Headley Britannia’s foals do brisk business
The final 50 of 100 shares in a pair of Headley Britannia’s foals – whom their owners believe to be together worth £200,000 – are now on sale.
And Lucinda and Clayton Fredericks expect them to sell very quickly.
“The first 50 shares [released in August 2010] were bought by six people as an investment opportunity,” said Clayton.
“We expect a similar number to buy the rest. They are a really valuable commodity.”
“Brit” had a colt, Britannia’s Mail, and a filly, Little Britannia, by embryo transfer in 2008.
The pair are by Jaguar Mail, who was ridden by Swedish showjumper Peter Eriksson at the 2008 Olympic Games – where Brit also competed.
Shares went on sale on 8 December, costing £1,850 plus VAT for a 1% stake in both.
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“We don’t know yet how far the horses will make it up the grades, but they have all the potential,” said Clayton.
And as shareholders get a stake in the pair’s breeding potential, the stallion alone is a great investment, he added.
The horses, who will be four years old in 2012, are now backed and in light work.
Another of Brit’s foals – Ruby, by Grafenstolz – is on the ground and two, by the Fredericks’ stallion Mr Big Cat, are due next year.
“Milly [Little Britannia] is just like Brit in temperament but taller,” said Lucinda. “Marley [Britannia’s Mail] is a really cheeky boy, with masses of character.
Their movement, attitude and athleticism shine out even at this early stage,” she added.
Headley Britannia was the first mare to win Burghley in 33 years when she claimed the four-star event in 2006.
The following year, 2007, she became the first mare in 53 years to win Badminton.
The Fredericks are producing the horses and came up with the scheme so they can guide them through their careers.
Lucinda said: “The plan is to produce them both through to the British young event horse (BYEH) classes, then take them to Le Lion d’Angers as six- and seven-year-olds.”
A British Eventing spokesman said around 42 event horse syndicates
are registered.
This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (29 December 2011)
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.