Organisers of an online stallion auction raising money for mental health charity MIND are “amazed” after being offered nearly 40 donations of coverings.
Pony, sport horse, Arab, Welsh and traditional stallion owners have all come forward to offer their services to mark today’s (10 October) world Mental Health Day.
The auction, which is running on Facebook is still open for stallion owners to offer their services until 11 October, while bids will be open until 8pm on 17th October.
Sport horses available include Wolkenderry, Franklyn Sugar (Furst Heinrich x Accord); Shamazing (Serano Gold x Quincy Z), jumping stallion Bon Jovi (Concordex Indoctro x Ramiro Z) and the Irish draught Avanti Amorous Archie.
Fans of coloured horses may be interested in blanket-spot appaloosa Rollestone Kharma; perlino tobiano Multicouture or the homozygous tobiano part-bred-Arab colt Murraybrook Duke of Atholl.
Among the more than 20 Welsh section C and Ds to choose from are many not usually available to the public. The fashionable section C Hywi Tomboy has been one of the most popular with bidders so far, while others include Cynheidrfawr Crème de la Crème, a cream sec D currently competing at inter I and, Ffynnonbach avalanche, a licensed perlino sec C stallion.
There are also pure-bred Arabians including the Epyck (by Marawan al Magnifficoo) and the black stallion Aladdinns Magic.
The idea was started by Welsh cob stallion owners Joshua Luke Powell, Kieran Jenkins, Richard Cowdry and Denise Kershaw, who have all either been affected by mental health problems or had friends and family who are.
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“It’s close to all of us, we’ve all fought depression or bipolar or have it in the family,” said Denise. “MIND is a big charity that covers all over the country — while the page started in Wales, we wanted it to go beyond that — and it would be worth it for all of us if we could just help one person.”
Denise was one of the first to add a stallion, her Welsh section D Crugybar Madoc Mai (pictured), and said the idea for the auction quickly caught on among friends and stallion owners.
“It’s just gone on and on,” she said. “We’ve even had Amercians inboxing us willing to send frozen semen over from their stallions.
“It was originally just a little group started to raise a few funds but it’s really shocked us how well it’s gone. Having people say how much it’s close to all of their hearts is amazing to see.”
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