The National Association of the Selle Franais has established an annexe to the Selle Franais studbook in Britain called Equicours.
The Selle Franais is a French warmblood breed, which has produced some of the most successful competition horses in the world. It is the result of a very rigorous and selective breeding programme and the bloodlines of numerous different breeds have influenced the modern Selle Franais.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
The breed has traditionally excelled in show jumping, most notably Baloubet du Rouet, three times winner of the show jumping world cup, but Selle Franais horses are also found competing successfully in dressage and, increasingly, in eventing.
The new studbook aims to raise the profile of Selle Franais horses in Britain and improve the quality of British-bred sport horses. The grading of Selle Franais horses has always focused on performance, rather than type, and Equicours will allow the grading system, which is integrated and compatible with the renowned Selle Franais studbook, to be introduced in Britain.
The grading system will provide an overall grade for stallions and potential broodmares, as well as three separate grades based on:
competition success
breeding
the competition success of progeny
Equicours will include a studbook for British born performance horses as well Selle Franais. All registered horses, including geldings, will have their affiliated competition successes included in their passports, which can be updated annually.
Until now, Selle Franais breeders have been forced to take British-born stallions and mares to France for grading, or, as many prefer, have registered their animals with breed societies based in the UK, preventing progeny from being registered as Selle Franais. Equicours will remedy this situation, ensuring the continuation of the breed in Britain.
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An Equicours representative explains: “The Selle Franais boasts top international horses such as Baloubet du Rouet, and they were well represented at the World Games in Montreal by the plucky Galan de Sauvagre and superb style of Expo du Moulin. The recognition of this breed through a breed society will improve the quality of British breeding.”
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