NSBA Hunter Jumper Horse Of The Year: DGS Legacy

The aptly named DGS Legacy represents more than 40 years of horse breeding experience for Robin DeGraff and her Reddick, Florida-based DeGraff Stables.

The 2020 stallion was born and raised at Robin’s breeding facility and is the third generation of his line that Robin has owned. Robin purchased his grandsire, Indian Artifacts, as a yearling, and that stallion would become the cornerstone of her breeding program.

His son and DGS Legacy’s sire, DGS Replicated, earned 325.5 AQHA points and also became AQHA’s first High Point Training Level Dressage horse when the division began. DGS Replicated earned AQHA Superior awards in Working Hunter, Hunter Hack and Halter, and was reserve and top five High Point Stallion in the Nation in Working Hunter, Jumping, Hunter Hack and Performance Halter Stallions. His offspring have earned more than 330 AQHA points in Open Amateur and Youth divisions as well as two world championships and one reserve world championships.

The breeding of DGS Replicated with DGS Legacy’s dam, PR Real Quiet, combined two long-time breeding operations. “PR Real Quiet was bred by Judy Pryor, who also has a great breeding program,” Robin explained. “PR Real Quiet is by Deck Of Stars, and Judy has had great success with that family. I’m excited that we’ve been able to see success with both of our lines.”

True to her name, PR Real Quiet has indeed been a very good minded individual, whose offspring have all been known to share her calm, level-headed attitude. Now retired to DeGraff’s Florida farm, PR Real Quiet’s foals have earned 243.5 AQHA points. DGS Legacy was her last foal.

Star Quality

Robin noted that DGS Legacy impressed her barn manager, Dawn Smith, from the moment he was born. “Dawn always knew that he was special,” Robin said. “We start handling our foals the day they are born, teaching them to lead, stand for the blacksmith and just be good citizens.”

“Every year we have a theme for the foal names, and that year, our theme was mountain ranges,” Dawn explained. “We had a Helen for Mount St Helen’s and we named this stud colt Ande for the Andes Mountains.”

Dawn was quick to take notice of the colt. “From the time he was born to the first time we turned him and his mother out in the indoor arena, there was something special about him. He always had this presence to him,” she said.

“From the beginning he was always quiet and kind, and just so good minded. Robin would always want to look at him and I would just tell her to be patient, go away and let him grow up. I just knew that he was going to be an incredible individual. I really didn’t let her get a good look at him until his two year old year.

“He has so many great qualities. He has this big hip, a natural flowing stride and he really throws his leg from the shoulder – he just has such a natural movement. He’s just old school. I think his conformation, plus his temperament, are going to make some phenomenal offspring.”

When Robin saw the colt, she agreed with Dawn’s assessment. “Ande has literally been a cookie-cutter copy of his sire. He has nice bone, good feet, a neck for a mile and high withers – he has the frame for the job and looked like he would be able to handle the work of a Hunter from Day 1. I love the horse.”

Starting His Training

After starting under saddle, Ande was sent to Jessica Johnson to begin his over fences training. “He’s 17.2, so we let him grow slowly and sent him off to start at three years old,” Robin explained.

“We told Jess to take him home and not push him,” Robin said. “Her program works really well with our horses. She lets the horse be a horse, and makes working for you be the horse’s idea. She’s brought several of our horses along and campaigned them.”

“Jess started Ande’s show career at the end of his three year old year at the Gold and Gulf Coast shows,” Dawn added. “From the start, everyone wanted to know who he was, and they all loved him – he was one of those horses that just stood out in a crowd.”

“I started hauling Ande around most of his three year old year, and then we started showing,” Jessica explained. “He’s so athletic and he’s built so correct, it’s just easy for him. We just clicked, and I built a rapport with him.”

Jessica noted that Ande always arrives ready to work. “He’s always been very consistent,” she said. “He likes to work and he likes to show. He really doesn’t like to sit idle. And he’s very much a gentleman, even at home.”

A Year To Remember

In 2025, Jessica guided DGS Legacy to class wins from the beginning of the year to the end in Junior Hunter Hack and Level 1 Working Hunter. The duo also won the Gulf Coast Hunter Derby. Other highlights of their year include an NSBA world championship in Green Working Hunter as well as a reserve world championship in Junior Hunter Hack, a Quarter Horse Congress championship in Level 1 Working Hunter, and AQHA world titles in Junior Hunter Hack, Level 1 Hunter Hack, Level 1 Working Hunter and Progressive Working Hunter. DGS Legacy earned 252 points and $17,065.83 on his way to earning the Horse Of The Year: Hunter/Jumper title.

“There were so many good horses out there competing with him, and I wish I could have all of them in my barn,” Robin said. “The level of competition has never been higher.”

For Jessica, the Horse Of The Year title is a highlight as well. “The Horse Of The Year title was not something that was on our radar,” she said. “But we’re so excited to have achieved it.”

Continuing The Legacy

Ande will continue his show career in his first year as a senior horse this year, and has added breeding stallion to his resume. “We froze some semen at Rood & Riddle Equine, and didn’t know how he would come back from the breeding shed. He did great, and went right back to work,” Robin said.

“Two weeks later, Jessica was showing him, and you would never know he was a breeding stallion. As long as he wants to show and he’s healthy, we’ll continue to show him.”

Press release by NSBA: Hunter Jumper Horse Of The Year: DGS Legacy – National Snaffle Bit Association