Throwback Thursday: Gem Twist (1979 - 2006)
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The grey Thoroughbred gelding Gem Twist (registered as Icey Twist) by Good Twist out of Coldly Noble was ranked as one of the 20th century’s greatest show-jumpers, and is considered by some to be the best show-jumper ever bred in the United States (x). Gem Twist was voted as the World’s Best Horse at the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, 1990 (x). He won individual and team Silver medals for show-jumping at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games (x), and three times won the American Grand Prix Association Horse of the Year title under riders Greg Best (1987), Leslie Burr Howard (1993), and Laura Chapot (1995) (x). Here’s footage of him competing at Stockholm in 1990:
Gem Twist was bred by Frank Chapot, who’d trained and competed on his sire Good Twist, who himself was a champion show-jumper, and hall of fame show-jumper, with victories in Grand Prix classes in the United States and 21 international classes (x).
Good Twist’s grandsire Bonne Nuit (1934) also represented the U.S. at international show-jumping, and helped found the post-cavalry era of showjumpers and:
“at one point had sired the majority of the horses on the United States Equestrian Team (USET). According to Mary the Chapot’s barn soon became a nightmare for grooms as only grey horses lined their aisles.” (x)
“George Morris has said of Bonne Nuit, his least get were good jumpers and his best get went to the Olympics.” (x)
Gem Twist was gelded before siring any offspring, however two clones of him have been bred. The clone Gemini CL, born in 2008 was bred by Frank and Mary Chapot, who’d like to see their daughter Laura have the opportunity to compete at the Olympics, as they both did, and they plan on using Gemini to further this dynasty of jumpers (x). Gemini sired his first foal in 2012 (x).
Gem Twist’s second clone, Murka Gem was foaled in 2011, and purchased by Olga White, an Olympic horse owner who works with rider Peter Charles (x).
So while Gem Twist never sired any offspring, through his clones, the genes of this champion are now being passed down to another generation.
“The Bonne Nuit horses had great records and were great jumpers. But there were none of them left, and now there is,” Frank said. “I remember growing up as a kid, every time you turned around, there was another Bonne Nuit that was a super jumper and winning. It’s a shame to let that run out. I had the last Bonne Nuit stallion, Good Twist, and I had a lot of success with him. I’d like to keep the line going.” (x)
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