The breeder of Oliver Townend’s winning Burghley ride Carousel Quest is to be presented with a £1000 prize. Joan Hood from Hampshire bred the now fourteen year old gelding and will receive a cheque in recognition of her contribution to British breeding.

Carousel Quest’s sire Carousel is a Holsteiner stallion standing at Broadoak Stud in Hampshire. He has produced sport horses within all the disciplines and is renowned for his jumping ability and temperament.

His dam, Thoroughbred mare Vickidora, is by Cava Doro who in turn is by the stallion Sir Ivor, meaning that Carousel Quest is a truly modern event horse – a result of successfully crossing warmblood bloodlines with the Thoroughbred.

Joan, a keen supporter of the BEF’s Futurity evaluations designed to spot potential in young horses says of Carousel Quest “it was obvious that he had tremendous talent from a young age and he has had great riders in Cressy Clague-Reading and Oliver Townend. The secret is to have a plan - combining great bloodlines with good early production and then the topping this off with a good rider. I couldn’t be more thrilled!”

An advanced eventer with 926 British Eventing (BE) points, a total boosted by his Burghley win and an eighth place at Lexington in April, the versatile gelding also has a British Show Jumping Association (BSJA) performance record - he is a Grade C showjumper with £126 winnings.