Craikhow Hall Jenson (Suffolk ) with Tullis Matson and the other members of the Stallion AI Services team, including Kate Ashmore and Faye Durrant at the new facilities near Whitchurch in the county of Shropshire in the UK on the 20th March 2018
Efforts to save the Suffolk horse from extinction have taken an international turn as genetics from a popular rare breed stallion are sent in New Zealand.
Frozen semen from Suffolk stallion Craikhow Hall Jensen is in the process of being imported to New Zealand.
Breeding specialists EquiBreed NZ revealed the news yesterday (10 August).
“We are thrilled to announced this semen is also for sale and should be with us early in the breeding season,” a company spokesman said on social media.
“As well as boosting the [Suffolk horse] gene pool in NZ, we think he would make a fabulous cross with other heavy horse breeds, or over thoroughbreds etc perhaps to breed hunting types.”
The spokesman added that the company has been working with “a dedicated group of rare breed enthusiasts”, including the Suffolk Horse Society, Stallion AI Services, the Thorpley Irish Draught and Rare Breed Stud and the Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand.
Craikhow Hall Jensen, owned by Bruce Langley McKim, hit the headlines on his hunting debut with the Fernie last winter.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The nine-year-old chestnut has also been helping to preserve the breed in the UK — as well as standing at Thorpeley Stud, he has also spent time at Stallion AI Services so his semen can be collected and preserved.
This is part of a joint venture between the horses’ owners, the stallion centre, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) and the Suffolk Horse Society.
Horse & Hound goes behind the scenes of the Shropshire Stallion AI Services centre and meets some famous faces too
Tullis Matson, managing director of Stallion AI Services and RBST trustee, told H&H the move to export Suffolk horse genetics to New Zealand is “really exciting”.
“There are only 72 breeding females left in the country and only 300 in the world,” he said, adding that he hopes to export semen to the US and Australia in the near future.
“I was at a Livestock Conservancy meeting in America recently [where it was discussed that] one of the only ways we can try to protect the Suffolk horse is to spread their genetic pool around the world.”
He added while there are “a lot of hoops to jump through”, Stallion AI Services is experienced in exporting semen across the world and understands the import, export and biosecurity measures that go with shipping semen internationally.
The RBST has also welcomed the news.
“We are very pleased to hear that Craikhow Hall Jensen will be helping to increase genepool diversity within the registered Suffolk horse population in New Zealand,” RBST field officer Richard Broad told H&H.
The Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand added this is “one more wonderful step” towards reviving the Suffolk horse in New Zealand.
“Thank you to Lee of Equibreed NZ Ltd, not only for arranging these straws of the most amazing stallion, but for her belief in the [Suffolk horse’s] place in NZ.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday
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
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
