Bastille

Sire

Beau Veneur

Dam

Belle D'Or

Dam Sire

Rival D'Or

Bastille is a flaxen-maned chestnut gelding, bred by Karin van Wyk and brought into the O'Connor string in 2025. By Beau Veneur out of the Rival D'Or mare Belle D'Or, he has spent the past year being guided and fine-tuned under Kelly O'Connor. The horse jumping 1.30m today is the very same foal in these paddock shots — a genuine type produced with patience from the ground up.

Homebred by Karin van Wyk; joined the O'Connor string in 2025.

Bastille is the definition of a schoolmaster. He is willing, genuinely self-motivated and never needs kicking along — he simply wants to do the job. Brave and honest across a track, he is a true all-rounder, equally at home in the equitation arena as he is jumping a course. He carries years of mileage and knows exactly how to look after a young rider. He has jumped up to 1.30m and can handle the open classes, but he is offered as a schoolmaster — we are most confident in his work at 1.20m, and would expect only an experienced rider to take him into the 1.30s.

Bastille has done his job here. Most recently he took junior rider Isabella Saunders off ponies and up through the levels — including a second place in the Junior 1.30m at the President's Cup 2025 at Maple Ridge. With that rider moving on, he is ready to teach the next junior the ropes and take them up the ranks.

Vetting and a full set of clinical X-rays available to serious buyers on request.

All O'Connor horses are vetted by Baker McVeigh, a world-renowned equine veterinary practice.