British breeders haven’t always had it easy. For decades, the assumption has been that the most exciting stallions stand in Germany or the Netherlands – and that British mares need to look overseas to find genuinely top-quality bloodlines. But the picture has shifted considerably in recent years with a wide range of UK stallions at stud now available.

This new generation of stallions is standing on British soil – from young horses in their first or second year of breeding to competition-proven sires whose offspring are competing at the highest level. Post-Brexit logistics have made importing semen more complex and more expensive. The result is a growing appetite for high-quality stallions standing closer to home – and the British stud industry is rising to meet the demand.

Whether you’re breeding a future grand prix dressage horse, a top-class eventer, a careful showjumper, or a quality native breed, there are British stallions worth considering at every level and price point. Below, we’ve gathered some of the most interesting UK stallions standing at stud – by discipline, with notes on what each is producing, what kind of mare they suit, and how to book.

Jump to:

• UK dressage stallions at stud
• UK showjumping stallions at stud
• UK eventing stallions at stud
• UK showing, native and pony stallions at stud

UK stallions at stud: dressage

Sezuan’s Donnerhall (Sezuan x Sir Donnerhall I)

This dark chestnut Oldenburg stallion has stood in the UK since 2024, bringing one of the most exciting young dressage sire lines to British breeders. By the three-time World Young Horse Champion Sezuan – unbeaten at FEI young horse level, with scores of over 9.7 in the five- and six-year-old finals – Sezuan’s Donnerhall has the pedigree, the conformation and the performance record to back up the hype.

He won his 14-day performance test in Neustadt-Dosse on 9.34, then dominated his 50-day test at Schlieckau on 9.19, including a perfect 10 for canter and 9.5 for rideability, willingness to perform, and overall impression. He’s described as having outstanding paces and first-class rideability – qualities he passes on to his offspring.

His damsire, Sir Donnerhall I (by Sandro Hit), is one of Germany’s most influential dressage sires, and his dam, Siola, is a three-quarter sister to the licensed small tour stallion San Schufro. A strong all-round option for breeders looking to produce a top-class dressage horse with both expression and trainability.

Year of birth: 2015

Height: 171cm

Studbook: Oldenburg

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £1000 + VAT

For more information: visit elitestallions.co.uk

L’Espoir (Lord Loxley I x Warkant)

A standout from the 2009 Danish Warmblood stallion licensing, L’Espoir now offers UK breeders – particularly those in Scotland and the north of England – access to a top-quality dressage sire.

He achieved the highest-ever score at the Danish 35-day test in 2009, recording 944 with three perfect 10s and no score below nine – a result only two stallions have since exceeded. The Danish breeding director Karina Christiansen described him as “the prototype of the future dressage horse,” and the judges at Redefin called him a “miracle mover.”

He has competed internationally to inter I. His offspring have been fetching top prices at European auctions, including Lord Schufro (€220,000 at the 2012 AOS Auction) and Loui (€55,000 at the 2016 Westfalen Winter Auction). His progress is reflected in the latest Baileys Horse Feeds British Breeding Futurity all-time sire rankings, where he has climbed from 102nd to 52nd – a clear signal that his offspring are making their mark.

Year of birth: 2006

Height: 169cm

Studbook: Danish Warmblood (approved across multiple European studbooks)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: Available on enquiry (fresh and chilled semen, concessions available)

At stud with: Romanno Stud, Lanarkshire, Scotland

For more information: visit romannostud.co.uk or phone 01899 810223

Durable (Spielberg TN x Obelisk)

A British-based grand prix dressage stallion with international competition status, exceptional offspring quality at home and a temperament breeders and riders alike rave about, Durable is one of the most accomplished options for UK dressage breeders.

Bred in the Netherlands by M.M.J. Bekkers, Durable has been competed throughout his career by Norfolk-based Nikki Barker (née Crisp), who took on the ride when he was six and has produced him to international grand prix level.

He’s by Spielberg TN – by Sandro Hit out of an Oldenburg damline – and his damsire Obelisk traces to one of the most respected Dutch breeding families. International dressage judge Isobel Wessels, who first judged him as a four-year-old when he won the young dressage horse final at Hartpury, describes him as having “all the ingredients to be a top horse” – combining ground-covering extensions with a “bouncy, closed canter” and the ability to “close and sit and take the weight behind” for piaffe and passage.

His progress as a sire is reflected in the latest Baileys Horse Feeds British Breeding Futurity all-time sire rankings, where – competing against international sires from across Europe – he has climbed from 100th to 35th position. That’s one of the biggest individual gains in the rankings.

His temperament – “incredibly soft, like riding liquid” in Nikki’s words – combined with his presence and power, makes him a strong choice for breeders looking to produce a quality grand prix dressage prospect.

Year of birth: 2008

Height: 178cm

Studbook: KWPN (AES licensed)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £1350 + VAT

At stud with: Nikki Barker, Norfolk

For more information: phone +44 (0) 7775 811918

UK stallions at stud: showjumping

Billy Congo (Vechta x Animo)

One of British showjumping’s most successful homebred stallions of the modern era, Billy Congo combines a top-level competition record with a proven track record at stud – making him one of the most distinctive options available to UK breeders.

Under William Funnell, Billy Congo had a remarkable career on the international circuit. He was the most successful stallion on the 2013 Global Champions Tour, with second-place finishes at Monte Carlo and Cannes, and fourth at London. The same year, the pair took team gold at the European Championships in Herning. Other career highlights include wins in the CSI5* grand prix in Donetsk, the CSI3* grand prix in Lummen, and the 1.55m at Rome – plus a double-clear in the CSIO5* Hickstead Nations Cup.

He retired from top-level sport in 2019 after finishing second in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Hickstead the previous year. At stud, Billy Congo has proved as productive as he was in the arena. His offspring include Billy Buckingham (a 2018 WEG team horse and Hickstead Derby winner), Billy Fanta (FEI Young Riders gold with Samantha Cohen in 2019), and CCI4* eventers Billy Liffey, Billy Cuckoo and Billy Bandit. Known for his scope, technique and competitive spirit, he passes on the qualities that made him a star to the next generation.

Year of birth: 2001

Height: 168cm

Studbook: AES (approved)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £600 + VAT

At stud with: The Billy Stud, Surrey (frozen semen via Rozel Breeding and Stallion AI Services)

For more information: visit thebillystud.co.uk

Copain Du Perchet (Conteur x Calypso II)

A genuine five-star competition stallion whose offspring are already showing they’ve inherited his ability, Copain Du Perchet CH is one of the most exciting established showjumping options for UK breeders.

Under Ireland’s Cian O’Connor, Copain Du Perchet won five-star classes in Dublin, Aachen, Falsterbo, Rotterdam, Villach and Treffen, with earlier success under Switzerland’s Edwin Smits. He went on to become a cornerstone of Emily Moffitt’s grand prix string at Poden Farms, jumping at the highest level on the international circuit and contesting Nations Cups at Dublin, Calgary, Gijón, and Al Ain. Lorenzo De Luca brought him out once more at the CSI4* in St Tropez before his retirement was announced in February 2023.

“It’s every girl’s dream to have such a beautiful horse like Copain,” Emily said at the time. “I remember seeing him for the first time and being in awe, and that feeling has never faded.”

He was lightly bred during his sport career, but his offspring are already making their mark – names to watch include Camillo du Perchet, Hermes du Perchet CH, Cullinan du Perchet, and Cassiopee Du Perchet. He comes from impeccable jumping lines, with his sire Conteur tracing to Contender, and his damsire Calypso II a renowned producer of international sport horses.

Year of birth: 2005

Height: 173cm

Studbook: CH (Swiss warmblood)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: from £700 + VAT

For more information: visit stallionai.co.uk

Golden Hawk (Vigo D’Arsouilles x Chin Chin)

One of British showjumping’s most successful international stallions in active sport, Golden Hawk has been a flag-bearer for Ireland’s Shane Breen and Hickstead-based Breen Equestrian on the world stage for over a decade.

A powerful, attractive stallion with elite AES grading, Golden Hawk has earned over £350,000 in prize money and has proved his quality across grand prix, Nations Cup, derby, puissance, six-bar and speed classes. Headline results include a win at the CSI5* London Olympia in 2018, the CSI5* Oslo grand prix the same year, the CSI4* Liverpool grand prix, and second in the 2022 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby. He was also part of the third-placed team in the 2017 CSIO5* La Baule Coupe des Nations and finished second in the 2016 Dublin grand prix.

His sire Vigo d’Arsouilles took World Equestrian Games gold under Philippe Le Jeune in 2010, and his dam Ta Belle van Sombeke is a top breeding mare who jumped to 1.60m under Jos Lansink. She has produced multiple grand prix horses, including Glock’s London, Wabelle de Muze and Casimir de la Pomme.

Golden Hawk has excellent fertility rates and has sired more than 20 horses competing at 1.45m or above. His standout offspring include Scarteen and BE Golden (both competing internationally to 1.60m under Shane Breen), BE Golden Lynx (who jumped the Aachen Nations Cup in 2025), and Evita Van’t Zoggehof (ridden by Lorenzo De Luca).

Year of birth: 2005

Height: 167cm

Studbook: Belgian Warmblood

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £1,000 + VAT

For more information: visit breenequestrian.com

UK stallions at stud: eventing

Future Hepsilon (Upsilon x Heraldik xx)

The only licensed son of the record-breaking eventing stallion Upsilon standing in the UK, Future Hepsilon brings one of the most exciting young eventing pedigrees available to British breeders – and has already proven himself a versatile and competitive young horse in his own right.

By Nations Cup gold medallist Upsilon and out of a dam line that has also produced a Nations Cup gold medallist, Future Hepsilon is a unique combination of genetics from two of the most influential bloodlines in modern eventing. His sire Upsilon – by Canturo – is now an established producer of young horses and sired the back-to-back Young Event Horse World Champion Golden de Beliard. His damsire Heraldik xx, a thoroughbred, topped the WBFSH sire rankings for eventing for five consecutive years.

His own competition record is exceptional for his age. In 2022, he was one of only two horses in the UK to finish in the top 12 of all three British national five-year-old championships – the Burghley Young Event Horse, NexGen, and the BE CCI1*-S Young Horse Championship. He has also competed at newcomers in showjumping, with plans to move up to Foxhunter in 2026.

His dam line is impressive. The first four dams produced over 64 horses jumping at 1.40m or above – including Chanyon (sixth individually at the Tokyo Olympics), Ben Maher’s 1.50m horse Wintu, the Danish Nations Cup silver medallist HS Chaccophanie, Paul Schockemöhle’s stallion Qualdandro, and Embassy II (winner of over €1 million in prize money). From the same four-generation dam line comes Yasmin Ingham’s Nations Cup eventer Night Line, who placed 5th at Burnham Market CCI4* and 8th at Bicton 4* in 2021.

Year of birth: 2017

Height: 170cm

Studbook: AES

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £795 + VAT

At stud with: Future Sport Horses, East Yorkshire (semen via Stallion AI Services)

For more information: visit futuresporthorses.co.uk or phone Julia Hodkin on 07951 519 288 or 07775 633 004

Timolin (Totilas x Sion)

Bred at Catherston Stud, Timolin holds the highest scoring average of any horse or pony ever presented at the British Breeding Futurity three times. He was the overall highest-scoring dressage yearling in 2012 (9.38), reserve overall champion two-year-old in 2013 (9.34), and the highest-scoring three-year-old in 2014 (9.43) – a score that remains a record for a three-year-old dressage horse. He was also the Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain stallion grading champion.

Under saddle, Timolin has competed successfully across multiple disciplines. As an event horse with Aimee Stunt, Gubby Leech, and Izzy Taylor (the latter standing in for the novice national championships at Gatcombe, where he finished sixth), he has competed to within one point of advanced. As a dressage horse, he progressed through the levels with Lizzie Murray to win at grand prix in 2023, with Charlotte Dicker now continuing his international career.

His standing as a sire is genuinely remarkable. In the latest Baileys Horse Feeds British Breeding Futurity all-time sire rankings, Timolin leads the eventing rankings and holds third position among the dressage sires – the only stallion to feature in the top of both lists.

He has over 26 Elite scores at the BEF Futurity, and standout offspring include Tremarl Timber (HOYS Price In-Hand Champion 2025), Tremarl Timpani (HOYS Riding Horse Champion 2025), Catherston Timeless (winning at grand prix), and Catherston Tuxedo (SHB-GB Stallion Grading Champion on a record 9.35, and the holder of the Futurity’s highest-ever score on 9.775).

Year of birth: 2011

Height: 170cm

Studbook: British Warmblood (BWBS, SHB-GB Champion, AESB, BHHS, Hannoverian Verband graded)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £1,200 incl. VAT (chilled, frozen or natural/fresh; £150 collection fee)

At stud with: Catherston Stud, Over Wallop, Hampshire

For more information: visit catherstonstud.com or phone Jennie Loriston-Clarke MBE FBHS, Anne Dicker or Billy Moran on 01264 782 716

Future Guilty Pleasure (Levisonn x Cantoblanco)

One of the most exciting young eventing sires available to British breeders, Future Guilty Pleasure has already established himself as a triple national champion sire of futurity eventers – and is producing the kind of stock that British eventing breeders have been crying out for.

Future Guilty Pleasure was the national champion of the AES Stallion Licensing (from over 90 stallions inspected). As a competition horse himself, he progressed rapidly through the eventing levels – in his first full season in 2023, he went from BE100 to Intermediate and CCI2* in just three months, winning a BE100 on his dressage score of 18, finishing second at novice, third at intermediate, and 11th in his first CCI2*.

CCI5* eventer Alex Bragg has called him “naturally gifted for all disciplines.” His pedigree is built for the job. He’s by Levisonn — double champion of the Holsteiner Performance Test for both showjumping and dressage, and sire of 1.60m showjumpers and CCI5* eventers.

His damsire, Cantoblanco, was a Holstein champion stallion and a Bundeschampionat finalist. The dam line also traces back to Future Gold Digger, the highest-graded BEF event foal between 2005 and 2011 and a maternal sister to Olympic individual silver medallist and three-time Rolex Kentucky CCI5* winner Winsome Adante.

His progeny record is already exceptional for a stallion of his age. He has been a triple national champion sire of futurity eventers (with each of his first three crops), British Futurity Best Newcomer Sire 2019, and is now a sire of licensed stallions, Burghley Young Event Horse finalists, multiple British Breeding national champions, top-price auction lots, and elite Futurity eventers. His offspring have been competing successfully internationally, including in Australia and at Westfalen NA inspection sites.

Year of birth: 2016

Height: 168cm

Studbook: AES (Life Approved), SHB(GB) (Life Graded)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £895 + VAT (fresh/chilled, with NFNF or LFG terms; frozen on a £395 booking + £500 28-day scan structure)

At stud with: Future Sport Horses, East Yorkshire (semen via Stallion AI Services)

For more information: visit futuresporthorses.co.uk or call 07951 519 288

Amiro Z (Amigo Toss xx x Ramiro Z)

With almost 70% thoroughbred blood, an international showjumping record to 1.45m, and an eventing-focused offspring profile already producing horses at four-star level, Amiro Z is one of the most exciting eventing-orientated stallions available to UK breeders.

Amiro Z jumped internationally to 1.45m, including qualifying for the Lanaken World Championships for six-year-olds in 2012. His sire Amigo Toss xx was an Argentinian thoroughbred brought into Zangersheide to add blood to Holsteiner lines, and his damsire is the legendary Ramiro Z – known as the “King of Sires,” with grand prix wins and Nations Cup appearances, jumping over 2.20m in puissance.

His damline is exceptional. His dam, Renomee Z, jumped at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the 1998 World Cup, and her full sister is Ratina Z – one of the most successful jumping horses of all time, with nearly €1 million in lifetime earnings, two Olympic team golds plus individual silver, double gold at the 1997 European Championships, and victory in the Aachen grand prix under Ludger Beerbaum.

Other relatives include international grand prix horses Comme Il Faut, Freedom Z and Crown Z. Amiro Z’s offspring are now making a significant impact at the highest eventing levels. His daughter, Caunton First Class, placed 16th at Blenheim with Sarah Bullimore. His son Corimiro placed first in two CCI2*, was the highest-placed British-bred at the eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S at Blenheim 2024, and went on to contest his first CCI4*-L at Boekelo – one of only five combinations to go clear inside the time.

His offspring are bold characters with good temperaments, inheriting their sire’s jump, power and rideability.

Year of birth: 2004

Height: 170cm

Studbook: Zangersheide (Z)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £1,000 + VAT (booking fee £250 + VAT, pregnancy fee £750 + VAT payable 1 October)

At stud with: Elite Stallions

For more information: elitestallions.co.uk

UK stallions at stud: showing, natives and ponies

Turberry Top Cat (Cusop Dimension out of Caterina (by Kilvington Scoundrel))

A quality 138cm part-bred Arab (PBA) stallion with a strong show ring CV, Turberry Top Cat is an excellent option for breeders looking to produce children’s show ponies – including those wanting horses eligible for Arab Horse Society registration.

Turberry Top Cat was the National Pony Society (NPS) Young Stallion Award winner in 2014, the NPS Stallion Awards winner in 2017, and finished fifth overall in the NPS Stallion Awards the same year.

Described by his stud as oozing quality, with a “fabulous turn of front, exquisite head, lovely conformation and an outstanding mover,” he produces stock with the elegance and quality demanded in the show ring. His dam, Caterina, was second at the Royal International Horse Show as a ridden show pony – a damline pedigree credit worth noting for showing breeders.

He is registered PBA 30% Arab blood, meaning all his offspring are eligible for registration with the Arab Horse Society. He is a full brother to Turberry Tom Kitten, who stood at Stanley Grange Stud for two seasons before being exported to Australia.

Year of birth: 2009

Height: 138cm

Studbook: Part-bred Arab (PBA 30%)

Stud fee: £550 from frozen, £650 for chilled

At stud with: Millbry Hill Stud, North Yorkshire

For more information: email office@millbryhillstud.co.uk

Skellorn Bronze Soldier (Skellorn Prince Consort out of Burside Penny Black (by Rotherwood Beechnut))

A standout Welsh section B stallion of his generation, Skellorn Bronze Soldier represents one of the most distinguished British Welsh pony breeding programmes – and gives breeders access to some of the section’s most respected old bloodlines.

A homebred for Kerry Wainwright at the Cheshire-based Skellorn Stud – founded by Kerry’s grandfather Les Wainwright in the 1960s – Soldier has been a flag-bearer for the operation for over a decade. Under regular handler Stuart Mason, he was crowned Welsh section champion at the Royal Welsh in 2019 – the ultimate accolade for any Welsh breeder. He has now qualified for the Price Family Supreme In-Hand final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) five times, equalling the qualification record of Castle Emperor and bettered only by Rosslyn Sweet Repose.

He has also proved his breeding influence, jointly topping the Royal Welsh sire ratings in 2022. His son Skellorn Royal Anniversary won at the Royal International Horse Show 2025 under Tori Oakes – one of a relatively small group of offspring on the ground, given his sparing use at stud.

Soldier’s pedigree traces to many of the most influential names in Welsh section B breeding – Solway Master Bronze, Gredington Tiwlip, Downland Chevalier and Kirby Cane Pilgrim – making him a strong outcross option for British Welsh pony breeders.

Year of birth: 2007

Height: 134cm

Studbook: Welsh Pony and Cob Society (Section B)

Stud fee: From £300

At stud with: Skellorn Stud (Kerry Wainwright), Adlington, Cheshire

For more information: email skellornstud@hotmail.com or phone 01625 572356

Tiger Attack (Dolphin Supreme x The Outlaw)

A versatile sport horse stallion with a stellar competition record across in-hand, eventing, dressage and working hunter, Tiger Attack is one of the most exciting options at Hampshire’s renowned Catherston Stud – and a strong choice for breeders looking to produce a quality sport horse with significant blood.

A homebred for Billy Moran, Tiger Attack made his name first in the in-hand ring, winning the Ottergale Supreme three years running, the £1,000 North of England Supreme two years running, and the Martin Wood £1,000 Supreme final. He qualified for the Cuddy in-hand finals as a two-, three- and four-year-old.

Under saddle from his five-year-old season, he took to eventing “like a duck to water” – winning the Southern combined training championship, the Hartpury five-year-old young event horse qualifier, and the Dauntsey Park regional final, before completing the Badminton Grassroots final with a clear cross-country round and a top-20 finish. He has also competed successfully in British Dressage (qualifying for the regionals) and in showjumping, while continuing to win in the show ring (Royal Windsor flat sport horse class, 2018).

Standout progeny include three-time Royal Windsor winner Stage Diva; HOYS, RIHS and Royal Windsor champion Ladies Man; Price Family Supreme In-Hand winner and reserve champion Tiger Cub; and the promising Tiger Feet.

He passes on his quality of head, turn of front, elegant movement and excellent temperament. Standing at over 60% thoroughbred blood with 9.5 inches of bone, he is a strong option for breeders looking to add blood while retaining substance.

Year of birth: 2012

Height: 165cm

Studbook: Sport Horse Breeding GB (graded); registered NPS and Sport Horse Ireland (entry level)

Stud fee: £800 frozen

At stud with: Catherston Stud, Over Wallop, Hampshire

For more information: visit catherstonstud.com or phone Jennie Loriston-Clarke MBE FBHS, Anne Dicker or Billy Moran on 01264 782 716

Frequently asked questions about UK stallions at stud

How do I book a covering with a UK stallion?

Most UK studs require a nomination form and a booking fee before semen can be dispatched or a mare can visit. Each stud operates on its own terms – some on a no foal, no fee (NFNF) basis, others on a live foal guarantee (LFG), and others on a non-refundable booking fee plus a pregnancy fee paid later in the year. Contact the stud or owner directly to discuss their specific arrangements, lead times, and any veterinary requirements for your mare.

What’s the difference between fresh, chilled and frozen semen?

Fresh semen is collected and used immediately – typically when the mare visits the stud or the stallion is on the same yard. Chilled semen is collected and transported the same day, with insemination usually within 24 to 48 hours. Frozen semen is preserved in liquid nitrogen and can be stored indefinitely, meaning it can be shipped internationally and used at any time. Fresh and chilled semen generally have higher conception rates, but frozen semen offers more flexibility – particularly for international breeding.

How do I choose the right stallion for my mare?

Consider your mare’s bloodlines, conformation, temperament, and competitive record alongside what you’re hoping to produce. A heavier mare may benefit from a stallion that brings blood and refinement; a sharper mare from a calmer, more rideable type. Look at the stallion’s offspring competing at the level you’re aiming for, and consider their temperament and trainability. Many stallion owners are happy to discuss whether their stallion is a good match for your particular mare – and the studs and owners featured in this guide are no exception.

What is WFFS, and why does it matter when choosing a stallion?

WFFS (Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome) is a recessive genetic disorder identified in the warmblood horse population. A foal that inherits the gene from both parents – meaning both the stallion and the mare are carriers – is born with severely fragile skin and joint connective tissue and typically doesn’t survive. Carriers themselves (horses with only one copy of the gene) are completely unaffected and live and compete normally. WFFS is specifically a warmblood concern: studies suggest around 7-12% of the warmblood population carries the gene, while it’s effectively unknown in native breeds. Responsible breeders test their mares for WFFS before using a stallion, and a covering should only be undertaken when at least one parent is confirmed negative. If both parents carry the gene, there’s a 25% chance the foal will be affected. All the stallions in this guide are confirmed WFFS-negative, meaning they’re safe to use on any mare – including untested mares. Where a stallion is a carrier, breeders should test their mares and only proceed if the mare is confirmed negative.

What is a sire ranking and why does it matter?

Sire rankings – such as the Baileys Horse Feeds British Breeding Futurity rankings and the WBFSH (World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses) rankings – measure a stallion’s overall breeding influence by tracking how his offspring perform in competition. A stallion who consistently produces high-scoring offspring will rise up the rankings. These rankings give breeders an objective measure of a stallion’s performance beyond his own competition record and can be a useful signal of whether his offspring are genuinely making their mark.

What’s the difference between AES, BWBS, KWPN and other studbooks?

Each studbook is a breed registry with its own standards for approval, inspection and grading. AES (Anglo European Studbook) and BWBS (British Warmblood Breeders Society) are British-based, while KWPN (Royal Dutch Sport Horse), Hanoverian, Oldenburg and Holstein are European studbooks with strong UK breeder bases. A stallion may be approved by multiple studbooks, meaning his progeny can be registered with several societies.

Can I use frozen semen from a UK stallion overseas?

Yes – frozen semen is the standard option for international breeding, and most UK studs ship internationally. Post-Brexit, additional health certification and customs paperwork are required for export to the EU, which the stud or its agent (often Stallion AI Services for many of the stallions featured in this guide) will arrange. Lead times and costs vary, so it’s worth contacting the stud well in advance of when you need the semen.

What should I ask a stud before booking a covering?

Useful questions include: What’s the stud fee structure (NFNF, LFG, or split)? What’s the chilled or frozen availability? What are the shipping costs and lead times? What health screening has the stallion had (WFFS, PSSM1, OCD)? Has the stallion’s semen been tested for fertility? Are there concessions for mares with proven competition records? What’s the typical conception rate? Don’t be afraid to ask – established studs and experienced owners want to make sure the match is right too.

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New research will “hone action that will strengthen the outlook of irreplaceable horse and pony breeds”, it is hoped, as “robust market demand” for natives is reported.

On 20 March the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST) presented the findings from the trust’s equine conservation project at a seminar at the Horse Trust, Buckinghamshire. The work, funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB), aimed to identify overarching and breed-specific issues in native breeds, analyse differing approaches to breeding and reproductive technologies and understand opportunities for extending the modern uses of natives.

Almost 400 breeders took part in a survey on breeding decisions to provide an up-to-date picture of breeder behaviour motivations and challenges in the UK’s native horse and pony sector.

Among the findings, most breeders work on a small scale, managing up to three mares per year, and motivations are “overwhelmingly conservation-focused rather than commercial”; breeders are driven by preserving bloodlines, improving genetic and performance traits and contributing to breed sustainability. Of the respondents, 76% have used or would consider using artificial insemination or sexed semen – but barriers include cost, logistics and preference for natural service among some breeders.

Looking at market trends, 44% of surveyed breeders reported “expanding demand” for natives, and this is strongest when breeds have “clear practical uses such as riding, driving and conservation grazing”, but breeders “consistently highlighted” a need for greater promotion and public visibility beyond the show ring, better stallion access and AI services and more mentoring and guidance for new breeders.

Our fantastic native breeds

RBST chief executive Christopher Price said the UK has a “fantastic array” of native breeds, each with their “own unique traits and heritage”.

“They all have so much to offer to modern riders and land managers but sadly a number of native equine breeds remain in a precarious position,” he said. “The knowledge gained through this project will help conservation bodies and breeders, working together, to target and hone action that will strengthen the outlook for all our irreplaceable horse and pony breeds.

“The findings show a committed, conservation‑minded breeder community that is optimistic about the future and indicates robust market demand. With enhanced support in areas such as AI access, stallion availability, genetics and promotion, together we can significantly strengthen the long‑term sustainability and visibility of the UK’s native horse breeds.”

The project also looked at equine welfare perception, which showed that “while commitment to good welfare is strong among owners and professionals, horses across the UK continue to face risks due to knowledge gaps, inconsistent management and economic pressures”.

“Native breeds face additional challenges requiring targeted intervention, including a decline in traditional knowledge. Improving access to reliable, practical welfare information will be essential for raising standards and supporting better outcomes across the sector,” said an RBST spokesperson.

Following this, the RBST has recommended that clear accessible welfare education is made readily available to owners, collaboration between welfare bodies, breed societies, the RBST and other equine organisations to “improve consistency” of guidance, and the trust has called for “an industry campaign to counter misinformation” online and promote evidence-based management practices.

A clearer picture

HBLB grants and communications officer Rob Bailey said: “We are pleased to support RBST’s equine conservation project, which is helping to build a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s native horse and pony breeds.

“It is encouraging to see that the findings will help strengthen the long-term sustainability of these important breeds.”

Following this, the RBST has recommended that clear accessible welfare education is made readily available to owners, collaboration takes place between welfare bodies, breed societies, the RBST, and other equine organisations to “improve consistency” of guidance, and the trust has called for “an industry campaign to counter misinformation” online and promote evidence-based management practices.

The HBLB grants and communications officer Rob Bailey said: “We are pleased to support RBST’s equine conservation project, which is helping to build a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s native horse and pony breeds.

“It is encouraging to see that the findings will help strengthen the long-term sustainability of these important breeds.”

Are you a native breeder? Tell us your views by writing to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

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Future Sport Horses has welcomed top event mares Classic Moet and Faerie Dianimo to its breeding programme – with hopes they will “sprinkle a little bit of their stardust on the next generation”.

The stud’s Julia Hodkin told H&H she was “absolutely thrilled” to have bought the superstar pair from Trisha Rickards a few months ago.

Both mares were campaigned by New Zealand’s Jonelle Price and enjoyed distinguished careers. Classic Moet (Molly) completed all 10 of her five-star starts, including seven top-10 finishes and victory at Badminton in 2018. Faerie Dianimo (Maggie) had five top-10 places at five-star, including winning Luhmühlen in 2018. The pair also represented New Zealand at championships; Molly at the 2014 and 2018 World Equestrian Games, and Faerie Dianimo at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Molly, 22, and Maggie, 20, retired from the sport “at the top of their game” in November 2022 with the view of breeding. Molly already has successful offspring, including Faerie Usain and Faerie Good Golly, born in 2018 via embryo transfer.

Julia said it was a “dream come true to have two five-star winners in your breeding herd”.

“You have to pinch yourself when you go and say hello to them. I’m very, very lucky,” she said.

“I’m over the moon Trisha let me buy them to keep her breeding legacy going, she’s bred so many top horses. It feels a real responsibility as well when you have this sort of quality of horses to make good choices for them.”

Maggie is carrying a foal by event stallion Future Guilty Pleasure, who is competed by Alex Bragg. The stallion’s offspring include Lucy Nelson’s FLS Winchester, who was the 2024 champion foal at the Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain’s annual grading, born by embryo transfer out of Laura Collett’s five-star ride Hester. Julia is still considering stallion choices for Molly, who will undergo ICSI this winter.

“A lot of thinking will be going into it and I’ll be visiting a lot of stallions,” she said.

“With Guilty Pleasure, I’ve known him all his life – I bred him, his mother and grandmother, and I owned his great-grandmother so I know the family inside out and I’m very confident in what he breeds. The biggest thing for both is not to detract from their star ability.”

Julia said both mares have settled in well and are “being spoiled in the way they deserve”.

“Maggie and Molly are very much a pair, they’ve known each other all their lives and love each other’s company. They’ve got their own field together and are stabled next door to each other,” she said.

“They’re very unassuming mares, they’re very easy – although Maggie is a little more opinionated. They’re just lovely horses and fitted straight in.

“It really is an honour and I don’t think 10-year-old Julia would have believed that one day this would happen. The key thing Trisha wanted was that they were looked after to the standard that they deserved, and that they had the opportunity to continue to leave a legacy on the sport through a breeding programme – and hopefully that’s what we’re going to deliver. We’ll give them the best life possible, and sprinkle a little bit of their stardust on the next generation, with a bit of luck.”

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“We didn’t have a wheelbarrow to our names,” say breeders Richard Miller and Meirion Davies of the early days of Heniarth Stud. But 30 years later, they’ve made history, with three “Heniarth” ponies qualified for the prestigious Price Family supreme in-hand championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). These are section A mares Heniarth Yours Faithfully and Heniarth Sh-Boom, and section B Heniarth Derring Do.

So how did they do it? Read on for six tips from the experts…

1. Invest in a strong female line

“I’ll never forget the time my mother said, ‘Some idiot’s just paid £4,500 for a Section A mare,’ unaware that we’d purchased her,” recalls Meirion.

But this was strategic.

“We sold five animals that day and consolidated on one good mare,” clarifies Richard.

2. Take note of a young pony’s pedigree

This pair are self-confessed “pedigree anoraks” but insist this is key to breeding and should also inform decision making when buying future prospects.

“If you know how a youngster is bred, you’ll know what it will do, how it will mature and perform,” says Meirion.

But not too closely… They would encourage anyone looking for a future star or diamond in the rough to consider pedigree and conformation together.

“When I was working with thoroughbred yearlings in Kentucky, that was the frustrating thing; many were million-dollar animals, but people weren’t actually looking at them but seeing them as a commodity for the bloodlines,” says Richard. “It must be a 50/50 thing.”

3. Don’t get caught up in a prefix

While the Heniarth Stud prefix is now world-renowned, they’d caution anyone buying a new pony to take heed of the pedigree, and not be taken in by prefix alone.

“A lot of people trust in a prefix, as they would a designer handbag, because of the brand, but they won’t care what’s behind it even though that’s what will come through; blood will out,” says Richard.

4. The run of luck

“You can breed some fantastic ponies that just don’t get the break,” says Meirion. “We have just been lucky this year it all fell into place.”

He points to the fact that this season’s HOYS-qualified ponies from Heniarth Stud are with top producers, including Simon Charlesworth.

“When somebody with their capabilities has a good animal, it is given the best possible opportunity to shine; it’s put on the right stage at the right time looking great, so it has the laws of probability on its side,” he says. “It has a fighting chance, but it still has to have the run of luck.”

5. Online research

Richard and Meirion encourage aspiring breeders to make the most of online pedigree facilities.

“It is one of the most hugely important tools we have,” says Meirion. “Of course we have the stud books, but they sit on the shelf. Now you can access all the information on your phone!

“If we’d had something like that in the ’70s when we were really young and learning about pedigrees it would have been so much easier.”

6. Full dedication

“Give it all you’ve got,” is Richard’s advice for up-and-coming breeders. “You don’t have to have lots of land or money, but you have to be dedicated. We didn’t even have a wheelbarrow to our names when we started here, but 30 years down the line…”

Ultimately, successful breeding blends knowledge, patience and putting your heart and soul into the game. Lady luck may play her part, but the key to excellence lies in Heniarth Stud’s vision and dedication.

• To read our exclusive interview with Heniarth Stud’s Richard Miller and Meirion Davies in full, pick up a copy of Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from Thursday 25 September

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Tributes have poured in for the contribution West Kington Stud has made to the equestrian world, as its director and co-founder Jane Holderness-Roddam has announced she is to step down.

The stud will close at the end of this year, after 30 years of work that has had immeasurable benefits in Britain and across the world, for rare and native breeds, riding poniess, Arabs and sport horses – and those who own and enjoy them.

“It’s been great fun,” Jane told H&H. “It was a hard decision to make but it is the right time.”

West Kington was set up in the mid-1990s by Jane and her late husband Tim Holderness-Roddam, with the late Martin Boyle of Stallion Reproduction Services, a global expert in freezing stallion semen, and Tessa Clarke as stud manager.

“I originally was thinking more of thoroughbreds and ponies, but it evolved into being a bit of everything,” Jane said. “We did quite a lot for rare breeds, we had some lovely thoroughbred stallions, particularly Meadowbrook, then gradually more ponies, gypsy cobs and sport horses – Cevin Z was probably our most successful one in latter years.

“We’ve had some lovely horses – Party Trick, Chilli Morning; a lot of good ones, as well as a lot of rare breeds, which was great fun. We’ve diversified into all sorts of things over the years.”

Advances in AI

Jane said the stud’s contribution is greatly owing to the influence of advances in artificial insemination (AI).

“That revolutionised breeding really. You can send sperm all over the world now and it’s great fun when you hear there’s a foal by such-and-such born in Kenya or New Zealand,” she said. “Being able to help and advise people all over the world, how to do it and bring on the youngstock – it’s all been great fun.

“We like to think we’ve contributed quite a lot, with expertise and knowledge and helping in every way we possibly could.”

Tessa, who stayed at West Kington for 25 years, told H&H she had worked with Jane’s sister, Jennie Loriston-Clarke, at Catherston Stud for 11 years, where the use of AI in equine breeding started in this country.

“Jane phoned me up one day and said, ‘Have a think, but I really want to develop a breeding business or a stud at Church Farm,” Tessa said. “And her lovely words were, ‘And I want to be better than my sister!’

“We started with a couple of New Forest then we had a Shire, an Exmoor and then stallions like Jumbo, Catherston Dazzler, Kilvington Scoundrel. We had the most fantastic yard and it all carried on from there. It ran like magic.”

Tessa said the rare and native breed work gave more people access to these horses and ponies, and helped keep gene pools diverse. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust became involved and the team would travel the country assessing stallions to ensure those with the right semen and bloodlines arrived.

“The concept was the best of British breeding, but it was quality control and quality management,” Tessa said. “The attention to detail was second to none and we never took a shortcut.”

Happy stallions

Tessa said keeping stallions happy was also key, with turnout and varied work, but also that making frozen semen an option made more stallions available.

She paid tribute to the generations of friends made through the stud, and to Jane.

“She was always there as the ambassador,” she said. “She was absolutely fantastic, very committed, especially to the foaling side. That’s the magic and that’s what I really miss from the stud; you never tire of that.”

“It’s a very passionate thing,” she added. “I’m very blessed to have a relationship with Jane. I think she’s enjoyed the stud, and she’s the perfect balance of knowledge dealing with people; she’s a great ambassador and utterly charming.”

Tullis Matson of Stallion AI Services told H&H that what West Kington achieved was “quite incredible”.

“What an amazing lady,” he said. “We started about the same time and always said that as a competitor, they were one of the best to work alongside. They’re always so professional and what they’ve done for the sport horse industry – using new techniques, bringing it all to the forefront – has been incredible. I understand her decision – but what a legacy.”

British Horse Foundation president Jane Nixon added: “From a personal perspective, and I know my late husband, vet Stewart Hastie, would agree, wherever Jane is and whatever she does is always with kindness towards other people and appreciation of their efforts towards other people, and to all types of equines. Whether it be British Equestrian, rare breeds, producing the best from the best at West Kington or working with the world-renowned veterinarian the mate Martin Boyle, producing cutting-edge breeding techniques over several decades.”

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Entries are open for the 2025 British Breeding Baileys Horse Feeds Futurity series – and this year native breeds are included for the first time.

As part of an initiative to “recognise and celebrate the special contribution of our British native breeds to the equestrian community”, all British-bred horses and ponies aged six weeks to five years, if they are registered with a Defra-approved native breed society, can enter the 2025 pilot.

“The aim of the programme is to highlight the ridden attributes and contribution native breeds make to British equestrianism as ridden horses and ponies across a wide range of purposes,” a British Breeding spokesperson said.

The horses and ponies will be assessed using the series’ linear scoring system, to give a profile of conformation and movement. Evaluation and interpretation will differ from those used for sports horses and ponies, so entrants are “evaluated through the lens of the fact that they are a traditional breed type”.

British Breeding director Eva-Maria Livesey said: “Our native breeds make a significant contribution to the diversity and vibrancy of the British equestrian landscape, as well as forming an essential and much valued part of our heritage. It is a grave concern to many of us that some of these beloved breeds are becoming increasingly rare and endangered.”

Dr Livesey added that as British riders and owners are highly diverse, so are the horses and ponies that suit them.

“What better way to serve those needs than to promote the wonderful variety of our native breeds?” she said.

Different breed standards will not be used in evaluation; these “remain the firm domain of their breed societies”.

“Instead, all horses and ponies entered into this section will be evaluated and scored using the same criteria as each other and there will be a separate awards section just for them,” the spokesperson said. “The evaluation will reward attributes likely to contribute to a long and comfortable ridden career. This includes soundness and correctness, as well as balanced and rhythmical gaits, which are prioritised over the extravagance and athleticism associated with purely performance bred horses and ponies.

“All UK studbooks are warmly invited to use the Futurity to organise their own gradings and evaluations alongside it, thus offering more opportunities for everyone.”

The first Futurity assessment is on 24 July. For dates and venues, check the British Breeding website.

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Concerns have been shared in the breeding community over the registration of part-bred foals and those whose full pedigree is unknown.

Confusion arose after Defra issued a recent communication to studbooks stating that some breed societies had been registering part-bred equines in their main studbooks when they are not eligible – and those doing so must stop immediately. On 16 April Defra then issued guidance to help “address any necessary corrections to non-compliance”.

A Defra spokesperson told H&H the initial communication was issued after the department received evidence that some societies were not complying with legislation by “registering in the main section of their studbook, equines whose parents are not already registered in that studbook, or who are not otherwise eligible for entry in that section”.

The 826 Equine Studbooks Association chair Celia Clarke confirmed to H&H that the legislation has not changed, it remains what it was when the UK left the EU, but the part-bred issue had arisen following a Defra review of how the rules are being applied by studbooks.

“There are a large number of mares of unknown pedigrees who have been covered by stallions of recorded breeding, and until now many studbooks have been issuing full pedigree papers for these foals,” said Ms Clarke.

“But now Defra has said that these part-breds, by their interpretation at the moment, are not eligible under the current regulations to be given zootechnical breeding papers, and therefore can only be given identification-only passports.”

Under the 16 April guidance, a studbook may register horses who are not eligible for main studbook papers but are eligible for future upgrades into the main section, for example their offspring, in a “supplementary section” separate to the studbook’s “main section”. In the supplementary section, any known pedigree information can be recorded, but studbooks cannot issue zootechnical documents for these equines and the passport pages must be clearly marked as supplementary.

Horses who would never be eligible for upgrade into the main studbook, such as part-bred horses in pure-bred studbooks, will not be able to go in the supplementary section. They will have to have identification-only papers, also known as breeding and production papers. These are associated with a lower health status, which will make it more difficult to travel or export them.

Ms Clarke said although guidance had been issued sooner than expected and a six-month period has been given by Defra for breed societies to “return to compliance”, this is not a long-enough timeframe and does not address the fact that part-breds cannot be registered in the main section of studbooks. The 826 Equine Studbooks Association’s communications with Defra will continue.

Eva-Maria Livesey, head evaluator for the Anglo European Studbook (AES), told H&H: “For the AES these changes are less of a challenge, as we are an open studbook aimed at breeding for sport from a variety of bloodlines. The updated guidance brings us more in line with Europe, which is helpful for us, as we have a daughter society in the Netherlands.

“We do, however, advise our breeders where possible to ensure their horses are eligible for main papers through grading inspections and the right paperwork, as we can only issue zootechnical certificates for main studbook horses. We are putting additional support in place this year with further grading opportunities to ensure everyone has good access to our services.”

On the part-bred situation, Dr Livesey said in Holland several pure-bred studbooks have “found solutions by creating special breeding programmes for part-breds”.

“For example the Irish Cob Society there has a separate approved breeding programme for part-breds. Far from relegating these horses in status, this in fact elevates them and awards further recognition of the very positive contribution they make to the equestrian world,” she said.

National Pony Society office manager Sacha Shaw told H&H the guidance makes things “a little simpler” from the society’s point of view, as “we can now include the pedigree information of any foals that have to be registered in our new supplementary section, in the statutory pages in the front half of the passport”.

“However this supplementary section passport, although it will look identical to a main studbook passport, will not have the zootechnical status. But from a pedigree recording and showing point of view, we are happy that we have incorporated the Defra guidance,” she said.

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Showjumper Mark Edwards is a regular sight in the top shows both home and abroad, but what is perhaps even more remarkable is the number of home-breds he rides. The breeding side of his business has been paying dividends in terms of horsepower. The likes of Mark’s national championship-winning ride Montreuxs Tale, Tinkers Tale and Flying Tinker II are all proof of this.

“We’ve been very lucky with the horses we have bred over the years; breeding is a tremendous amount of luck,” says Mark, who works alongside his father Martyn. “You can have the best mare and best stallion in the world and for whatever reason, more often than not you don’t get the result you were hoping for. But when you get a good one there is nothing more rewarding and exciting.

“It’s not going to happen overnight; even if the first one is a good one, it’s still a 10-year project. The first thing is to get a nice foal, all correct and everything. And then you can start dreaming from there.”

Mark says Martyn started with two mares; one line has produced most of their superstars.

“The other line, they will be nice horses, but not quite up to the standard we hope for,” he says. “But if you get a good dam line, it’s a case of keeping on trying. The mare has to be naturally scopey with a good stride, as the quality of movement comes a lot from the mare, but you always try to improve what your dam’s got; if you want a bit more quality or scope, you look for that type of stallion. If you want a real careful one, you look for different again.

“It’s lots of trial and error as well. We’re looking for broodmares as that’s where our success has come from but it’s a job to find the right ones – I think the more success you have, the more critical you become.”

The early days for showjumper Mark Edwards’ home-breds

Mark says the Edwards are lucky to have the space to breed but they only have two each year, as “how would you get round them all otherwise?” He has a business to run, clients’ horses to ride, and only so many hours in the day.

Foals of the same sex in the same season “more or less stay together till they’re backed”; if they have one of each gender, they are separated at weaning and go into different herds with others of similar age.

“Then it’s quite nice watching them play,” he adds. “We generally back them in the winter of their three-year-old year, then ride them 10–12 times, until they’re cantering around both arenas nicely, then leave them for a year. We won’t decide what we’re going to do with them then, but we have a good idea whether they’re going to go down the showjumping route or we’ve got to find another job for them.”

The five-year-olds might go to a few shows, Mark adds, but are generally learning at home rather than in the ring, having “plenty of time to grow up”.

“They’re still growing, and we’re very much looking at the long term,” he says. “Rather than trying to produce a youngster to sell, we’re trying to produce them for ourselves, so it’s always with the end goal in mind.”

The Edwards’ ethos with young horses is to do the work at home, be patient, and produce them with the future in mind.

“At home we like to work the horses as much as we can around the farm,” he says. “Cantering around the fields, working in open spaces, helps not only with the physical side of things; fitness and muscle strength, but also the mental side of things, and not just for the horse. Exercising around the farm, time seems to go a lot quicker!”

Assessing young showjumpers’ potential

Showjumper Mark Edwards says he will have a good idea from a young age as to whether individual home-breds will be future stars – but warns against judging too early.

“You need to give them a chance to learn to take off and develop their natural jump,” he says. “But what we look for, they’ve got to want to jump a lot of clear rounds. Whatever height they do, they’ve got to be careful and looking to leave the fences up. Because if they keep the jumps up, there’s always a job for them.

“You can tell quite early if they’re real careful types – whether they have the scope, you never really know until you get there and try it. Then, obviously, the stronger they get, the more, the more jump they generally find.”

And physical talent alone is not always enough.

“The mind and heart is a big, big thing to it,” he says. “If they haven’t got the right mindset, or are perhaps a bit chicken-hearted, they’re not going to go and achieve what you want them to achieve. But there’s no secret recipe; they’ve got brains! And if you try something with one horse, it might not work with the next one. You have to do everything with an open mind.”

Whether it’s a home-bred or one coming in to be ridden, Mark is also looking for range of movement, without which life will be harder for the horse.

“But you never really know until you get on and ride them, because one horse might look completely different to how it feels,” he says.

Some of his horses’ talent is clear from the start though; Dillinger, who arrived for backing and never left, competed in the Foxhunter and grade C finals at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) 2022, then won an international class there a year later. Royale Tale, who also arrived for backing, won the newcomers and grade C at HOYS 2022, and also an international class there in 2023.

“Dillinger just had it from the word go,” says Mark of the 10-year-old he has previously said may be the best horse he’s ever had. “From the moment he started, he was jumping the right way; he has really nice movement. You always have the question mark about their scope when they’re four or five because you don’t try them over big jumps at that age, but he’s progressed and he’s really turning out to into the horse we thought he was in the beginning.

“He and Royale Tale are coming through together; they’re the same age and they’ve both kept on improving. She’s a real fighter in the ring; she’s got that attitude of, ‘Let me do it and everyone else will follow’.

“It’s a long process, and you’re always questioning if you’re doing the right thing in a way. But when it all works out, and you start reaping your rewards for taking all the time and producing, it makes it all worthwhile.”

With Flying Tinker, on the other hand, the 15.3hh 2023 H&H showjumping horse of the year, it was not as clear.

“We really nearly sold him as a six-year-old!” Mark says. “We had that question mark on how much scope he had, and because he was only little as well, we sort of questioned, did he really have enough stride to go on? But luckily, we stuck to it.

“He’s definitely one who jumps off his heart. Perhaps he’s not the scopiest horse in the world, but he hates touching a fence, and that gives him that extra bit of scope that not many have.

“It’s always nice to win, whatever horse you’re on, but to do it on one you’ve seen from the word go, just adds to the whole value of why we do it. It gives you that extra bit of buzz, and you can’t really describe it. It’s what we do it for.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A stud owner who is channelling his engineering background and “hate” of waste into saving money and sustainability has highlighted how greener practices can make good business sense.

Peter Hockenhull, of Shade Oak Stud in Shropshire, features on a new video produced by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (TBA) that outlines the benefits of greener practices on stud farms.

Although each equestrian’s set-up is different, there are principles that can apply to any kind of yard. For example, examining use of resources, considering land management practices, scrutinising energy usage and thinking about incremental changes.

“I don’t see a conflict between looking after horses and being sustainable,” said Mr Hockenhull, who studied engineering at university and now runs the 200-acre stud with his wife, Emma.

“I hate waste of any kind – waste of manpower, waste of materials; any kind of waste drives me to be more efficient and better.”

In terms of the land, he has analysed his field management to find ways of reducing the need for expensive nitrogen fertiliser and improve pasture quality, and has planted more than 10km of hedgerows.

“[Putting in hedgerows] was mainly to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the horses,” he said. “The hedges were established because I find it the most economic way. The biodiversity has been the benefit of it – that came as a secondary to me, and I enjoy that side of it, but it was mainly for the wellbeing of the horses that I’ve ended up with 16km of hedges.”

The farm also has solar panels, a wind turbine and a biomass boiler. Mr Hockenhull said he is looking at batteries as his next option, which would enable him to store electricity created on site and reach “net zero” in terms of importing electricity from the grid.

The TBA launched a carbon calculator in 2023, in partnership with agricultural and environmental consultancy ADAS and with the support of the Racing Foundation. Shade Oak Stud is among the “growing number” of stud farms that have used it to help examine their use of resources and where targeted changes may help save energy costs and cut carbon emissions.

TBA equine health and welfare manager Victoria Murrell said: “Creating a carbon footprint isn’t just about being more environmentally friendly, it’s also about reviewing the use of resources across the farm and identifying areas to save money.”

She told H&H Shade Oak Stud is a “really good example” of this.

“Mr Hockenhull has a real inquiring mind – he’s trying to find solutions,” she said. “And in that endeavor to save money and make things more efficient, he’s also doing things that are better for the environment.

“We don’t mind what drivers people are using to motivate themselves, but it’s about good outcomes.”

She echoed Mr Hockenhull’s point that doing the right thing for horses’ wellbeing is the priority – but that can go hand-in-hand with sustainability.

“You can do what’s right for the animals, but that might also be environmentally friendly – and you can also do what’s right by the environment, and it be purse-friendly,” she said, adding that results from the carbon calculator show emissions hot spots vary considerably from stud to stud, owing to different business set-ups.

“What works for one stud farm might not work for another. It’s about looking at the strengths and the challenges of that particular property, and how do you work with that to optimise what you’ve got.”

Ms Murrell added that data from the carbon calculator is also helping on a wider scale. She explained that the TBA represents breeders at government level and the calculator gives quality data to highlight challenges and opportunities.

The TBA is also close to being able to give anonymised “benchmarking” information, which will enable operations of similar location or size to understand how their footprint compares.

Ruth Dancer, director at White Griffin Equine Environmental Specialists, said: “The race is on for people to make changes quickly and effectively, in order to both adapt to climate change on their farms and support the global effort to reduce our collective impact on the environment.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout major shows, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

There has been huge frustration across the industry as a last-minute solution to new border checks on imported semen was agreed – but it was not universally accepted.

H&H reported that the industry was working with the Government to tackle potential issues when border control posts (BCPs) came in at the end of April. As part of leaving the EU, Britain had to introduce BCPs for animals and germinal products. And because equine semen comes into the high-risk category of imports, all consignments were to be checked.

Major concerns were raised about how long this would take, in what is a very time-sensitive process when fresh chilled semen is involved. And “at the last minute”, the Government agreed a temporary pilot scheme by which port health authorities could reduce the check rate from 100% to 20%, with vets at destination confirming all was as it should be.

This was welcomed by the industry, not only as a temporary solution but also one that could provide feedback for a permanent scheme. But then it emerged that although East Midlands Airport will adopt the solution, by today, 29 April, Uttlesford District Council, the port health authority that covers Stansted, will not.

“It’s still up in the air with Stansted, which is extremely frustrating,” British Horse Council chairman David Mountford told H&H. “The industry has been banging on the table about this for months with Defra, there have been a number of meetings with ministers, but despite assurances, it wasn’t till the last minute that a temporary solution was agreed.

“Although East Midlands has agreed to the pilot, which will hopefully ensure semen isn’t delayed reaching mares, Stansted wasn’t told about it promptly, so isn’t going with it.”

Mr Mountford said he has been told Stansted is optimistic it can carry out the checks with no delays, but this has not yet been tested. And it is not known what the extra associated costs will be, or what impact this could have, at the height of the breeding season.

“It was said that Brexit would reduce red tape and have no negative impact on trade, but this is the opposite,” he said. “It’s unbelievable; we’ve had years of operating biosecure fresh chilled semen imports and there hasn’t been a related outbreak of infectious disease in living memory.

“But now we’re supposedly at more risk than we were last year so have to pay for enhanced and time-consuming checks, irrespective of the damage the process might do to the industry.”

One major issue is the classification of equine semen as high-risk, despite the fact it is all checked by an official vet before departure and certified as being from the right stallion, who has been health-tested and in quarantine for 30 days. The semen is then checked again in this country by the inseminating vet.

Lorna Wilson of Elite Stallions told H&H this is the “fundamental problem”.

“All these stallions have been tested so thoroughly, they’re clear of any disease,” she said. “So the whole purpose of the checks is null and void.”

Ms Wilson added that she welcomed the idea of the temporary scheme, adding that it will “provide real data and they can work on a long-term solution”. But if Stansted does not accept it, the issue is not only possible delays but also huge extra costs.

“Defra’s import risk management team has been carrying out checks for years, at no cost,” she said. “But now it’s going to the BCPs, we’re being hit with a massive tax, essentially, to do the work.”

Ms Wilson added that the estimated extra cost for those checked at Stansted could be significant. And from a practical perspective, she and clients will not know in advance which will be checked.

“It’s ridiculous,” she said. “BCPs aren’t allowed to make a profit so where are these costs coming from? We’re working with Stansted, but I think Defra needs to do something.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H: “We have worked closely with the equine industry to support their readiness for the introduction of border checks.

“We have agreed a temporary measure, available to port health authorities to implement and reduce the import check rate for chilled equine germinal products. This will allow this time-sensitive trade to continue while ensuring our biosecurity is protected.”

When asked about the concerns, and the possibility of reclassification, the spokesman said: “We have communicated this update to points of entry, and then it’s their decision to implement the measures if they choose to.”

He added that “they were notified as soon as possible”.

H&H has approached Uttlesford District Council for comment.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Penny Podmore, the owner of Brownscombe Stud in Devon, has died aged 75.

Penny was born in London but brought up on Dartmoor where her father had a farm. She returned briefly to London to work, before training at the Fairfield Stud in Sussex. Having completed her training she bought some fillies and an Anglo Arab colt. Renting a yard in Goudhurst, Kent, started her lifelong love of breeding horses.

In 1979 she married Jim and a yard was built near their home which enabled the stud to grow. She could often be seen at this time driving Jim’s Porsche with haynets hanging out of the windows! The stud rapidly outgrew its premises in Kent and they moved to Brownscombe Farm.

She was passionate about developing her knowledge of breeding and worked closely with list one and FEI dressage judge Barry Marshall, attending major competitions. After Jim’s early death, Penny continued to stay at the forefront of all the changing techniques within the industry and was involved in the early stages of using AI in horse breeding. She was thrilled to stand Fontainebleau at stud; he caused quite a stir when he arrived. One of her proudest moments came when one of his foals gained the top score at the Futurity evaluations. Penny went on to stand the grand prix stallion Royal Rubin at stud, he had competed internationally prior to his arrival including at Aachen in 2009. His progeny speak for themselves.

Penny was a kind and generous person, totally professional and dedicated to her horses and breeding. Her support to those people lucky enough to own one of her horses was unwavering, she would travel miles to watch them compete. Her legacy will live on through the horses she bred.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The move of the showjumping British Young Horse Championships to Hickstead is a boost for British breeders, the venue said.

The event will run at the West Sussex showground from 9 to 12 August, with a prize fund of nearly £80,000. It will feature qualifiers and finals for four-, five-, six- and seven-year-olds, with extra prizes sponsored by British Showjumping (BS) for the top five British-bred horses in each final, and bonuses for horses who jump clear all week.

“We are really pleased to be the new hosts of this prestigious championships, which will be a showcase for the very best of young showjumping horses in this country,” said Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn. “While there are a few other open classes at this show, ranging from 1.10m up to a 1.40m grand prix, the focus is very much on our young horse classes and celebrating the up-and-coming equine talent in this country.”

The age finals will also be the UK qualifiers for the World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium, in September.

Riders in the Prestige Italia six-year-old championship will compete for the Big Star Trophy, awarded in honour of Nick Skelton’s 2016 Olympic champion. Any horse who jumps triple clear in one of the four Big Star qualifiers between May and July will be eligible for the £1,000 Big Star bonus, which will be awarded in the final to the highest placed eligible horse.

BS chief executive Iain Graham said: “The Prestige Italia six-year-old championship is one of the most important championships in this country for young equine stars.

“We are delighted that the final will form part of the British Young Horse Championships in its new home at Hickstead.”

Hickstead hero William Funnell is to sponsor the Billy Stud Auction five-year-old championship and award £5,000 prizes for the highest-placed horse bought in a Billy Stud auction in the four- and five-year-old finals.

“As a breeder, shows like the Hickstead Young Horse Championships are invaluable for producing young horses and highlighting their abilities,” he said. “Having chaired the committee that established and spearheaded these championships, 15 years ago, I think the move to Hickstead is an excellent choice.”

Al Shira’aa, title sponsor of the Hickstead Derby, has naming rights for the four-year-old final.

“We are happy to support the four-year-old championship at the first ever young horse championships at Hickstead. We at Al Shira’aa thoroughly enjoy the production of young horses and look forward to being a part of this event,” said Alicia MacDonald, director of Al Shira’aa Farms.

Chloe Breen of Breen Equestrian, which is sponsoring the seven-year-old final, added: “Breeding future superstars has always been the goal of Breen Equestrian, and as such we are delighted to sponsor the British Seven Year Old Championship at its new home, here at Hickstead.”

Admission and parking is free for the show, and entries open in July.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Breeders needn’t always look to Europe to find top-quality stallions. There are plenty of super stallions in Britain right now, from youngsters in their first year or two of breeding, to better-known names and renowned superstars.

We take a look at some of the most interesting stallions in Britain at the moment, that all breeders should know about…

Sezuan’s Donnerhall (Seuzan x Siola)

Sired by treble world young horse champion Sezuan, Sezuan’s Donnerhall is standing in the UK for the first time in 2024. He began his career by excelling in his performance tests. He won his 14-day test in Neustadt-Dosse with an outstanding score of 9.34 and went on to win the 50-day performance testing, winning with a score of 9.19 in Schlieckau. His performance included a perfect score of 10 for canter and 9.5 for rideability, willingness to perform, and overall expression.

Age: nine

Studbook: Oldenburg

Stud fee: £1000 + VAT elitestallions.co.uk

Benbreac Of Croila (Ulleam Of Croila x Kyle Of Croila)

This stunning Highland stallion is a multi-garlanded champion of the show ring. He won championships at Royal Windsor for three consecutive years, and was best of breed at Olympia on three occasions. In 2018, he was crowned supreme pony champion at Royal International Horse Show; this is a stallion with a truly remarkable competition record.

Age: 17

Studbook: Highland Pony Society

Stud fee: £500; email melaniestanford@hotmail.com or view at stallionai.co.uk

Ducati (Desperados FRH x Sir Donnerhall I)

This young stallion is in his first year of breeding. Ducati was the champion stallion at the BHHS and WBS-UK licensing in 2022, and was described as “long-legged and compact with a strong back”. He carries the renowned bloodlines of the multi-medalled grand prix dressage stallion Desperados, as well as his dam, Feldgoldchanti, an elite mare herself who evented to three-star level. Ducati boasts more than 40% blood, making him an exciting prospect for eventing breeders as well as dressage.

Age: four

Studbook: Hanoverian

Stud fee: £850; email info@seanwhiteaesthetics.co.uk or view at stallionai.co.uk

Copain Du Perchet (Conteur x Ragazzo)

This superb showjumping stallion switched his attention from top-level sport to breeding in 2023. He has a string of international victories to his name, most notably under Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and more recently Britain’s Emily Moffitt. He comes from impeccable jumping lines, and although he has only bred lightly so far, his offspring to date have inherited his talent for the sport.

Age: 19

Studbook: CH (Swiss warmblood)

Stud fee: from £700 + VAT stallionai.co.uk

Future Hepsilon (Upsilon x Heraldik xx) 

As the only licensed son of the record-breaking eventing stallion Upsilon standing in the UK, the powerful, athletic Hepsilon is sure to be busy in 2024. His dam, Heraldik Girl-W has already produced two international event horses and her sire, the legendary Heraldik, topped the WBFSH sire rankings for eventing for five consecutive years. Hepsilon’s offspring are proving to be highly in demand, with foals selling to top breeders and Olympic riders in 2022. 

Age: seven

Studbook: Breeders Elite

Stud fee: £900+VAT LFG, frozen £700+VAT per dose; email info@FutureSportHorses.co.uk or view at stallionai.co.uk

Don Dante (Dancier x Salvano)

This grand prix stallion comes from superior bloodlines, being by the De Niro son Dancier. He has excelled in the competition arena under Owen Cooper, claiming the medium national title in 2014 and bagged several other regional titles as he has moved up the levels. He was successful in competing at international small tour, and has also now scored up to 73% at a national grand prix. His offspring inherit his expression and great temperament and have been graded as elite and higher first in the Futurity assessments. 

Age: 17

Studbook: British Hanoverian

Stud fee: £750 strattonstud.co.uk

Golden Hawk (Vigo D’Arsouilles x Chin Chin)

This top-class jumping stallion is a prolific winner at international five-star level, counting grand prix wins under Shane Breen at Olympia, Liverpool Horse Show and Hickstead among his many accolades. His progeny take after him, with several already competing at 1.55m or above. It’s hardly surprising, though, that Golden Hawk and his offspring possess such talent – his sire is the Nabab De Reve son who was world champion in 2010, while Golden Hawk’s dam Ta Belle Van Sombeke competed at 1.60m level herself.

Age: 19

Studbook: Belgian Warmblood

Stud fee: £1,000 + VAT breenequestrian.com

Britannia’s Bijou (Littledale Bright Star x Mr Big Cat xx) 

Out of Bella’s Britannia – one of four embryo transfer daughters of Lucinda Fredericks’ legendary eventing mare Headley Britannia – this 15hh stallion received gold premium status in the 2020 Futurity series. His sire is top pony stallion Littledale Bright Star, who was only 12.2hh but sired international progeny in all three Olympic disciplines.. Bijou made his eventing debut in 2022, with great success under Ellie Fredericks, including a third-place finish in his first BE100, and he continued to perform consistently at BE100 level in 2023. 

Age: seven

Studbook: SHB(GB), SPSS

Stud fee: £500 + VAT; email marketing@lucindafredericks.com or view at Tomlinson Equine

Lord Gregory (George Clooney x Lord Leatherdale)

Bred and produced by Van Olst Horses, this uphill, powerful dressage stallion presents a great opportunity for British breeders. By the international dressage stallion George Clooney, and out of the Elite Prok mare Hortensia V (Lord Leatherdale x Negro), Lord Gregory looks to have bright future in sport as well as breeding. As well as talent, he also passes on his outstanding temperament and trainability. 

Age: eight

Studbook: KWPN

Stud fee: £500; visit: www.stallionai.co.uk

Ansiei (Highest Honor x Dixieland Band)

A fully approved thoroughbred stallion who amassed winnings over £180,000 before retiring to stud in 2014. He has a super pedigree featuring two crosses of the influential Grey Sovereign line and could be a great option for adding blood into a breeding programme. His progeny are proving capable across the disciplines with Bonmahon Liberation eventing at three-star level in Ireland, and Ex Plas Pennant Demelza crowned supreme foal at the Sport Horse Breeding (GB) National Hunter Show in 2021. 

Age: 17

Studbook: Weatherbys

Stud fee: £600 + VAT springfieldstud.com

Je T’Aime Flamenco (Flamenco De Semilly x Landetto)

This former international showjumper has continued to prove the strength in his bloodlines, having triumphed in no fewer than seven grands prix around the world, under Ireland’s Billy Twomey. As one of the most highly regarded stallions in Britain, he passes on his scope and careful jumping technique to his offspring, who include the eight-year-old J’Adore Flamenco, a winner of multiple titles as a young horse who later sold at Goresbridge for €130,000.

Age: 24

Studbook: Belgian Warmblood

Stud fee: £1,100 + VAT stallionai.co.uk

Comfort (Christian x Last Liberty)

This elegant, athletic stallion, by 1.60m showjumper Christian and from a proven damline, already has an international victory under his belt, winning a 1.25m age class on the Sunshine Tour in 2019. A two-year-old son of his also sold for €60,000 that same year. Comfort is now based in the UK, where he is currently jumping 1.30m, and training at 1.45/1.50m under Oliver Townend.

Age: 11

Studbook: Oldenburg

Stud fee: £850 + VAT cauntonmanorstud.com

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

If you have ever dreamed of breeding a foal, you’ve probably wondered what makes a good broodmare? And if you own a mare, you have probably considered the possibility of breeding from her. But the reality is that indiscriminate breeding is a problem in the UK, and while breeding from your beloved mare may seem like a lovely idea, it is important to be objective about whether she would truly make a good broodmare.

Aspiring breeders put a great deal of time and thought into their choice of stallion, quite rightly. But the same amount of consideration should be given to the mare as well, if not more – after all, she is the one who will be carrying precious cargo for 11 months, giving birth and nurturing the foal. And just because she is physically able to carry a foal, does not mean she should.

When it comes to assessing a mare to see if she has what it takes to be a good broodmare, the first thing to do is to honestly ask yourself what you want to breed, and your reasons for doing so. The cost of breeding a foal is substantial, the process can be complex and there is no guarantee you will achieve the desired result.

The next step is to take a long, honest look at the mare in front of you. Decide what you like about her, and what you don’t like – be as critical as possible. And remember that most people unwittingly don rose-tinted glasses when looking at a much-loved horse, so ask a professional to assess her too. Build up an objective picture of her strengths and weaknesses, and consider what you would be happy for a foal to inherit.

So what makes a good broodmare?

Three of the most important aspects to consider when assessing whether a horse would make a good broodmare are conformation, temperament and pedigree.

1. Look closely at the mare’s conformation – she should be balanced from back to front, with structural correctness and everything in proportion, as well as good feet, bone and girth. Consider her soundness record – you don’t want her to pass on inherent weaknesses to a foal. It is also very important to have a vet assess her perineal and reproductive conformation. Look carefully at her movement too, but don’t simply focus on how big or spectacular her paces are; instead assess their natural rhythm and correctness first of all, and look at how the mare uses her body.

2. Consider her temperament, trainability and rideability, and what you want her offspring to inherit. This is why it is crucial to know what it is you want to breed – if your aim is for the foal to grow up to be a safe all-rounder, or amateur’s competition horse, you need them to have high levels of rideability and a sane, sensible character. If, on the other hand, you are aiming to produce a top sport horse, you will usually require a ‘hotter’ temperament, but with a great deal of trainability and willingness to learn. Do not rely on the stallion to bring the temperament you want in a horse – at the very least, a good broodmare would be gentle, easy to handle, willing and sane.

3. Find out as much as you can about the mare’s pedigree. As well as helping you decide which stallion would best complement her, this will also give you a great indication of whether she will produce the sort of foal you are hoping to breed. Do your research into your mare’s damline; look at any other foals her dam or second dam have produced to gain an understanding of which traits are typically passed on and what has worked well before. Look as far back into a mareline’s history as possible, keeping an eye out for graded mares who may have produced successful horses. Credentials like this increase the chances that her offspring will also possess good potential for success.

Other things to consider in potential broodmares

1. The age of the mare. While there is no definitive age at which a mare should no longer be bred, fertility tends to start declining from around the age of 13, and this becomes of greater relevance if the mare is a maiden (has not previously had a foal).

2. Previous offspring. If the mare has had foals in the past, make sure you find out as much as you can about them as this will give a great indication of what your mare could produce in the future, as well as how suited the mare is to the breeding process itself.

3. The mare’s routine and schedule. If she is still competing, or for whatever other reason is less suited to carrying a foal, you may wish to consider embryo transfer, whereby an embryo is flushed from her and inserted into a recipient are to be carried to term.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Selecting a stallion to breed to your mare can be one of the most exciting parts of the breeding process. But with more and more stallions available to breeders, and extensively marketed, it can be a tricky, and often agonising, decision. So what are the key things you should think about when deciding how to pick a stallion for your mare? We spoke to horse breeding experts to discover their top tips when choosing the perfect sire.

1. Take a long, honest look at the mare in front you, not just her passport. Decide what you like about her, and what you don’t — be critical. Ask a professional to assess her too, so you get an objective picture of her strengths and weaknesses to help you choose a stallion to complement her.

2. Do your research into your mare’s breeding and damline. Look at any other foals her dam or second dam have produced and gain an understanding of what has worked. Don’t forget to thoroughly research the stallion’s damline as well.

3. Know what you want to breed — are you aiming to breed a horse for a particular discipline, or of a specific size? Also consider whether you want to keep the foal for yourself to ride, or whether you plan to sell it, and if that is the case, at what age you would prefer to sell it. If you plan to sell as a foal, opting for a more well-known, commercial stallion will help make your foal more attractive to buyers, whereas if you plan to sell once the horse is under saddle, you can afford to take more of a risk on a lesser-known or up-and-coming stallion as buyers will be able to see the horse perform.

4. Try to view potential stallions in the flesh – when deciding how to pick a stallion for your mare this is an important recommendation – but if that’s not possible, speak to people who have and ask for their thoughts, both positive and negative. If it’s impossible to see the stallion yourself, then try to meet some of his other offspring, so you can get a real feel for their type and temperament.

5. Consider whether a stallion’s offspring tend to be ridden by professionals or amateur riders, as that can tell you a lot about the sort of horses they produce. One way to do this is to examine the breeding of horses competing at the national championships in your sport and whether horses by a particular sire are more often ridden by professionals or amateurs.

6. Ask plenty of questions, whether that’s of the stallion owner, your vet, the semen agent or owners of other offspring. Find out what sort of mares a sire has suited in the past, and what his sons or daughters are like to ride and own.

7. Don’t get hung up on things like colour or markings; as the saying goes, “it’s better to ride a chestnut than fall off a bay”. That said, make sure you choose a stallion you love — don’t be pressured into picking one you don’t really like.

8. If you’re breeding for competition, look for stallions that have been performance tested, or at least have progeny performing successfully at a good level — don’t rely on videos online.

9. Don’t get too caught up with trends — no matter how popular a sire may be, be honest with yourself about whether he will suit your mare and your aims for breeding. Equally, if you are planning to sell your foal, be aware of the market and which stallions are likely to be the most commercial.

10. Ensure that you fully understand the breeding terms with your chosen stallion, and that you know exactly what you’re purchasing. You could be paying per straw with no terms, so would receive nothing back if your mare does not get in foal, or at the opposite end of the scale, some stallions come with a live foal guarantee, and various options to try again if the first attempt is unsuccessful.

11. Find out as much as you can about a sire’s previous fertility record and pregnancy rates. Bear in mind that a number of factors affect fertility rates, many of which can be managed and improved.

12. Don’t rule out using frozen semen. Being open to using frozen semen widens your choice of stallion and, with a good vet skilled in reproduction and a reasonably fertile mare, conception rates can be very good.

You might also like:

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Cover your eyes, ladies and gents, it’s time for some full-frontal nudity.

To mark Valentine’s Day today, Stallion AI Services has created an equine version of the controversial dating programme Naked Attraction.

The video features Mega To Be, a mare who has to choose between six hunks of burning love; Monty the teaser stallion, Whin Whin, Big Star, Ajado, Springpond Merryman and Murka’s Gem.

In the true spirit of the show (or so we hear…) Mega To Be is first shown 12 shapely fetlocks, at which point she, “not feeling those white legs”, says goodbye to Ajado and Murka’s Gem.

As the bodies are revealed, the mare muses: “Far too pretty for me, I’m looking for a good jump,” and poor old Springpond Merryman is toast.

Monty’s diminutive stature rules him out at the next stage, when Big Star and Whin Whin have to sell themselves to the lady.

The latter tells her he’s a “true gentleman” who always looks after his girls, “but don’t think I can’t have a bit of fun”, and the former that he’s well travelled and “a bit of a family guy, with many children in different countries”.

The experience wins it and Big Star gets the girl, telling her: “I’ve got a little sugar lump for you, honey.”

Sarah Wilkes, who heads the Stallion AI Services sales and marketing team, came up with the idea.

“Every day is Valentine’s Day at Stallion AI Services,” she told H&H. “The UK’s largest dating service for mares. With over 750 stallions to choose from, every mare will find her Mr Right!”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Eventer Hollywood Dancer, who was placed at four-star, has made a remarkable recovery from a serious injury and will be put in foal this year.

Rider Dani Evans explained that “Holly” was out on grass livery following a small injury – “a tiny niggle” – in the spring of last year when she suffered a freak accident in the field.

“I had a call to say I needed to get there quickly and when I saw her it was quite a shock to see the damage,” Dani told H&H. “We think something had gone along her ribcage and side, so there was a massive laceration and it had pierced a lung. It was quite horrendous to see – and hear because it had gone into the lung.”

“We had a make a decision [on whether to put her down] and it wasn’t easy standing in a muddy field on top of a hill. She is owned by Ann Butler, an incredible lady who has been an owner with me for about 15 years. She was on holiday and I couldn’t get hold of her for what seemed like hours, but was probably only really 10 minutes.”

Ann said to Dani to follow the vets’ guidance, and although it was clear the then 11-year-old mare’s ridden career was over, the vets felt she could be saved.

“You couldn’t have a better broodmare, so it was worth going through the process, although she went through a lot of complications. She’s well now and having a nice life so it completely proves it was the right decision, but it was a long slow process,” said Dani.

Holly spent four months in a veterinary hospital and Dani paid tribute to B&W Equine Vets, especially Dicky Hepburn, and Lizzie Kopec, a Bristol vet student who kept a horse at Dani’s yard and who was working at the vets.

“She was very helpful with communication and knowing Holly,” she said.

Holly then went for rehabilitation at Sarah George’s Team Green Horses.

Dani said: “What Sarah did was amazing – she took a horse who looked quite thin and unwell and within weeks had her looking well with a shiny coat. Holly was also very lucky to have an owner like Ann, and I can’t thank her enough for sticking with it. It was lovely to see an owner prove how much the horses mean to them – not the weekends away and results, but the horse becoming part of the family.”

Hollywood Dancer returned to Dani’s yard in December and is now going out in the field during the day and staying in at night.

Dani started a small breeding programme last year and will now work with Ann to breed from Holly. The aim is to do this as a business and sell her offspring, but Ann will keep one herself to event. They plan to put her in foal this spring and they may also do an embryo transfer.

Hollywood Dancer is by the Contender grandson Dantos out of a mare by Numero Uno. In her eventing career she won 10 times, including being British five-year-old champion and taking international classes at CCI* (now CCI2*-L) and CCI3*-L, and finished fifth at Chatsworth and 10th at Bramham and Burnham Market at CCI4*-S level.

“I want to find a stallion that makes up for the small things she lacks so I’m asking lots of knowledgeable people,” says Dani, who is considering Amira Z or Diamant De Semilly.

“She does lack blood but I don’t want to go to something too thoroughbred initially as I want something that can jump and I want to see how well her offspring keep her jump. She was not a horse to feel tired, but we never got the chance to see if she would be blood enough to do it at the top level.

“She has an amazing brain so it doesn’t matter if the sire is a bit sharper. We are fortunate she has the best temperament and attitude to work; she’s been a winner throughout her career and I wouldn’t mind another 10 Hollys in my stable.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Industry figures and the Government are working together to combat foreseen issues when new border control posts (BCPs) come in at the height of the breeding season.

As a requirement of official controls being applied following Brexit, Britain has to introduce BCPs for animals and germinal products, including equine semen and embryos. The former are due to open in the autumn but the latter in late April and all consignments must enter Britain through a BCP from the published dates.

Most germinal product consignments are semen, and come in from Europe to East Midlands Airport, where the busiest BCP will be. At the height of the breeding season, this could be 40 or more packages a day, all of which will have to be checked because they fall into the high-risk category of imported products.

Jan Rogers of The Horse Trust and British Horse Council, who is one of those who have been working with the Government on BCPs and other issues, told H&H the flights normally arrive early in the morning.

“All consignments must go through that bottleneck,” she said. “It’s first thing in the morning, outside current BCP operating hours, and there’s such a short time frame before the consignments go on connecting flights or are picked up by couriers. Without some changes, there just isn’t time to deal with such volumes.”

Ms Rogers said meetings have been arranged, with vets, key breeding businesses, Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, including a visit to the airport.

“We’ve been to the Government, raised our concerns and got the right people together,” she said. “We’re trying to pool knowledge and expertise and work with them to find solutions, and we hope to resolve it.

“We’ve been working very closely with the teams building the infrastructure and the operating processes at Sevington, Kent, where the inland BCP will be for live animals and have been bringing about positive changes, which makes us more confident we will be able to find a way of dealing with the [germinal products] issues too. We’ve highlighted challenges and worked together to develop quite a few solutions.”

One issue is that it is unclear why equine semen is classified as high risk; all consignments are checked by an official vet before departure and certified as being from the right stallion, who has been health-tested and in quarantine for 30 days. The semen is then checked again in this country by the inseminating vet.

Tullis Matson, managing director of Stallion AI Services, will be among those at the meetings.

“We’re trying to see if we can get an exemption, or lower the risk status,” he said. “To me it’s bonkers these products are classified as high risk.”

Mr Matson raised the concern that should no changes be made, the risk is that semen could lose its viability owing to delays, and some people might then try to avoid the BCPs.

“We could go back to where we were years ago when people tried to sneak it in without health papers,” he said. “I believe certain people will do that; if they can’t get it in the proper way, they’ll send it disguised as a pair of shoes or something, and that’s a bigger risk to all of us.

“The health testing is very strict, so either there needs to be an exemption or it’s moved to medium risk, which means only a certain few have to be checked.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H border controls are “vital for keeping the UK safe by protecting our food supply chains and agricultural sector from disease outbreaks that would cause significant economic harm”.

“We are working closely with all affected sectors – including in the equine industry – and trading partners around the world to support readiness for this new model,” he said. “This includes agreeing resourcing plans with the APHA and port health authorities to effectively deliver these important new controls.”

He added that Defra is working with the equine industry to ensure border checks are implemented smoothly.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A rise in the number of elite horse auctions is providing a platform to promote British breeding and boost the UK sales market.

New events have taken place this year including the Brilliance Horse Auction at London International Horse Show, the British Elite Sporthorse Talent (BEST) auction at Brendon Stud and the Scottish Sports Horse Auction at Rockrose Equestrian, in addition to existing sales at the Billy Stud and Bolesworth.

At the Brilliance Horse Auction, founded by William and Pippa Funnell and Chloe and Shane Breen, 10 horses sold – totalling £1,695,000 – to buyers from Saudi Arabia, the US and Europe. The top lot was eight-year-old mare Billy Etna, by Billy Congo, who sold for £300,000 to Belgium.

William Funnell, who started running the Billy Stud auctions in 2017, told H&H British breeding “has come a long way over the last 20 years”.

“Auctions are a good way to show European buyers that there are a lot of uncut diamonds here. And for us at Billy Stud, it’s a way to get our breeding and horses into the marketplace,” he said.

“For a buyer, the auction scenario is great because they can come and see 12 horses, they don’t need to pay for vettings and X-rays because it’s all done for them and if they don’t purchase, it doesn’t cost them anything.”

William added that when coming up with the Brilliance Horse Auction – which will run a second edition at the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead in July – they had to think about how to bring foreign buyers to the UK.

“By having the London International as a platform, people could do shopping over Christmas and watch the World Cup,” he said.

“It was one of the only ways I could see that we could get Americans or people from the Middle East to come to an auction here – that’s where we miss out, because in Europe anybody in Germany, Belgium, Holland or France can drive to an auction within three hours.”

Shirley Light of the Brendon Stud told H&H the BEST auction, which will return next autumn, was available to stream online and they had bidders from Europe and the US.

“I think auctions are brilliant for the UK horse market,” she said. “It’s about having an experienced team behind them and people trusting that team. For our auction, we had the horses stabled here for two weeks beforehand, so we made sure they were handled and exactly as described.

“The Brilliance team did a great job in London. I think running auctions alongside events is definitely the way to go.”

Sonya Cunningham of Rockrose Equestrian launched the Scottish Sports Horse Auction, which ran in September, because she believed the sales system in Scotland to be “broken”.

“You might get the occasional dispersal sale where a riding school has closed down, for example, but to my knowledge there aren’t any auctions for competition horses in Scotland or the north of England – or places to go and see more than one or two horses unless you go to a dealer’s yard,” she said. “It’s difficult for private sellers and small-time producers to get people to come up here – the minute you put Scotland on an advert, everyone says it’s too far.

“We’ve got some great horses here so I thought, ‘Let’s get them in one place and make it worthwhile for people to come and see them.’”

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“This country needs to grow a pair”, joked the organiser of a new open auction of youngsters aimed to boost British breeding.

Shirley Light of Brendon Stud in West Sussex is organising the BEST (British Elite Sporthorse Talent) auction this weekend (11-12 November). The 19 three-year-olds on offer include a few of her own, plus some bred by Shane Breen, Carron Nicol and Oakingham Stud, among others.

Shirley told H&H the idea “popped out of my head”.

“The aim is to promote British breeding,” she said. “It’s time this country grew a pair and put on a good sale like this!”

Shirley said all the horses will have been at her stud for a fortnight before the sale. All have been vetted, and 48 X-rays taken of each horse – “we’re doing everything,” she said – and potential bidders will have every chance to see them in action. The aim is for the viewing day, 11 November, to be a social event; as well as seeing the horses and watching them loose-jump, visitors can take advantage of the bar on site, and stay in their lorries if they like. Bidding concludes on 12 November.

Shirley said her aim is for the sale to grow to be held at least once a year. She has started with showjumpers as those are the ones she breeds but does not want it to be restricted by age, discipline or location.

“All the auctions abroad work like this, ones that are open to everyone, and it’s time we realised that sales like this can be good, and that you don’t have to go abroad to buy good horses,” she said. “We breed and produce good horses; we know how to give them the right start in life; the first three years are so important.”

Free tickets are still available for the viewing day.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The publication of guidance aimed to give young horses the best possible start in life is part of work to ensure optimal equine health and wellbeing – and help ensure the future of our sport.

This is the belief of the British Horse Foundation (BHF), which has released its Better Beginnings Practice Guide, “from inception to two years old”, which challenges readers: “Are you willing to turn the microscope on your own breeding practices?”

H&H reported last year that the BHF had held a conference, at which industry experts spoke and discussed best practice throughout the breeding process (news, 20 October 2022).

As well as the agreement that teamwork and improved education are key to providing the best start, which means producing adult horses more likely to be sound, healthy, happy and fit for purpose, the outcome of the conference was that the guide should be produced.

From information shared at the meeting and a follow-up webinar last December, these first guidance notes have been produced.

“Changing long-held practices and beliefs and even changing the way we look at what we do is difficult,” said BHF chair Jane Nixon. “But where we can make small changes that will improve the lives and wellbeing of our equine partners, it’s up to us to do everything we can.”

Dr Nixon told H&H that the guidance is the result of “a lot of hard work from a lot of people”.

“The original idea of the importance of the baby horse came from the Futurity [youngstock evaluations],” she said. “It was becoming increasingly obvious that problems in the older horse are related to poor production in the young horse. Now we have the opportunity to concentrate on this and bring it into the public domain.”

The online guidance features videos and links to external websites and research, starting with the decision to breed, from the choice of mares and stallions to weaning and beyond. As well as benefiting horses, the aim is to help maintain public acceptance of equestrian sport, by setting horses up from the start to have good lives.

“It’s about mutual respect and horses who are good citizens,” Dr Nixon said. “We have a duty of care to these animals.”

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The ethics around different breeding techniques – and how far is too far – have come under discussion by industry experts.

At the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Congress (13–16 September), in a debate chaired by former BEVA president Huw Griffiths, an expert panel discussed equine assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs), framed around the question “How far is too far?”. The aim was to explore which ARTs are “pushing the boundaries” in terms of animal welfare and social licence, and empower vets to have more evidence when advising a client if they do not believe it’s appropriate in certain cases to go ahead with a procedure.

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers opened the debate and said when thinking about how far is too far, vets need to consider ethics and welfare and that it is important to make sure everyone is “on the same page”. He referred to the BEVA panel discussion on what good welfare means, reported in H&H last week (news, 19 October).

Mr Owers highlighted the need to reflect on how efficient current breeding is for the horse sport market and discussed research published this year showing that within any given year, only around one-fifth of horses bred for sport will have a long-term career in equestrian sport; with the others withdrawing owing to reasons including lack of ability or injury.

“Maybe we should be thinking about how we can improve this system, before we breed more,” he said. “People often think it’s the large breeders that create all the problems, but that is not true – far more horses come from the individual breeder, breeding one animal at a time.”

Mr Owers concluded that some areas the industry needs to focus on are lack of research around ARTs, what plans have been made for a foal’s future, particularly if it does not fulfil its breeder’s expectations, whether pain involved with ARTs is assessed well enough and whether fertility clinics should be licenced.

Madeleine Campbell, who was an equine reproduction specialist prior to focusing on equine ethics and welfare, discussed the term “the yuck factor”, where consideration had to be given to society’s views on nature and ethics and whether using ARTs is “interfering more than humans ought to be”. She also mentioned looking at breeding holistically and giving consideration to the impact at breed, species, societal, and environmental levels.

“Breeding is ethically different from any other veterinary intervention, other than blood collection. The reason is that we do this thing to the horse, whatever it may be, without the expectation that we are going to improve the horse’s health by doing it,” she said.

“Every other veterinary intervention we do, we are trying to improve the health of an animal. And it’s not any one animal we’re talking about – we’ve got a mare and a stallion, we’ve often got recipient mares involved. And it’s not only one generation – we’re talking about future animals.

“As we start to move towards the possibility of genetic editing of embryos in a commercial setting, then we open up the option that we will permanently alter something for all future animals from that one onwards, so ethically that is a big thing to be thinking about.”

Veterinary reproduction specialists Camilla Scott, Tom Stout and Emma Lorenzen presented different cases involving the use of ARTs, such as ovum pick-up (OPU – where oocytes are aspirated from the mare’s ovary) and intra-cytoplasm sperm injections (ICSI – where a single sperm is injected through the outer surface of a mature oocyte) and talked about the success rates and benefits. In one example, a top showjumping mare had died, and using ICSI, oocytes were recovered and a foal was bred who went on to become a successful licensed stallion.

The complications associated with the procedures in different horses – including pain – were also discussed, and when ARTs are appropriate or not. It was agreed across the board that pain control during ART procedures needs to be a major focus.

One attendee said he believed there were two sides to the use of ARTs.

“One is how can we exercise these various techniques while keeping the discomfort to a minimum? The second is how do we communicate to the public to keep our social licence?” they said. “I think social licence varies a lot based on the level of knowledge about the technique. It seems that the less people know about a particular technique, the more important the ‘yuck factor’ becomes.”

The overpopulation of horses was also discussed, in terms of horses who do not stay sound and end up unwanted. And one attendee highlighted the benefits of ARTs where horses can be bred who are healthier and more specifically targeted for a purpose.

Professor Campbell said it is not just the responsibility of vets to consider breeding decisions and the use of ARTs, but also breeders.

“Breeders need to not be aiming to produce horses that look amazing when they are four, but are then crippled when they are eight,” she said, adding that there is a need to have more data and to track horses bred via ARTs to record if they develop any health problems later in life.

In conclusion, it was agreed that group discussions on ARTs and breeding are “vital” and should be ongoing to maintain trust across the industry and with the public.

“It’s good to build up the evidence base. We need to start building our own guidelines and regulating ourselves, if we don’t then it’s our own fault when other people step in and try to regulate us,” Professor Stout.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A small stud has experienced all the highs and lows of breeding this summer as two broodmares died – but both their foals have been taken on by other mares, alongside their own.

Family-run Cimbri Stud usually only has two foals a year but four were due in 2023 as it was the first year it had their own licensed stallion standing, alongside two others. All four were delivered without complications but two of Cimbri’s foundation mares died.

Tea Witchalls, who owns the stud with her husband Dan, told H&H they have barely slept for weeks.

“It’s an amazing story; it’s rare enough for one mare to adopt another foal [alongside her own] but we’ve had two,” she said.

“There seem to have been a lot of orphan foals this year but we’d never been in that situation before – and I hope we never are again. It’s been a very long foaling season but maybe there’s some good coming out of it now.”

Tea said the first foal due was to foundation mare Briarose, but in the end, the mare’s five-year-old daughter Donnabriar gave birth first, to a healthy filly. Then Briarose went into labour.

“Everything was fine; it was Briarose’s fourth foal and it was all good; they went out in the field,” Tea said. “Then about 37 hours after foaling, she had a uterine prolapse. The vet came and we did all we could to try to save her but there was nothing we could do. She left a foal orphaned at 37 hours old.”

The Witchalls posted online in search of a foster mare, and had a potential candidate lined up.

“But Briarose and Donnabriar and their foals had been out together the previous day, and the foal had walked over to Donnabriar and tried to drink from her, ‘Are you my mum?’” Tea said. “She was depressed as she’d lost her mum and we thought we’d try to put her out with Donnabriar – and she let her drink. We watched them every minute, we camped out next to them, because sometimes a mare will turn on a foal, but she was absolutely brilliant.

“The other foal was a bit ‘I don’t want a twin sister’ at first, but she was fine very quickly, and they’re now sisters and best friends.”

The third mare due was Smag&Behag Firfod (Smilla), who gave birth to a healthy colt, then foundation mare Didansa had her fourth foal, also a colt.

“That all went absolutely fine,” Tea said. “Six days, no problems. Then she colicked. The vet came out and there was nothing we could do, we couldn’t even get her to surgery. At 12pm she was fine, at 2pm we found her cast and by 5pm she was gone.”

The days-old foal was standing by his dam and Tea knew something had to be done.

“We’d had it once already and couldn’t hope another mare would take a foal,” she said. “We hoped for another foster mare but Smilla had lots of milk. Didansa’s foal was standing there, not wanting to leave her, but it was getting dark and we needed to get the foal away.

“We let the mares out and they all looked at the mare, and when they went back, the orphan foal went with them. They went into the barn for the night and the foal walked up to Smilla as he was hungry and she just stood there; ‘I’ve got something for you’. He has his depressed moments but he knows she’s Mum now.”

Tea said both mares can frequently be seen feeding both foals at once. She has consulted vets and nutritionists to ensure the mares are being fed appropriately to allow them to feed two foals each, and she and Dan have had weeks of monitoring all six horses round the clock.

“We’d just got to the stage of turning the camera off when it happened again,” she said. “People said it was once in a million the first time.”

Tea believes that part of the reason for the happy outcome is the way she keeps her horses; mares and foals in a herd and “looking after each other”.

Both pairs of “twin” foals are also related; Donnabriar’s surrogate daughter is also her half-sister, and the two colts are by the same stallion.

“Do they know they’re family?” Tea asked. “I don’t know. But it’s amazing, as if the mares have told us ‘This is what we’re going to do’. So it is a success story.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

What happens when you cross two of the most talented dressage horses in the world, such Glamourdale and Mount St John Freestyle? You get a seriously special foal.

And that’s just what MSJ Glamourstyle is proving herself to be. Born in April via embryo transfer, the bay filly is by world champion stallion Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) and out of world double bronze medallist Mount St John Freestyle (Fidermark x Donnerhall).

“Glamourstyle is unbelievable,” confirms the Mount St John stud’s owner, Emma Blundell, who recently rode Freestyle to a grand prix win on the mare’s long-awaited return to the competition arena after over two years off.

“On paper she is a phenomenal foal – what could you say would be better? And then when you see her she is phenomenal too, in movement, character, type. She has Freestyle’s trot and Glamourdale’s canter.

“She is slightly more girly, and bigger moving than Mount St John Freestyle was as a foal, but she has the same lovely character – very kind and inquisitive and curious.”

Glamourstyle is one of 50 foals born at Mount St John this year, which also marks the stud’s 10-year anniversary.

“Parts of it feel like forever ago and other parts feel like yesterday,” says Emma, who will be hosting an open day at the stud on 1 July, and performing a demo aboard Freestyle. “I know going forward with what I’ve learned in breeding and training that the quality of what’s to come is in a totally different league to what we have had in the past.”

Glamourstyle is the fourth foal Mount St John Freestyle has produced. Before starting her international career with Charlotte Dujardin, Freestyle produced MSJ A La Freestyle (by Ampere), MSJ Dancefloor (by De Niro) and MSJ Streetdance (by San Amour), all via embryo transfer. A La Freestyle and Dancefloor have remained part of the stud’s breeding programme, with Freestyle herself rejoining the stud in 2022.

Emma has confirmed that she is expecting another ET foal from Freestyle in 2024, by Jovian.

You may also be interested in…

‘It’s fairytale stuff’: Mount St John Freestyle makes winning return to competition after more than two years

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Medal-winning mare Mount St John Freestyle made a winning return to competition yesterday (21 June), more than two years after she was last between the white boards.

Mount St John Freestyle was ridden by her owner Emma Blundell, scoring 74.13% in a grand prix at Northallerton EC, Yorkshire, with Emma making her grand prix debut.

“It went better than I expected – grand prix has been a lifelong dream for me, and Freestyle was amazing,” Emma told H&H. “She was so easy, and no different to how she is at home. I had never done a grand prix but Freestyle really knows what she’s doing. I wanted to do her justice.”

The 14-year-old Fidermark mare, who won team and individual bronze for Britain at the 2018 World Equestrian Games with Charlotte Dujardin, last competed in May 2021 at the Wellington CDI3* with Charlotte. There, she won the grand prix freestyle with over 88% and finished second in the grand prix behind Charlotte on Gio, whom she took to the Tokyo Olympics and European Championships later that year.

‘It’s nice to go full circle with Mount St John Freestyle’

Freestyle returned to Emma’s Mount St John Stud in 2022 to rejoin the stud’s breeding programme, and Emma brought her back into training over the winter.

“What’s so amazing about Freestyle is the gears she has and her ‘on-off switch’. She is the safest horse on the yard and would win a handy pony class, but she can just click into another gear, and then she has as many gears as you could ever want. That’s priceless, but it’s just who she is. She loves to work with you and please her rider, and you could train her to do anything.”

Emma was thrilled to receive high marks for the more difficult grand prix movements, including the one-time changes, pirouettes and piaffe-passage work.

“I’ve never done that stuff before and it can be hard to keep up with Freestyle in the changes. I was so pleased we nailed them in the test and got eights. It was just the silly things that we hadn’t practised as much, like the canter to trot transition, that I forgot to ride properly. But I’m absolutely delighted.”

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Mount St John Stud, and Emma said it feels particularly satisfying to have achieved her grand prix goal with Freestyle this year, a decade after starting the mare’s competitive career in a four-year-old class at the same venue.

Emma bought Freestyle, who was bred in Germany by Stephen Kurz, as a foal at the 2009 Hanoverian Elite Foal Auction, and competed her as a four-year-old. They finished sixth at the British Dressage national championships in 2013 in the four-year-old finals. Charlotte took over the ride on Freestyle in 2015.

“It’s so nice to go full circle and go grand prix with her now – it’s fairytale stuff,” said Emma, who plans to ride Freestyle in a demonstration at the stud’s open day on 1 July, but is yet to make further competition plans for the mare.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

When it’s a bank holiday and your mare needs inseminating that day and the semen is hours away, what do you do? Deliver it by air, of course.

The Bullimores wanted to breed a full sibling to their seven-year-old out of Sarah’s five-star mare Lilly Corinne and by Amiro Z, and as determined by scanning, the mare was ready to be inseminated last weekend. So a friend of the Bullimores stepped – or flew – in with his plane.

“It was much more exciting than the normal checking of the UPS tracking system!” Lorna Wilson of Elite Stallions told H&H.

“They decided it would be faster, with bank holiday weekend traffic, to fly down. There’s a little airfield two miles away so it was perfect.”

Lorna said she normally sends semen via next-day Royal Mail delivery. There is a same-day service but with the distance between Elite Stallions and the Bullimores, and the traffic, it would have been a lengthy and expensive option.

“So they flew down, and they went over Badminton on the way and got a look at the course,” Lorna said. “Sarah’s not riding there this year, but Brett’s walked, or flown, the course!

“I was slightly disappointed because I’d suggested they wear suits and sunglasses, but it was all good, and we could track them home on flight radar.”

The vet from Rossdales was at the Bullimores’ ready to inseminate when the semen arrived.

“So we’ll know in a couple of weeks’ time,” Lorna said. “It was all good.”

And of course not many potential event horses have been over the Badminton course before conception…

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Embryo transfer in horses is a type of assisted reproductive technology that has now become commonplace in equine breeding.

Embryo transfer (ET) is a means of surrogacy; it involves removing, or flushing, an embryo from the uterus of the biological dam, and implanting it into the uterus of a recipient mare, who will then carry the pregnancy to term.

Equine embryo transfer: the process

ET is used in conjunction with artificial insemination (AI), and the “donor” mare is inseminated with fresh, chilled or frozen semen. Six to eight days after ovulation, the embryo will be flushed from the mare’s uterus. this is a simple, non-surgical procedure, that involves flushing the uterus with a special fluid, which is then drained. The embryo is isolated and then transferred into the uterus of the recipient mare using a catheter inserted through the cervix.

A key aspect of ET is the synchronisation of the recipient mare. Ultrasound scanning and use of hormone injections/implants are used to ensure that she ovulates as close in time to the donor mare as possible, meaning her uterus will be ready to receive the embryo at the right time.

The recipient mare will be scanned around a week later to make sure she is pregnant, and she will then carry the pregnancy as normal. She will deliver the foal and nurse it until weaning.

What are the advantages of using embryo transfer?

ET was first developed in the 1970s, and its primary purpose in the early years was to enable the breeding of older mares, or those with problems carrying a foal to term.

These days, it is still used for older mares, but more commonly for breeding from high-quality competition mares, without interrupting their sporting schedule, and with the potential to obtain more than one foal per year from the same mare. It also enables quality mares who, for whatever reason cannot safely or successfully carry a foal, to pass on their genes.

What is the success rate of embryo transfer in horses?

The success rate of ET depends on many of the same factors that a normal pregnancy would, primarily the fertility of the stallion and dam, the quality of the semen and the timing of insemination. In young, healthy mares, and where the synchronisation and ET procedure itself has been expertly carried out, the typical embryo recovery rate is around 75-80%. Overall, ET typically has a success rate of around 60-65% per cycle. It is common for two or three cycles to be required before a successful pregnancy is achieved.

How much does embryo transfer cost?

The costs involved in ET vary and primarily depend on how many cycles are required, the type of semen that is used (fresh, chilled or frozen) and whether or not a recipient mare needs to be hired.

You can expect to pay anywhere between £275 and £450+ VAT per cycle for a veterinary AI package – using frozen semen usually costs more than fresh or chilled – plus a synchronisation fee of around £275+VAT, a flushing fee of around £290+VAT and a transfer fee of around £185+VAT. Two or more potential recipient mares are usually required, to maximise the chances of successful synchronisation.

If you need to hire a recipient mare, expect to pay £2000+VAT from conception until weaning.

Things like scans, examinations, semen fees and keep for the recipient mare also need to be factored in to the overall cost of breeding a horse.

You might also be interested in:

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Cupid March, the March Stud’s promising home-bred stallion and Burghley young event horse (BYEH) winner has died from colic, aged five.

Cupid March, known at home as Brash, was by the jumping-bred sire Clarksville and out of five-star event mare Valentina II. Last year Brash won the four-year-old BYEH final with Piggy March in the saddle; he scored 24 out of 30 for his dressage, 37.3 out of 40 for his jumping and 17 out of 20 for his suitability. He had been due to stand at stud this year for the first time.

“I can’t believe I’m writing this but we very sadly lost our gorgeous Cupid March to colic on Tuesday (7 March) night,” said Piggy.

“It’s a devastating blow for Thomas and I, all the team here at Maidwell, and his owners Jane March, Susannah Paybody and Susie Wood. We’d all placed so much hope on his shoulders for the future and it’s incredibly hard for all those dreams to be snatched away so quickly.”

Tom March, Piggy’s husband, told H&H Brash was one that always had “a bit of X factor” and was a “special” character.

“It’s not something you can particularly put your finger on, but his character was always very self-confident, in a nice way. With the character and the ability together, he was always one people noticed or commented on and people were really starting to take an interest,” he said.

“There’s certainly not many that we’ve had that had the same aura about them. He was a real proper stallion, and clearly thought he was above everyone.”

Piggy said Brash was “an absolutely beautiful horse inside and out”.

“Everyone who was lucky enough to meet him will know his extraordinary ability and character. Being a home-bred, we’d seen him grow up from day one and have so many special memories with him already,” she said.

“We will treasure them even more than before now, in particular his win at Burghley, but his journey was still only just beginning. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to think of all the amazing days that were still to come for him. I’m sure in time we will be able to look back and appreciate what we had but right now it’s hard to get past what we’ve all lost.”

Piggy thanked Oakham Vets for all their efforts in trying to save Brash, and Stallion AI for performing an emergency epididymal semen extraction, a semen recovery procedure.

“When things were starting to look pretty bleak we knew that the extraction was the only option we had to try and save something from the situation. That is all we have left,” said Tom.

“We haven’t really decided what the plan is yet with the frozen semen, but we will definitely offer something, and will be in touch with everyone.”

Tom said the loss was “hard to take”.

“When you place your hopes with them and that’s all snatched away, everything happens so fast and it’s so unexpected. It’s hard to process when it’s all ripped from beneath your feet in a blink of an eye,” he said.

“He was only young, but when you think about how much work and stuff goes into them. To get one like him, we know sadly how difficult that is. To have all that gone in a flash takes a bit of getting over. Sadly horses are good at breaking your heart.”

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now