The sport horses and ponies of the future were identified at an evaluation event at Writtle College’s Lordships Stud.
The British Equestrian Federation’s (BEF) Futurity Evaluation was held at the College on 16 July – the first in this season’s calendar.
The BEF Futurity aims to identify British bred young potential sport horses and ponies destined for careers in dressage, eventing, showjumping or endurance, and may even find the Olympic champions of the future.
Horses and ponies are entered for the discipline they are bred to perform in, with age groups for foals, yearlings, two and three year olds. Each horse is evaluated in hand and loose in an indoor school as well as undergoing a vet's assessment.
Futurity scores are used by many breeders as a credible marketing tool for their young horses, adding value to a young horse whilst it is still too young to have achieved a performance record. Many young horses are now advertised for sale as having a 'BEF Premium'.
This year, three College-owned and produced foals gained premium ratings.
• Lordships Revelation (Rubicell x Dimaggio) achieved a score of 8.32, a First Premium in the dressage evaluation.
• Lordships Parcour (Parco x Rock King) achieved a score of 8.79, a Higher First Premium in the eventing evaluation.
• Lordships Proposition (Primitive Proposal x Broadstone Landmark) achieved a score of 8.14, a First Premium in the eventing evaluation.
Meanwhile, College-bred two-year-old Lordships Dancing Diamond (Don Diamond x Dimaggio), owned by student Felicity Chapman-Young and her mother Tanya, achieved 8.57, a Higher First Premium in the eventing evaluation.
Livery clients’ horses (supported and produced by Lordships Stud) and evaluated on the day included:
• The sports pony foal BS Mr President (FS Mr Right x Donatelli), which achieved a score of 8.88, a Higher First Premium in the dressage evaluation.
• Foal Jamakin Faerie Folklaur (Lauriston x Jumbo), which achieved 8.73, a Higher First Premium in the showjumping evaluation.
• Foal Wolken-Apfel (Wolkenderry x Handley Barnes Herve), which achieved 8.71, a Higher First Premium in the dressage evaluation.
• Foal Wolk in Tune (Wolkenderry x Ferro), which achieved 8.43, a First Premium in the dressage evaluation.
• Yearling Jamakin Faer Trial (Mill Law x Jumbo), which achieved 8.05, a First Premium in the eventing evaluation.
Amy Mills, Lecturer in Equine Science and Breeding & Reproduction Specialist at the College, said: “We saw over 40 horses on the day and had a strong presence from our College-bred horses and from that of our livery clients. There were good scores and great preparatory skills from all.
“Staff were ably assisted by a fantastic student team on the day and during the days and weeks leading up to the event. Staff and students were also involved in the preparation and presentation of some of our clients’ horses.”
The students involved included Rosie Bown – who has just returned from Sweden where she represented Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain at the World Championships of International Young Breeders - Hannah Varnes, Sophie Billingham, Siobhan Dunstan, Allie Price, Laura Clayton, Christine Bjerkan, Mas Stretch, Michael Paveley and Hilary Smith.