjumping offspring who have carried his legacy into the competitive arena. Argento, one of his most notable progeny, achieved impressive results at the CSI5* level, including victories at the Hong Kong Masters Grand Prix and Valence Grand Prix, showcasing Arko III's strong influence in producing international showjumping talent. Besides Argento, horses like Forever d’Arco Ter Linden and Arko Junior, performing in 1.60m events, further exemplify the stallion's impact on the sport.
Conformation: scopey, athletic Argentinus/Beach Boy type with power and blood
Temperament: generally rideable and willing, with useful sport energy
Arko III died in 2021 at Shaw Farm Stud, UK. Breeding may continue via frozen semen — confirm availability with the stud.
His stamp — performance traits
Researched stamp — 5 = strongly passes the trait. Web-sourced; confirm with the stud.
His stamp — conformation
Researched stamp — 5 = strongly passes the trait. Web-sourced; confirm with the stud.
Watch Arko III jump — 8 clips
EQUI REGISTRYEquiWiki · by Horses Smith Arko III — Pedigree
Oldenburg / AES · by Argentinus out of Unika · WBFSH #60 (2025) · 10 offspring at 1.60m
Sources
- angloeuropeanstudbook.co.uk
- kwpn-na.org
- angloeuropeanstudbook.be
- Anglo European Studbook
- horsetelex.com
- rimondo.com
- sporthorsegb.co.uk
- HorseTelex
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #60
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #74
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #68
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #73
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #99
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #81
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #50
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #79
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #83
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #34
- WBFSH jumping sire rank — #54
- Stallion AI Arko III page
- British Showjumping Arko III obituary
- Horse & Hound
✓ Cross-checked by GPT-4o + Claude · 31 Jul 2026Every claim on this page was checked against the cited sources by two independent AI models.
Independent — no stud can pay for placement.
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