What is it like to breed a World Championship Horse?

Can you breed a World Championship horse – or can you only create the conditions for one? In Episode 5, The Breeder's Eye, of our six-part documentary series Stories Beyond the Sport: Road to Aachen 2026, we meet breeder Luc Henry and explore the decisions, bloodlines and instinct behind breeding horses for the highest level of international show jumping. For Luc, breeding is a lifelong pursuit. From watching the World Championships in Aachen as a nine-year-old to breeding horses destined to return to that very arena, his story is built on observation, patience, resilience and one ambition: to produce exceptional sport horses. At the centre of the episode is High Star Hero, the show jumping talent now partnered with McLain Ward. Luc takes us inside the breeding decisions behind him – from the influence of his dam Darjina Hero Z and the legendary Fairness dam line to the choice of I Am Moerhoeve’s Star as his sire – and explains why he recognised something special in High Star Hero from the very beginning. But breeding a great horse is only the start. This episode explores what happens when a breeder has to let go, how the right rider can take a horse to the next level, and why breeding ultimately means making the best possible decisions without ever knowing exactly where they will lead. Almost 50 years after Luc first experienced a World Championship in Aachen, High Star Hero and Picobello van’t Roosakker connect his breeding story once again with one of the biggest stages in equestrian sport. Watch the full episode and stream Stories Beyond the Sport: Road to Aachen 2026 for free on ClipMyHorse.TV. New episodes are coming soon. ▶ Watch now: watch.clipmyhorse.tv/EP5-TheBloodline 🔔 Subscribe for more equestrian documentaries, show jumping stories, horse breeding insights, rider interviews and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. #Aachen2026 #FEIWorldChampionships #RoadToAachen #StoriesBeyondTheSport #TheBreedersEye #HorseBreeding #SportHorseBreeding #ShowJumping #HighStarHero #McLainWard #LucHenry #EquestrianSport #HorseBreeder #EquestrianDocumentary #ClipMyHorseTV #FEIWCHAachen