BRITISH BRED JUMPERS HAVE A PROMISING LOOKING FUTURE

Tuesday 24 November 2015

BRITISH BRED JUMPERS HAVE A PROMISING LOOKING FUTURE

The 2015 Baileys Horse Feeds/British Breeding/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity series has seen some outstanding British bred young horses.  Over 550 youngsters from foals to three year olds have been evaluated for their potential in one of the main disciplines (dressage, eventing, showjumping and endurance). Six potential young showjumpers earned elite Futurity premiums in 2015.  Interestingly, the highest elite premiums awarded went to three older horses.

This year the Futurity has celebrated its 10th Anniversary and the advent of a new linear scoring system to give greater accuracy and analysis to the scores awarded to each horse.  Discipline specific evaluators have also been introduced across the board. 

An elite premium is the highest grade awarded by the BEF Futurity.  An elite premium indicates that the young horse has the potential to compete at international level.  A premium score of 9.00 and above out of a maximum of 10 is an elite score.  A higher first premium is the second highest grade awarded at the Futurity.  This is for horses scoring 8.5 to 8.99 and is awarded to horses with the potential to perform at national level. 

Three year old colt, Hocus Pocus (Zambesi x Vancouver) scored the highest elite showjumping premium of the 2015 Futurity.  His owner and breeder Joseph Hughes Jones from the Wirral was delighted with his premium score of 9.13.  Hocus Pocus has been to the Futurity three times now and scored a higher first premium as a yearling and two year old before attaining his elite premium this year.  Joseph said, “I am very pleased, he is the first horse we have bred ourselves.  We have gone back to the Futurity each year for the feedback and advice on whether we should keep him entire”. 

Joseph plans to jump Hocus Pocus, he added, “I used to do a good bit of jumping but my horse broke, I have been waiting four years for Hocus Pocus to be ready to go out competing.  We broke him in last year and I am really looking forward to jumping in the young horse classes next year.  He loves his jumping.  I will hopefully get him a stallion license with the AES, the breeding is an extra bonus really”. 

Kate and Tim Betteridge’s Showjumping yearling gelding, Jorvik Star (Balou Star x Cruyff) took a score of 9.10 for the joint highest elite premium awarded to a yearling showjumper.  This is the second time Jorvik Star has been awarded an elite Futurity premium.  As a foal in 2014, he was the top scoring Futurity showjumping entry with a score of 9.20.  Kate from Shiptonthorpe near Hull, said, “We are very, very lucky to have such a wonderful youngster.  To get an elite two years running is so exciting.  He has that real, look at me quality and has grown into a lovely yearling with real character”.  Kate and Tim bred Jorvik Star from Kate’s mare, C Vera Z.  Kate has owned the mare for eight years and she has jumped in 1.40m classes. Kate and Tim also bred Jorvik Star’s full brother, colt foal, Kingston Star who gained a higher first Futurity premium this year.

The other yearling to score 9.10 in the showjumping section was Issy King’s colt, Cash Legend. (Cash Point x Bolgoed Barnacle Bill) Issy from Herefordshire said, “I am over the moon with him.  I am planning to keep him entire and grade him as a stallion.  All being well, he will have a competition career and then go on to stand as a stallion.  I have owned Cash Legend’s dam, Bolgoed Lady Legend for 10 years.  She competed nationally to 1.15 classes, but had a bad accident in a trailer as a youngster before I had her.  We always has terrible problems travelling her because of this so she never realised her full potential in the ring.  She regularly jumped 1.40 at home and I hope to breed a few more foals from her in time.  The Futurity was a great experience for Cash Legend, he is a lovely horse with the most wonderful temperament”.

Best showjumping sports pony and foal of 2015 was Thursden Vallye Leonardo (Rotherwood Signature x Aimbry Chester) with an elite premium of 9.00 for his delighted owner and breeder, Catherine Billington from Burnley.  Thursden Vallye Leonardo’s dam, Thursden Vallye Monet is full sister to the hugely successful sports pony stallion, Thursden Vallye Raphael who Catherine also bred.  Catherine said, “Leonardo is an absolute carbon copy of Raphael.  I am looking to sell Leonardo to a showing producing home where he can preferably also stand as a stallion”.   Thursden Vallye Leonardo is the first foal of Thursden Vallye Monet.  Catherine added, “Monet is hopefully back in foal to Rotherwood Signature for 2016”.

Emma Hibbett’s filly foal, Carthago Girl (Silvester x Chicago) scored an elite premium of 9.00 in the showjumping section.  Cathargo Girl was bred by Hazel Offord, out of her consistent mare, Call Girl.  Several other offspring of Call Girl have had great Futurity success with three of her foals by Silvester now attaining elite status.  Silvester’s Diamond scored 9.00 in the eventing section as a yearling in 2010, Silver Socks attained a showjumping elite premium of 9.20 as a foal in 2012 in addition to Cathargo Girl this year.  Also, full brother to Cathargo Girl, Carthago Chicago who was born in 2010, attained four higher first Futurity premiums, he attended the Futurity each year from a foal to a three year old. 

The final showjumping foal to receive an elite premium in the 2015 Futurity was Bruce Matthews colt, Shamwari De Facto (Diarado x Now or Never) with a score of 9.00 at Solihull 1.  Bruce both owns and bred this colt and feels, “He is of stallion quality, he is a very nice horse with a good character and movement”.

Top showjumping two year old in 2015 was the colt, Sir James Bond (Sir Caprimond x Lucky Champ) for owner and breeder, Caroline Crane.  He was exhibited by Caroline Crane and received a higher first premium of 8.85. Caroline said, “I am delighted with Sir James Bond, he is the first one I have bred.  I adored his dam, Lucky Thyme from the moment I saw her.  She was on the World Class programme”. 

A trio of dressage colt foals took the three highest Futurity premiums awarded across the disciplines this year.  Woodlander Woodstock (Woodlander Wild Child x Florencio) owned and bred by Lynne Crowden topped the scores for the 2015 Futurity with an elite score of 9.70.  His sire, Wild Child an embryo transfer son of former dual young horse world champion Woodlander Farouche and top dressage horse Woodlander Wavavoom scored the highest ever awarded elite Futurity premium of 9.79 as a foal.  Woodstock’s dam is the Florencio mare, Elite Foxy Lady.  Lynne said, “We are delighted with Woodstock, he has stallion potential and will probably go to Germany for licensing”.

Alison Walton’s colt foal, Zinkwazi (Zack x Woodlander Wesuvio) took an elite premium of 9.45 for the second highest overall score in 2015.  Zinkwazi is closely related to Woodlander Farouche. University lecturer, Eva-Maria Broomer bred the third highest scoring horse of the 2015 Futurity, Wunderkind ZB (Woodlander Wild Child x Distelzar) who scored an elite premium of 9.40

The Futurity is a continually evolving process, since its introduction two years ago the Futurity equine bridge is now being run as an extension of the Futurity evaluations.  The Futurity equine bridge provides top Futurity graduates with the direction and support they will need as 4 year olds so that they begin their early years under saddle in a way that allows for sustained physical and mental development. In order to be eligible for the Futurity Equine Bridge all horses must obtain a Futurity score of 8.5 or above and a high enough vet score in the in their three year old year.

The BEF’s Head of Equine Development Jan Rogers said, “The Futurity celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.  We are increasingly seeing that breeders, buyers and riders of British bred horses are finding that a Futurity premium is a very useful aid in helping assess these horses.  We are also seeing a marked improvement in the standard of youngsters entered in the futurity, which is very good news for the future of British breeding”.

The Futurity is fast becoming recognised as an important first step in the careers of many potential top level horses and provides a valuable marketing took for breeders. 

Visit www.britishbreeding.org for full details and results.

Image:  Jorvik Star (photographer, Kevin Sparrow)

 
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