Three youngsters were awarded elite premiums at the Baileys Horse Feeds/British Breeding/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity held at Richmond Equestrian Centre, North Yorkshire on Friday (8 August).
Heading the scores was Kate and Tim Betteridge’s gelding foal, Jorvik Star (Balou Star x Cruyff) in the showjumping section with an elite premium of 9.20 (pictured top).
The Futurity evaluators said: “He has super proportions and an active walk as well as a balanced and powerful canter.”
Kate bred Jorvik Star from her grade B mare, C Vera Z. “This is the first foal we have bred and I am just thrilled. I am also delighted for the mare,” she said.
Filly foal, Davillon Athena pictured right (Up With The Lark x Busk Hill Gunnar) went home the best potential eventer with an elite premium of 9.14 for owner and breeder David Dixon from Hambleton.
Davillon Athena’s dam, Baydale Venus is a fourth generation homebred mare, bred by the late Shelia Fenwick. David showed horses for Shelia for 20 years and bought the former HOYS ridden hack winner to breed from.
“Davillon Athena is a super foal. She is by our stallion Up With The Lark, who we think the world of and with her dam too we hoped she would be really special,” said David.
Another filly foal took the final elite premium. In the dressage section, Ciao Bella pictured left (Clapton x Weltregent H) took an elite premium of 9.00. Ciao Bella was bred by Lynne Crowden and is now owned by Samantha Brown.
The Futurity evaluators said: “She has super carriage, steps, balance and rhythm with excellent lift in the canter”.
Louise Smales’ eventing filly foal, Cornsay Diadem (Littledale Bright Star x Kings Theatre) was best of the sports ponies with a higher first premium of 8.94. Louise has three mares and has been breeding for the past few years.
She said: “Diadem is a cracking foal, she has so much about her and is very trainable. We have set out to breed good quality, rideable, trainable sports horses.
“Out of the six we have bred so far, five have attended the Futurity, three have come away with higher firsts and two with firsts. We also bred the winner of the foal class at Osberton last year, Cornsay Pendragon.
“The futurity gives the youngsters a kick-start in life and helps us prove to ourselves that we are breeding the right sort of horse.”
Topping the yearlings was Geraldine Ward’s showjumping colt, Invictus (Revival x Esteban) who scored a higher first premium of 8.80.
Geraldine said: “Invictus’ dam, Bullands Sensation was a brilliant young riders horse for my elder daughter, Stephanie.
“She is an amazing horse and for two years jumped on under 21’s nations cup teams. She is 23 now so Invictus is her last offspring.”
Best two-year-old was eventing sports pony, Tarnbrook Take it All (Thursden Vallye Raphael x Honeypot Sporran), who scored a higher first premium of 8.79 for owner and breeder, Alison Fearn.
The top scoring three-year-old was Primitive Promise (Primitive Proposal x Catherston Dazzler) with a higher first premium of 8.78 in the eventing section for owner Melanie Dixon and breeders, The Louella Stud.
Evaluators Lucinda Sims, Jennie Loriston Clarke and Bridget Parker were joined by Futurity vet, Jane Nixon.
Pictures by Kevin Sparrow
