SPSS Awards - The Dancer Medal

The Dancer Medal

The SPSS instigated the Dancer Medal in 2007 as testimony to the achievements of the pony stallion Dancer, better known in the UK as Broomford Dancer. During Dancer’s illustrious career he represented Holland and Great Britain at the European Pony Dressage Championships and is also a renowned sire of some of Europe’s top pony stallions and performance ponies.

The Medal is an original piece of artwork commissioned by the SPSS from Belinda Sillars and is modelled on Dancer himself. It is a discretionary award given annually to a worthy SPSS registered pony that has achieved excellence in either competition or breeding.

Read about the winners below:

Roll of Honour

Photo by kind permission of Qorum Photos

2017 - RFS Socrates

Awarded to SPSS Elite graded RFS Socrates (Sarkozy x Rudgeway Charming Prince), British-bred & owned by Jo Wright, in recognition of his being the youngest pony competing at the 2017 Pony European Championships.

Socrates was ridden by 15 year old Leah Murphy (IRL) and they were both in their first year of international competition. Socrates was the sole British-bred representative in the Dressage Championship and was bred in Nottinghamshire by his owner Jo Wright of Rufford Stud.

Jo made a last minute decision to travel to Hungary to support Leah and Socrates in person, arriving just in time for his first test. Afterwards Jo commented “It was definitely worth travelling that far to be there. Socrates coped with the atmosphere really well, especially considering he’s only seven years old. Leah has worked so hard, I’m excited to watch them develop further for next year.”

Photos by kind permission of Kevin Sparrow

2016 - Littledale Bright Star

Awarded to SPSS passported and Elite graded Littledale Bright Star (Catherston Nightsafe x Burstye Trajan), British-bred by Mrs Littledale & Miss Adams & owned by Jennie Loriston-Clarke, in recognition of his being the first SPSS passported stallion to sire a pony or horse competing in FEI international competitions.

Littledale Bright Star’s SPSS passported son, Catherston Bit of Gold (x Catherston Gold Eagle), was clear in the 1.25m class at the 2015 Keysoe 2* International Showjumping (CSI) competition and another of his son’s, Prairie Star (x O Malley), completed the 2* International 3 Day Event at Hartpury in 2012.

Cruz and Jayne Turney at the National Dressage Championships in 2015

Photo by kind permission of Kevin Sparrow

2015 - Cruz

Awarded to the 6 year old SPSS passported gelding, Cruz (Caesar 171 x Don Larino), the 2015 British Dressage National Medium Restricted Champion. Cruz, who competes as Cruz III, was bred by Rachel Silk in Worcestershire out of her small Oldenburg mare, Chaniera (Don Larino x Casteddu xx). In 2012, Cruz was bought by Olympic Gold medal winning dressage rider, Charlotte Dujardin, who sent him to her friend Jayne Turney for backing just before Christmas 2012. Jayne brought Cruz on slowly in 2013 but they still finished the season by becoming the SPSS Young Dressage Pony Champions at what was only his third competition and first time indoors.

In 2014, Jayne qualified Cruz for the BD Regional Championships at Novice Open level before passing the ride to the multiple Pony Team & Individual medallist, Phoebe Peters, and they won the Addington Manor Regionals and then the British Dressage National Novice Open Championships. This year, Jayne and Cruz won the Medium Restricted Regional Championships at Keysoe then triumphed at the Nationals, scoring 72.22% and finishing more that 2% ahead of second place.

Photo by kind permission of Gill Hagen-Green

2014 - Caesar 171

Awarded to Caesar 171 (Condor x Askan) in recognition of the success of his British-bred progeny in 2014. In particular:

his 7 year old SPSS Elite graded stallion son, LE Chiffre, who was named as Reserve for the 2014 GB Pony European Championships Dressage Team with his rider Lara Kuropatwa as a result of having had scores of over 70% in international competitions
his 5 year old gelding son, Cruz, who was British Dressage National Novice Open Champion ridden by Phoebe Peters
his 5 year old daughter, Ella, who was 4th at the Frys British Dressage Regional Championship at Novice Open level (ridden by Kelly Oxtoby) and was the 2014 SPSS Mare Grading Champion

As a result of these and other progeny results, Caesar was ranked 8th in the British Dressage Top 40 Sires (2014 Season) listing and he was only pony stallion listed.

Photo by kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

2013 - LE Chiffre

Awarded to the dressage pony stallion LE Chiffre (Caesar 171 x Donnerwetter) to mark his achievement in being the first SPSS passported pony to represent GB at FEI level in an International competition when he and Chloe Vell competed for GB at the Hickstead CDI in August. As LE Chiffre is a SPSS graded stallion, this achievement also earned him the Elite accolade and he is also the youngest stallion (at 6 years old) to receive this honour.

LE Chiffre's owner and co-breeder (with her mother Bev), Sam Brown is pictured collecting the Dancer medal from SPSS grading judge Hans-Heinrich Bruening

2012 - Rembrandt DDH

Awarded to the dressage pony stallion Rembrandt DDH in recognition of his contribution (with rider Maisie Scruton) to the British pony dressage team at the 2011 and 2012 Pony European Championships. Rembrandt had already been successful with the Dutch pony dressage team when he came to the UK to be ridden by Maisie Scruton in Autumn 2010. Despite them being a new partnership, they quickly impressed the selectors and so were selected for the British team in 2011. At the Championships, they scored an impressive personal best in the Team Test to take 6th place and be the highest scoring British combinations. Maisie and Rembrandt then went on to score well in the Individual and Kur Championships, being placed 9th both times. In 2012, Maisie and Rembrandt had another very successful National and International competition campaign, resulting in selection once again for the British team. At the Pony European Championships, fourth place for the team and highest British Pony team average of 70%+ was a great end to their pony careers together.

2011 - Edith Rutherford

In a break with tradition, instead of the medal being presented to a worthy SPSS registered pony, for 2011, the SPSS Committee decided that the medal should be awarded to Mrs Edith Rutherford. Edith was one of the first SPSS Directors and not only acted as Treasurer, managed the finances and produced all the accounts, but also worked tirelessly to build and support the studbook until her retirement from the SPSS Committee in 2011. Edith was the key instigator of this award and she selected and worked with the artist in the medal’s production. Indeed, Edith is pictured (on the right) with the medal’s creator, Belinda Sillars, taking delivery of the first medal at Badminton Horse Trials.

2010 SOS Kantje’s Unicolor

Awarded to SOS Kantje’s Unicolor for excellence in breeding and, in particular, his progeny results from 2007-10 in the BEF Futurity evaluations giving him the top ranking position in the “all years” Sports Pony list at the end of 2010. In addition, his daughter, SOS What Apricot Wants gained an Elite score in 2010 and was the highest scoring Sports Pony across all ages and disciplines. SOS Kantje’s Unicolor is a Nederlands New Forest Pony by Berkhof’s Higgledy Piggledy out of Kantje’s Odessa (by Watershof Pretendent). He was bred by Fa. van de Rakt and is owned by Georgia Stokes of SOS Sports Horses. Unicolor is pictured with Georgia's son, Redvers, and the medal.

2009 Bernwode Brokat

Awarded to Bernwode Brokat for excellence in breeding and, in particular, his progeny results in the 2009 BEF Futurity Evaluations which ranked him as the ‘Leading UK Sire of Sports Ponies’. Bernwode Brokat was bred in Germany by Z G Michelbrand and imported to the UK aged 3. He is by the British-bred Weser-Ems foundation stallion Brillant out of Cornelia (by Diamant II) and is owned by Sarah Steggall of Bernwode Stud. Sarah is pictured receiving the 2009 SPSS Dancer medal with Brokat and rider Sam Brown

Photo above by kind permission of British Breeding and Trevor Meeks

2008 Catherston Nutsafe

Awarded to Catherston Nutsafe for her outstanding competition record and, in particular, her performance at the 2008 Pony European Championships. Catherston Nutsafe (by Catherston Nightsafe out of Catherston Dauntless by Dutch Courage) was bred in Britain by Lizzie Murray of Catherston Stud. Lizzie is pictured collecting the Medal on behalf of Catherston Nutsafe from SPSS Treasurer, Edith Rutherford (on right).

Picture taken by Trevor Meeks and by kind permission of SEIB

2007 Gorsfraith Brenin

Awarded to Gorsfraith Brenin as the highest placed SPSS licensed/graded stallion on the British Breeding Futurity Young Horse Evaluations Active Stallion list in 2007. Gorsfraith Brenin is a British-bred Welsh Section D stallion by Clyngim Deryn Du out of Estow Bernadette (by Cippyn Rhodri), was bred by C F Hawking and is owned by Kerensa Pluess-Cobbledick of Trevoulter Barton Stud. Kerensa is pictured receiving the Medal on behalf of Gorsfraith Brenin from SPSS Chair, Celia Clarke, at the 2008 British Breeders Dinner.

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