Carthago Z is the son of Capitol I, one of the greatest modern Holsteiner showjumping sires.
At his performance test, Carthago Z earned a 9.5 for free jumping and a 10 for jumping talent. Carthago Z finished in 11th place at the Atlanta Games with Jos Lansink and the pair were members of the Dutch team at the Sydney Games. In all, the combination competed in a total of 15 Nations Cups.
In 2001, the stallion, who had been leased to Leon Melchior since 1995, returned to his birthplace in Schleswig-Holstein and to the Holsteiner Verband.
Carthago is the sire of numerous approved sons and although he is no longer fertile he continues to sire foals thanks to the stock of frozen semen. He is retired on an island in the North Sea, with a couple of mares for company. His progeny includes international showjumpers, such as:
- Cim Christo at the 2004 Olympics under the Korean Bong Gak Sohn, as well as
- Kira III ridden by Ludo Philippaerts ,
- VDL Groep Spiga ridden by Leopold van Asten,
- Caitano ridden by Ulrich Kirchhoff,
- Campus ridden by Steve Guerdat,
- Cristallo ridden by Alois PollmannSchweckhorst,
- Caya ridden by Sheila Burke,
- K-Carrera ridden by Michael Aabo, and
- Charlottenhofs Classix Girl ridden by Sören von Rönne.