AQPS ("Autre Que Pur-Sang"), translated as "Other than Thoroughbred" (not "Other than Pure-Blood"), is a general term used in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

to refer to horses not listed as

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

s but destined to race.

Anglo-Arabian The Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred, part-Arabian horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is the result of a Thoroughbred (hence, the prefix "Anglo") being crossed with an Arabian. The cross can be made betw ...

Selle Français The Selle Français (SF) is a breed of sport horse from France. It is renowned primarily for its success in show jumping, but many have also been successful in dressage and eventing. An athletic horse with good gaits, it is usually bay o ...

(or French Riding Horse), and French Trotters plus all other crossbreds can be qualified, in theory, as AQPS. However in practical terms an AQPS is akin to a Thoroughbred but not eligible to that breed's stud-book. The designation usually means one parent is not listed in the

stud book and almost always applies to those horses with

breeding in the

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

line, be it very remote through repeated crosses with TB stallions. Reverse crosses are also performed by crossing a Thoroughbred mare with an AQPS-approved stallion, and this has met with success on the race-track. For many years the AQPS were registered for administrative purposes as Selle Français. Since 2005 an AQPS studbook is now maintained with its specific breeding rules. The AQPS racing breed developed around the end of the 19th century when French farmers began to cross cart horse

mares A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...

with

stallions A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded (castrated). Stallions follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck ...

to produce a fast and hardy horse that has proven to be best suited for

steeplechase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...

racing. The French national studs made available to local breeders at affordable prices "stayer" TB stallions which were disregarded by the flat-race industry. The average person most likely would not be able to see any difference between an AQPS and a Thoroughbred as evolution of the breed has resulted in AQPS horses today being a minimum of 87.5 percent Thoroughbred. The remaining 12.5 percent must be French saddle-bred, usually from AQPS itself but Selle Français and Anglo-Arab blood is also permissible. The fact that many AQPS horses have now over 98% of Thoroughbred blood is raising questions about the relevance of the breed. The Association des Eleveurs d'AQPS is a member partner in the French Racing and Breeding Committee (FRBC). If anything, the AQPS is a form of repeat of what was done in England 300 years ago with the Thoroughbred, albeit with French foundation mares. Probably the best-known AQPS horse in the world is

Al Capone II Al Capone II (20 March 1988 – 21 October 2020) was a French Autre Que Pur-Sang (AQPS), translated as ''Other than Thoroughbred'') steeplechaser. Sired by the Selle Français jumper Italic, and out of the Thoroughbred mare L'Oranaise, he is a ...

, who won the

Grade One Grade 1 may refer to: *First grade, the first school year of primary education. *A Grade 1 Graded stakes race horse race * ''Grade One'' (TV series), a 2014 Chinese TV variety show *Grade 1 listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed b ...

Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris is a Group 1 steeplechase in France which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Auteuil over a distance of 6,000 metres, and during its running there are twe ...

in 1997 plus seven consecutive Grade One

Prix La Haye Jousselin The Prix La Haye Jousselin is a Group 1 steeplechase in France which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Auteuil over a distance of 5,500 metres (about 3 miles and 3½ furlongs), and it is scheduled ...

steeplechase races at

Auteuil Hippodrome The Auteuil Hippodrome is a horse racing venue on Route des Lacs in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France. The 33-hectare (82-acre) race course opened November 1, 1873. It is designed exclusively for steeplechase racing. Modernized a number of tim ...

from 1993 through 1999. His full brother

The Fellow The Fellow (1985–2008) was an AQPS top-class National Hunt racehorse in the early 1990s. He won the 1994 Cheltenham Gold Cup and narrowly lost the 1991 and 1992 renewals. He also won the 1991 and 1992 King George VI Chase and the 1991 Grand Ste ...

won the

in 1990, the

in 1991 and enjoyed even greater success in England where he won the

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of ...

in 1991 and 1992 and the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs ( ...

in 1994. First Gold met with success in the

in 2000, winning by 12 lengths, and followed on to win the Punchestown Gold Cup. Mon Mome, winner of the

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...

in 2009, followed by

Neptune Collonges Neptune Collonges (foaled on 25 April 2001) is a retired AQPS racehorse. He was bred in France as an AQPS (a selle-français warmblood with predominantly thoroughbred parents) and trained in Great Britain. His most noted success came when win ...

in 2012 are AQPS horses, as is Orphée des Blins, winner of The Grand Pardubice Steeplechase 2012, 2013 and 2014 and

Edredon Bleu Edredon Bleu (26 April 1992 – 28 September 2018) was an AQPS National Hunt racehorse. He was bred in France but trained for most of his racing career in the United Kingdom. He was a specialist steeplechaser who recorded most of his wins o ...

, winner of the

Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the onli ...

in 2000 and the King George in 2003.

References

French Racing and Breeding Committee

{{Equine, state=collapsed Types of horse Horse racing in France Part-Arabian breeds of horses and ponies