The 2011 Baileys Horse Feeds/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity Evaluations got underway on Tuesday (12 July) with a particularly strong showjumping section at Writtle College in Essex.
The top score of the day went to Danielle Cole’s three-year-old colt, Cambridge Paramour, who earned 9.07 in the showjumping section and his second elite premium. The colt, bred by James Small, also achieved an elite when he was presented as a two-year-old.
Cambridge Paramour is by the AES sire, Temple Carone, out of a KWPN mare, Jilarda, while his damsire is the KWPN-licensed hackney stallion, Cambridge Cole.
Beautifully produced and perfectly mannered, his jumping technique both in front and behind were textbook. The evaluators commented that he was a credit to owner and breeder.
The second highest score of the day went to a colt foal, G Force, who scored 9.04 in the showjumping section and claimed an elite premium for his delighted owner and breeder, Gill Wise.
G Force is by the Oldenburg sire, Check In, out of Tiffany H, a KWPN mare by Guidam. Spectacularly built, balanced and proportioned, this two-month old colt wowed the evaluators with the swing and suppleness of his paces and expression.
Two very high first premiums were awarded to Furst Class, a two-year-old by Furst Romancier out of Breitling W, and Bugac Faustus, a yearling by Faustinus out of Zonneglans, both in the dressage section.
About the futurity evaluations
The Baileys Horse Feeds/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity Evaluations have been established to help identify British-bred, young potential sport horses that are destined for careers as showjumpers, dressage horses, eventers, endurance horses and sports ponies.
These evaluations hope to discover potential future Olympic or British Team equine stars and will be held at 15 venues throughout the UK during July and August.
At each venue, entries are limited to 60 horses and are divided by discipline and age group. There are categories for foals, yearlings, two-year-olds and three-year-olds. Each youngster is evaluated on type, temperament and way of going, in-hand and loose in a safe indoor environment and is also assessed by a vet on correctness of conformation.
BEF’s Head of Equine Development, Jan Rogers, said: “The Futurity continues to go from strength to strength. We have more horses participating in 2011 than ever before. Owners and breeders tell us that they find the evaluators’ feedback is invaluable in helping them to understand their horse’s capabilities”
“The results at Writtle College were very encouraging and we are finding that the horses our breeders are producing have the range of talents that are likely to be needed by the growing base of riders who wish to participate in horse sports”.
For further information on the BEF Futurity Evaluations, visit: www.britishbreeding.org
Picture courtesy of Kevin Sparrow
