# Anyone had any experience from Billy Stud



## Alice Pearson (13 October 2012)

Hi this is my first post on this forum so apologies if I've posted in wrong section. I'm looking to buy a nice young horse 4/5 even 6 I have always thought the horses I've seen from the Billy stud were lovely and was planning a trip down to have a look. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of dealing with them and Donal Barnwell? I believe Donal has lots of additional horses to sell alongside the "Billy" horses. Does anyone know what sort of prices I should be looking at, I have seen a few adverts over the last week but nothing mentions any prices? Any information anyone has I would be very grateful of. Many thanks Alice x


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## KatB (13 October 2012)

Hi, and welcome! A friend of mine knows a few people who have brought from there, and they can range from about 4k to as much as you want to pay! They know what they're doing though, so you won't get any "hidden talent" or bargains from them, butgenerally very straight youngsters bred to do a job


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## Twinkley Lights (13 October 2012)

Agree they all look fantastic .

PS: you should know the phantom button pusher may strike for this sort of post ... but might be ok as it's Pippa and her face must fit


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## Alice Pearson (13 October 2012)

Thanks for replies I really am genuine I did wonder when I wrote it that it looked a bit like an advert but I can assure everyone I am looking for a lovely young horse. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience as I'm a bit naive and need all the advice I can possibly get. X


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## TarrSteps (13 October 2012)

I don't know, I think it's a genuine query.

As KatB said, you won't find a bargain but they should be straight with you about why the horses are priced as they are and while they are in the business of selling horses, they are also a business and need to protect their reputation. They breed some lovely, lovely horses. If I had the budget I'd have a Cevin Z in a heartbeat!

The only thing I will say - not against them at all - is I know a couple of people with limited budgets who have gone there and seen/sat on horses they could not afford, then got very discouraged about their own prospects. Like anything else, be realistic and, if you can, take your own advisor. They are good horsemen and know what they're about but at the end of the day their mandate is to sell you a horse!


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## Nicnac (13 October 2012)

Welcome - depends what you want the horse to do.  Lovely lovely horses, but if you are looking for, what they term, a competition horse you will need deep pockets


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## Nosey (13 October 2012)

Went there about 10yrs ago now. Told donal on phone  my budget was round 5k. Wanted something broken & basic schooling but only for max novice BE. Seemed fine with that but all he had when I went was a stunning unbroken 3yo that was amazing loose jumped but he wanted about 10k for him. Price quickly came down when I said out of my budget but was too much horse for me sadly. Then they dealt more in pros rides I believe...not sure now if they cater for a range of abilities. That foxhunter win won't do their business any harm ;-)


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## sj_xc_hannah_ (13 October 2012)

I have a Billy horse who I didn't buy direct from the Stud but after he'd been with a show jumper, and although biased he is lovely, it's obvious that they put thought into every horse they breed, they all seem to be well put together, move well and mine is particularly well tempered which is something his dad was known for so if you've got the budget it would definitely be worth a look. Obviously younger is cheaper!


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## LEC (13 October 2012)

I have a feeling my friend has just bought a 3yo from them. They had a very good budget though and would be looking for a 4* horse.

Donal buys quite a few 3yos at Goresbridge brings them back here and breaks them for reselling.


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## seabsicuit2 (13 October 2012)

My friend( who was a v capable rider) bought a v expensive 4 yr old from Donal- talented , but mentally didn't want to know. Still struggling to get it round an Intro 3 years later. 
I'm sure that's just one bad one out of hundreds of successes though. 
But just goes to show that even if you spend £££ with a top dealer, it does not guarantee success!


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## HBM1 (13 October 2012)

I haven't bought from them but have been to one of their open days and a couple of years ago emailed them about a broodmare.  Donal is amazing, he has such fantastic recall about every horse on the farm.  He knows which mare they are out of and which stallion and we are talking a lot of horses.  They seem to really care for the horses and I particularly like the Cevin Z youngsters, all the ones I saw had a certain type.  I am sure it would be worth a call at least.  Don't forget Brendon Stud too.


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## dieseldog (13 October 2012)

Brendon Stud are having an Auction in November.


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## PorkChop (13 October 2012)

I went there about three years ago.  The horses I viewed were four year olds, and they were shown to me loose schooling.

They were very talented, but deep down I felt like they were professional's horses.  He definitely has an eye for a good horse, but only go if you have a decent budget.


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## foxy1 (14 October 2012)

My friend bought an unbroken 3 year old with no breeding recorded for £2500, he's a nice enough horse


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## gvb (21 December 2012)

Hi - bit of a late response but I bought a 3 year old from the Billy Stud in November this year.  I specifically wanted a 3 year old and there were quite a few to look at - all very nice.  I am really pleased with the gelding I bought - temperament to die for and a fantastic happy attitude to everything - backed him myself and he has just been easy.  We did have a budget which we thought was reasonable and he was more towards top end of budget however I feel he was worth it - I'm not looking to sell on etc just wanted a nice horse to compete.  Hope this helps


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## Nosey (30 December 2012)

Do you mind saying what the price range was for the 3yos that you saw gvb? Glad your purchase has been a happy one!


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## Xanthoria (26 November 2018)

bumping this back up as I am about to inquire about horses from Billy Stud. Can anyone say what I might get for 10-15k? Should I mention budget to them at all?


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## alexomahony (27 November 2018)

Have a look at their online auction? You'll need to register but click here https://thebillystudauction.co.uk/ and you can see how much they sold for last year. 
The next one won't be for a while but worth knowing about x


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## ihatework (27 November 2018)

Xanthoria said:



			bumping this back up as I am about to inquire about horses from Billy Stud. Can anyone say what I might get for 10-15k? Should I mention budget to them at all?
		
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Probably a mediocre, backed but not massively produced 4yo or a 3yo showing some loose promise but not top end


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## BunnyDog (27 November 2018)

For my own experience, they NEVER replied to many attempts to inquire about a few of their horses. 

I tried Email and messaging through Facebook. 

I have no idea why but they never responded in any way, shape or form. 

Emily


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## Xanthoria (27 November 2018)

ihatework said:



			Probably a mediocre, backed but not massively produced 4yo or a 3yo showing some loose promise but not top end
		
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Hm, might be better shopping elsewhere? I'm looking for a horse with clear potential to become a 120-130 SJ or eventer...


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## Xanthoria (27 November 2018)

BunnyDog said:



			For my own experience, they NEVER replied to many attempts to inquire about a few of their horses.

I tried Email and messaging through Facebook.

I have no idea why but they never responded in any way, shape or form.
		
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Well that's disappointing! I'll try emailing for kicks...


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## HashRouge (27 November 2018)

Xanthoria said:



			Hm, might be better shopping elsewhere? I'm looking for a horse with clear potential to become a 120-130 SJ or eventer...
		
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I used to work with two Billy Stud mares - they were kept at the yard of an SJ rider I worked for and he used to ride/ compete them for the owner. They weren't top, top level but they were both really decent mares (bought for the owner's daughter who then lost interest). They both did well up to 1m40/ 1m45 and had some really good results. The only thing is, I know they weren't massively well-produced when they were bought (as 4 year olds) so with your budget be prepared to put the work in. I massively rated both mares though - beautiful temperaments and really nice to ride.

ETA both were by Billy Congo.


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## ihatework (27 November 2018)

Xanthoria said:



			Hm, might be better shopping elsewhere? I'm looking for a horse with clear potential to become a 120-130 SJ or eventer...
		
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Well in showjumping terms 1.20 would be classed as mediocre, so you could get a backed 4yo I suspect but you would need to produce it well to reach its potential. If you are looking for that raw wow, then your budget is nowhere near


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## Xanthoria (27 November 2018)

Yes I am pretty mediocre too so that's OK  Maybe I need to up my game!

I am aiming for BE Novice/Intermediate eventing - about 120 - IOW I'll be disappointed if I buy a horse who cannot do that eventually. I bought a 6 month old Dutch colt who turns out not to have the jump now Ive started him, so I need something that's at least under saddle so I have a better idea of scope and willingness.

Doable for my budget?


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## ihatework (27 November 2018)

Xanthoria said:



			Yes I am pretty mediocre too so that's OK  Maybe I need to up my game!

I am aiming for BE Novice/Intermediate eventing - about 120 - IOW I'll be disappointed if I buy a horse who cannot do that eventually. I bought a 6 month old Dutch colt who turns out not to have the jump now Ive started him, so I need something that's at least under saddle so I have a better idea of scope and willingness.

Doable for my budget?
		
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Sorry, that probably came across rude (I didnâ€™t mean it that way!). And yes of course you can buy a good quality green horse for 10-15k to produce for 1.20m/intermediate - whether it reaches its potential is generally down to the rider as the biggest factor.

My gut feeling is you would get an equivalent horse at better value without a Billy prefix. Someone else mentioned checking out the recent auction prices, which would be worth doing. Or maybe approach someone like Liv Craddock who seems to do some of the early work on the Billyâ€™s that are more event types


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## Xanthoria (27 November 2018)

Haha, no it's OK  And I'm sure you're right - the prefix alone is a brand and you pay for branding. I cannot locate their October auction prices tho... but I did send them an email so we shall see... and I looked up Liv Craddock too!


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## sportsmansB (28 November 2018)

For your budget you would still get a decent 4yo in Ireland that was broken and had maybe done a hunt or two, with the potential for intermediate. 
PM me if you want some contacts.


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## Xanthoria (29 November 2018)

Thanks sportsmansB - I've sent you a message as I would love any contacts!


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## HashRouge (29 November 2018)

I'm also 100% certain you could get an equivalent horse for cheaper without the Billy prefix. That said, the mares I knew were both worth their weight in gold, so I'd be tempted to have a look if I had the money!


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## Xanthoria (29 November 2018)

Well it might be moot - I emailed them and no reply. I guess perhaps you have to call?


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## ihatework (29 November 2018)

Xanthoria said:



			Well it might be moot - I emailed them and no reply. I guess perhaps you have to call?
		
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I imagine they get a lot of emails!
Iâ€™d give them a call. When I was looking Donal did call me back but it took a couple of weeks! That was quite a while ago, hopefully they will have some office admin help now.


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## BunnyDog (30 November 2018)

@Xanthoria Just a tip.... and I am in America so obviously take with a HUGE grain of salt. I bought Cudo and Chad from regular people. They cost under or around 10k GBP each.

For sure they're two very nice horses. Now I have Cudo at 1.25 and he did 1.20 there when I bought him. He will be 12 years old in 2019 but didn't jump much/ or at all before age 7 so we're all hopeful that he'll have some miles yet on his body. Certainly my barrage of x-rays didn't yield anything of concern or else he wouldn't have gotten on the plane. Cudo had been for sale in England for every bit of 4 months before I got him.  That's 4 months where folks at home didn't recognize or appreciate what he looked like in pics or video or whatever. 

I would highly recommend searching the Facebook groups. Asking for lots of pics/videos and looking up records. You don't have to buy a 4 yr old to find the 1.20 ability and it might be a bit more fun to be able to go out and do it sooner. 

And I am laughing at 1.20 being considered 'mediocre' over here anything above 1.10m is beyond at least 50% of our showing population. But then we kind of dug our own grave with our shows. (But I don't want to distract from your thread)

Em


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## shortstuff99 (30 November 2018)

Might be worth looking at what Vere Phillips has?


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## Xanthoria (5 December 2018)

BunnyDog said:



@Xanthoria Just a tip.... and I am in America so obviously take with a HUGE grain of salt. I bought Cudo and Chad from regular people. They cost under or around 10k GBP each.

For sure they're two very nice horses. Now I have Cudo at 1.25 and he did 1.20 there when I bought him. He will be 12 years old in 2019 but didn't jump much/ or at all before age 7 so we're all hopeful that he'll have some miles yet on his body. Certainly my barrage of x-rays didn't yield anything of concern or else he wouldn't have gotten on the plane. Cudo had been for sale in England for every bit of 4 months before I got him.  That's 4 months where folks at home didn't recognize or appreciate what he looked like in pics or video or whatever.

I would highly recommend searching the Facebook groups. Asking for lots of pics/videos and looking up records. You don't have to buy a 4 yr old to find the 1.20 ability and it might be a bit more fun to be able to go out and do it sooner.

And I am laughing at 1.20 being considered 'mediocre' over here anything above 1.10m is beyond at least 50% of our showing population. But then we kind of dug our own grave with our shows. (But I don't want to distract from your thread)

Em
		
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Hah! Yes I know - 1.20 is out of the realms of imagination of most people I know in the US! 

I did take your advice, and am scouring the FB pages, and seeing lots to like. I have a trip up to Portland/Seattle in 2 weeks and if all 4 horses I am seeing are boring, I know I need to go (back) to the UK. The idea that I can get a horse who is already out competing at 1m, or 1.10 and in my budget is awesome!


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## ycbm (5 December 2018)

I don't think it's any different in the UK.   Im 20 courses are also out of the realms of imagination of the vast majority of riders in the UK. Only a tiny proportion of riders will ever jump a course at that height. The prices sure are different though!


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## BunnyDog (5 December 2018)

Xanthoria said:



			Hah! Yes I know - 1.20 is out of the realms of imagination of most people I know in the US! 

I did take your advice, and am scouring the FB pages, and seeing lots to like. I have a trip up to Portland/Seattle in 2 weeks and if all 4 horses I am seeing are boring, I know I need to go (back) to the UK. The idea that I can get a horse who is already out competing at 1m, or 1.10 and in my budget is awesome!
		
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Did you reach out to Lindsey Fletcher? She's a great friend in that area and would be likely to know horses you might be seeing and she has lovely ones for sale too but they're in a higher budget point. 

http://www.flyingfsporthorses.com/

You can tell her Emily sent you to her. 

Em


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## Xanthoria (5 December 2018)

I actually did have a look but the two listed are "six figures" which is not in the ballpark


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## BunnyDog (5 December 2018)

Xanthoria said:



			I actually did have a look but the two listed are "six figures" which is not in the ballpark 

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No I get that but reach out to her anyway. She really has her ear to the ground. She knows a TON about most on the market. 

Em


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## MagicMelon (5 December 2018)

(SORRY, but I have no idea how to quote anymore?! so...) "I am aiming for BE Novice/Intermediate eventing - about 120 - IOW I'll be disappointed if I buy a horse who cannot do that eventually. I bought a 6 month old Dutch colt who turns out not to have the jump now Ive started him, so I need something that's at least under saddle so I have a better idea of scope and willingness."

Â£10k-Â£15k you would easily get something with potential for 1.20/1.30's and BE novice/inter.  I got a backed 4yo with absolutely no competition bloodlines for Â£2,300 several years ago, he easily did 1.20's and skipped round BE novices, was going to go intermediate until he injured himself and retired.  IMO, you dont necessarily need the amazing bloodlines but you do need a really willing, genuine temperament as that'll take you far even if the horse itself isn't anything amazingly fancy.  Ive ridden the odd horse with all the bloodlines, most seem to have attitude problems...

The Billy horses look amazing though, but I dont think you have to fork out for the Billy named horse necessarily.


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## Xanthoria (5 December 2018)

BunnyDog said:



			No I get that but reach out to her anyway. She really has her ear to the ground. She knows a TON about most on the market.
		
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OK, I've left her a voicemail


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## Xanthoria (5 December 2018)

MagicMelon said:



			Â£10k-Â£15k you would easily get something with potential for 1.20/1.30's and BE novice/inter.  I got a backed 4yo with absolutely no competition bloodlines for Â£2,300 several years ago, he easily did 1.20's and skipped round BE novices, was going to go intermediate until he injured himself and retired.  IMO, you dont necessarily need the amazing bloodlines but you do need a really willing, genuine temperament as that'll take you far even if the horse itself isn't anything amazingly fancy.  Ive ridden the odd horse with all the bloodlines, most seem to have attitude problems...
		
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That's great to hear - spending that much is actually doing my head in and I'd much prefer to keep it well under 10k! 

And funnily going to see a horse in the US next week with all the moves and some breeding, and a crummy attitude. For $25k. I mean, come on...


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## rextherobber (8 December 2018)

I've been to a couple of The Billy Stud online auction weekends, you can see all the horses videos and X rays online. On the open days you can see the horses in the stables, then the 3 yr olds are loose in the indoor, jumped, and  the 4, 5-6 year olds are all ridden and jumped. The 3 to auction is online on Sunday, the rest on Monday. Prices have gone up significantly in the last 3 years, and they have changed the auction end time to prevent last minute bidding, it ends when there are no bids for 5 minutes. The 3 yo's are generally most expensive, across the board, prices ranged between about Â£3000-Â£60000 this year. But I don't expect you want to wait another 10 months ... I have no experience of the stud apart from on auction weekends, but everyone is very friendly and approachable. Good luck with your horse shopping!


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