David went on to say:
“It is great that the Futurity now requires all sires of youngstock to be graded. This is filtering down and riders are now increasingly looking for horses bred from graded stock that they know have been assessed and are sound. This will help British breeders in the long-term.”
Sharon Bayston’s eventing filly foal, Parklodge Side By Side (Diarado x Houston) took a higher first premium of 8.96. Sharon from Goole said:
“I am delighted with her. It is a bit frustrating to be so close to elite and not quite get there but we have had some really positive comments. Side By Side is the fourth horse I have bred from my mare, Zarina. Three of them have attained higher first Futurity premiums and one (Parklodge Gunna B) got an elite. Zarina is a good mare for the job!”
Zarina is back in foal to Britannia’s Mail for 2017.
Best of the jumpers with a higher first premium of 8.80 was Christian Cotter’s yearling filly, Be My Juliet (Womanizer x Maltstriker DV). This filly was bred by Rachel Hughes.
Christian’s partner, Sarah Cockerham said:
“Be My Juliet was just brilliant at the Futurity. Whenever anyone comes to the yard at home they comment on her conformation and movement, so it is excellent that they also thought the same at Richmond.”
Christian bought Be My Juliet as he and Sarah also own a four-year- old, Be My Romeo, who is also by Womanizer. Christian comes from West Howick.
The dressage section at Richmond was headed by Sue Simmons’ colt foal, Friday Knight Of Westoak (Flammengold x Londonderry) with a higher first premium of 8.80. Sue from Pilsley near Chesterfield said:
“I am really pleased with Friday Knight of Westoak, I put my mare, Louise to dressage stallion, Flammengold for the first time and he has turned out to be great”.
Louise also bred the elite Futurity scoring foal, Carsten of Westoak back in 2010.
Tom Walling from Cumbria Arabians in Selkirk earned a higher first premium of 8.71 with colt foal Cumbria New Dawn (Cumbria Black Beaujangles x Alhaaarth) to top the endurance section at Richmond. Tom’s girlfriend Fiona Pearson said;
“We are just thrilled with the score, this is the first time we have been to the Futurity.”
Tom bred Cumbria New Dawn from his thoroughbred mare, Feminist who won and was placed in flat races.
Fiona continued:
“We wanted to breed an Anglo-Arab foal and used our stallion Cumbria Black Beaujangles. Feminist is back in foal to Cumbria Black Beaujangles for 2017. Cumbria New Dawn is for sale and we are hoping that his good Futurity score will attract better competition riders.”
For more information, visit www.britishbreeding.org.
