In May 2022, Lordships Graffalo finished second in the Badminton Horse Trials.
The ten-year-old was bred at Writtle University College's Lordships Stud.
His rider, World Eventing Champion Ros Canter, told Horse & Hound; "He's an incredible horse and so honest; he gets better as time goes on, he tries harder and harder".
Since the creation of Lordships Stud, Writtle University College have been breeding quality competition horses.
The Stud has changed a lot over the years, moving location twice, growing and then downsizing the provision while building contacts and a network within the breeding industry that supports many of our graduates to this day.
The stud unit benefits students across a range of courses among the Equine, Veterinary Physiotherapy and Animal specialisms.
Students across WUC's Further and Higher Education Courses are part of the entire process from considering selection, budgeting, liaising with the vet, our clients and supporting the logistics of running a commercial unit.
They carry out sitting up duties, attend scans and inseminations as well as assist with foaling and all aspects of neonatal care, foal handling and presentation for assessment such as at the Futurity and gradings.
Recent years have seen recognition for the stud through a British Eventing medal for the leading British bred 5 year old eventer (Lordships Graffalo) in 2017 and earning its first elite futurity score in 2019 with homebred colt 'Lordships Bare Necessities' (Balou for Pleasure X Now or Never M).
It also has a host of horses competing in Eventing Dressage and Showjumping carrying the Lordships prefix. The success of Lordships Graffalo throughout his career, but specifically now at Badminton, has certainly become the highlight.
Reproduction specialist lecturer and current Stud Manager Caroline Farr says: "It is genuinely something amazing to have bred a horse that has performed so well at the top of the sport and we are very proud, potentially even more-so as first and foremost we are a University.
"Our efforts go into providing the best learning experience for our students, and Lordships Graffalo has come from a huge family of students who can all say they played a part in his early years at Writtle University College.
"However, it would not have happened at all without Pennie Wallace who loaned us the superb 'Cornish Queen', a mare that has produced an outstanding legacy of event horses. Pennie has been a huge supporter of Lordships Stud both during her time working at Writtle and still today.
"Even with the pedigree and talent to go to the top, Walter would not have made it without Pennie finding him the best owners and rider, Ros Canter to further his training and subsequent career.
"As I was also in the Stud Manager position in 2012 foaling Hermes (now Walter) and seeing him grow and develop, it is especially exciting to see the phenomenal horse he has become.
"As a small stud reliant on the support of others within the breeding industry, we may never breed another horse that makes it to 5* level eventing, but all of the Writtle family of staff and students look forward to following his progress and we hope there may be an Olympic outing in his future as well."
For information on Writtle University College's equine courses and facilities, go to writtle.ac.uk/equine.