"The breeding season hasn't yet come to an end, with stallions still on the waiting list for semen freezing and mares still trickling in for late season covering. Rarely do we see first coverings in August, but this year there have been more than a few. By this time of year we are usually quite safe to compete the stallions internationally, leaving basic responsibilities for the staff at home. But while we were away competing at a CDI in Luxembourg we received calls for several walk-in collections, mares still scanning and a stallion arrived for freezing. It just shows the seasonal breeding calendar is not as reliable as we might think. Fortunately our grooms are highly skilled and we train them to cope with routine breeding procedures, so with a few phone calls and mentoring from Brian, they did not let us down.
More and more, breeding stallions, mares and their offspring need to achieve a competition CV to convince breeders of their worth. For me the most important thing is that the stallion is producing sport horses. The recent CDI was an eye opener, with more improvement in the stallions' performance, yet we and many other competitors were left aghast at the marks. The new scoring system appears to be pushing what I call the 'A listers' scores through the roof while the 'B listers' are lower than they have ever reached before. With the qualifying scores for major events increasing, many combinations - especially those from fledgling federations - are going to soon be pushed out. Interestingly, if you turn to online sources such as YouTube, you can see discrepancies in the scoring - some horses make serious mistakes yet score above 70%, while others can be seen with minor errors barely breaking 60%. Perhaps sources such as YouTube open the door to a fairer system?
A week after Luxembourg and we were off to Brightwells Auction at Addington Manor. We've sponsored this for many years and it is arguably the only dressage/show jumping auction in the UK giving UK breeders and producers the chance to market their horses nationally and internationally. To our delight, the auction was a huge success - with some high returns for sellers and some absolute bargains to be had for buyers. We brought home a very talented jumping mare who we sold on to an eventer. A very worthwhile venture, with a small profit to be had plus all the excitement of the chase.
Sadly, my friend and protector Jack (pictured) passed away at the grand old age of 11. When you live life surrounded by animals, you know their life span is shorter than ours. Rest in peace, Jack Crane, you will always have a special place in my heart."
Angela
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  | .JPG "William Kennedy") |
Advertisement
Advertisement
