Boost for coloured horse enthusiasts

The growing popularity of coloured horses is filtering through to the sale house and the show ring. A sale purely for piebalds and skewbalds is planned for spring 2005, while new classes from both coloured horse societies — some with big prize-money — are scheduled for the summer.

Brightwells, with the British Skewbald and Piebald Association (BSPA), is running the sale as the centrepiece of its new Spring Festival Sale on 3 May 2005 at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

The last sale exclusively for coloured horses involving the BSPA was a one-off at Markfield Equestrian Centre 10 years ago, which was well attended. The association has since had a section at Brightwells autumn Festival of the Horse sale. Five years ago, the Coloured Horse and Pony Society (CHAPS) also ran a one-off auction after its stallion grading, but felt that it had tried it “too soon”.

Lynda Lodge, chairman of the BSPA, explains: “We feel now that a stand-alone sale would do quite well. We’re hoping to attract overseas buyers, and all types are welcome, from traditional ponies to Thoroughbred-types. People will have a chance to see a lot of coloured horses in one place.”

Terry Court, chief executive of the horse and pony department at Brightwells, says: “Piebalds and skewbalds are becoming so popular — we just don’t get enough [to meet demand]. We sell 500 annually through regular sales [about 7% of all Brightwells’ non-Thoroughbred sales].”

There will be sections for stallions, broodmares and young stock; ridden horses; competition and show horses, and ponies.

Both the BSPA and CHAPS are introducing new classes for the forthcoming showing season.

The BSPA is adding overall in-hand and ridden titles to its August championships, where two winners will take home £1,000 each, while CHAPS is introducing first-ridden classes and is staging a grading event, including the assessment of youngsters.

• For details of the sale, contact Brightwells (tel: 01568 619724) or the BSPA (tel: 01354 638226). To contact CHAPS (tel: 01685 845045).

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (30 December, ’04)

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