Celia Clarke, chair and founding director of The Sports Pony Studbook Society (SPSS), has been recognised for her outstanding services to the British sport horse breeding industry.
Mrs Clarke was presented with SEIB Meritoire, at the Breeder’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony in London on 7 January, having been involved in British breeding for more than 30 years.
Last year Celia was pivotal in setting up the British Young Breeders society, which successfully sent a team to compete in the World Championships for Young Breeders in Lyon in France.
Upon receiving the award she said: “I am truly amazed and gratified to be given this award, because as they say at the Oscars, it is the recognition of your work by those in your own field that is really the accolade that matters and the Meritoire is the Oscar of the UK horse breeding world.”
The Horse & Hound Outstanding Mare award, which recognises a mare who has made a great contribution to British equestrianism and left a legacy to future generations, went to the late Kings Mistress.
The mare was bred by John and Jane Poole (pictured) and owned by Mary King. She was by Louella Inschallah II and out of Solo Love and was a full sister to No Complaints.
She had a brief successful eventing career before an injury in the field forced her to retire to stud.
She has bred many top class foals including four star horses Kings Temptress, Kings Fancy and Kings Gem.
Kings Temptress won Rolex Kentucky last April and is ranked second in the British Eventing rankings for 2011.
Award winners included both professional and amateur breeders alike.
Several small breeders, breeding only one or two horses, had a successful evening.
Eventing’s Elizabeth Pears and Gemma Harris picked up awards for Grange Koral (by Ko Pilot) and Prima Donna IV (byDonnersong) respectively.
This was echoed in showjumping where Gemma Plumley’s Kobie (by Animo) bagged the six-year-old award and Lindsay Miller’s Caretino Vantarsi (again by Caretino Glory) lifted the seven-year-old award.
Baileys Horse Feeds, British Breeding and BEF Futurity Certificates of Merit – sponsored by Baileys
Corouet, by Balou Du Rouet, breeder Sarah Bullimore
Early Morning, by Chilli Morning, breeder Nick Gauntlett
Ali Shahrif, by R Ali Bey, breeder Jo Claridge
Woodlander Wales, by Woodlander Wavavoom, breeder Lynne Crowden
Pencarder Condors Boy, by Condor, breeder Roy Haggerty
Woodlander Rock Music, by Woodlander Rockstar, breeder Lynne Crowden
Fames Dakota, by Dakota Ink Spots, breeder D Butcher
Partytime, by Thursden Vallye Raphael, breeder Felicity O Sullivan
Galdiamond Cintillation, by Cendy, breeder Kim Stuart Smith
Dark De Niro, by De Niro, breeder Mark Massarella
Amber Gambler, by H Tobago, breeder Beatrice Louise Graham
She’s A Kinda Majik, by Ecliptic, breeder Frances Ewings
Raincheck, by Rubinero, breeder Vinca Boorman/S Amos
Polos Miners Gold, by Pik Polo, breeder Sarah Marie Turpin
Yawl Hill Maverick, by H Tobago, breeder Kirsty Wiscombe
Abbeywoods Chocolate Brownie, by Copybush Chiron, breeder Mr S Wilson
Condor, by Caretino, breeder Roy Haggerty
Chilli Morning, by Phantomic, breeder Nick Gauntlett
Bernwode Brokat, by Brillant, breeder Sarah Steggall
Barcelona, by Breitling W, breeder Suzanne Lavandera
Elegant C, by Darco, breeder Sue Clarke/Lynne Barker
Loveden Sea Swallow, by Gigman Jacana, breeder Penny Walster
Burrowshot Lass, by Nearly A Hand, breeder Kirsty Wiscombe
Foal award – Woodlander Wild Child (Woodlander Wavavoom), breeder,
Lynne Crowden, owners, Lynne Crowden, Ferdi Eilberg, Alison Walton
Yearling award – Lets Dance (Revolution), breeder and owner, Vienna Bayles
Two-year-old award – Gold Rush (Blue Hors Romanov), breeder and owner, Karen Neild
Three-year-old award – Danny Kannan (Kannan), breeder and owner, Jonathan Parrott
Stallion award – Legrande (Lefrvre), breeder, Lothar Kappe, owner, Lynne Al Redha
Stallion award – Woodlander Wavavoom (Weltregent), breeder and owner, Lynne Crowden
Mare award – Tenderfoot (Be My Chief), breeder, JR Furlong, owner, Grace Muir (HEROS) homed by Kyrle Arscott
(Pictured below: Jennie Loriston-Clarke and Lynne Crowden)
British Eventing Young Horse Awards – sponsored by British Eventing
Four-year-old award – Miss Gemma Harris (breeder) for Prima Donna IV
(Donnersong), owner, Alex Postolowsky
Five-year-old award – Mr & Mrs Firmin (breeders) for Blacklaw Thymelord (Dramiro), owner, Mr & Mrs P Smith
Six-year-old award – Mrs E Pears (breeder) for Grange Koral (Ko Pilot),
owner, Miss Emily Parker
Seven-year-old award – Mrs T Hall (breeder) for Seaworthy (McGuigan),
owner, Miss Sarah Bowe
British Dressage Young Horse Awards– sponsored by British Dressage
Four-year-old award – Caroline Evans (UK Warmbloods) and Dr E Blass (breeders) for Duke Ellington (Dimaggio)
Five-year-old award – Lynne Crowden (Woodlander Stud) (breeder) for
Woodlander Farouche (Furst Heinrich), owner Lynne Crowden, Ferdi Eilberg, Alison Walton
Six-year-old award – Mrs S Mainprice (breeder) for Donnergrollen (Donnersohn), owner, Mrs J Johnston & Mrs J Jones
(Pictured below: Jennie Loriston-Clarke and Suzy Mainprice)
British Showjumping Young Horse Awards – sponsored by British Showjumping
Five-year-old award – Brendon Stud (owner and breeder) for Sussex Caretino (Caretino Glory)
Six-year-old award – Johnsey Estates (UK) Ltd (owner and breeder) for TJ Kobie (Animo)
Seven-year-old award – Lindsay Miller (breeder) for Caretino Vantarsi (Caretino Glory), owner, Michael Fursedonn
Sports Pony Studbook Society British Bred Competition Pony Award –
sponsored by Sports Pony Studbook Society
Falaza (Libro x Chatter by Embla George), breeder Jane Fowles, owner Allyson Blagg
Racehorse to Riding Horses Performance Championships – sponsored by South Essex Insurance Brokers and Retraining of Racehorses
SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship HOYS – Night Prayers,
owned by Mr & Mrs Michael Jerram and ridden by Katie Jerram
Tattersalls Thoroughbred Show Horse Championship Hickstead – Treat Em
Mean, owned by Freda Johnson and Lizzie Richmond and ridden by Lizzie
Richmond
SEIB & RoR Elite Performance Dressage Awards
1st – Theme Park, owned by Derek Frankland and David Trott and ridden by David Trott
=2nd – Star Of Memory, owned and ridden by Alex Phillips
=2nd – Elverys, owned and ridden by CharlotteWilson
SEIB & RoR Elite Performance Endurance Awards
1st – Quercus Maximus, owned and ridden by Lizzie Livingstone
2nd – Jack Dawson, owned by Paul Wright and Margaret Donnolly and ridden by Lorna Kidson
SEIB & RoR Elite Performance Showjumping Awards
1st – Vite Etoile, owned and ridden by Nicola Braidwood
2nd – Moritz, owned by Mr & Mrs Barry Barnes and ridden by Clare Valender
SEIB & RoR Elite Performance Eventing Awards
1st – Dry Old Party, owned by Jess Mead and ridden by Tom McEwen
2nd – Seven O Seven, owned by Sophie Bunch and ridden by Sam Penn
Horse & Hound Outstanding Mare Award – sponsored by Horse & Hound
King’s Mistress (Louella Inschallah II x Solo Love by Solon Morn), bred by John and Jane Poole and owned by Mary King
British Equestrian Federation Europeans Excellence Award – sponsored by the British Equestrian Federation
Teddy, pedigree and breeder unknown, owned by Sally-Ann Brown and ridden by Anne Dunham
South Essex Insurance Brokers Meritoire – sponsored by South Essex Insurance Brokers
Celia Clarke