SPORTS PONY STUDBOOK SOCIETY

  A DEFRA approved Passport Issuing Organisation

Studbook Office: The Last House, Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Bedfordshire MK44 2JJ

Tel: 07703 566066    Email: 

Normal office hours - Monday to Friday 10.30 am to 4 pm

Note that the SPSS Office relocated in April 2014 and the contact details at the top of the page should now be used for all contact with the SPSS
Home Information & FAQ Membership Passports Registration
Stallions For Sale Grading Events

 

2013 NEWS

 

 

Want a copy?  Click here to find out how.

Click here for 2016 News

Click here for 2015 News

Click here for 2014 News

Click here for 2012 News

Click here for 2011 News 

Click here for 2010 News 

Click here for 2008/2009 News

Click here for 2006/2007 News

Click here for 2004/2005 News 

 

Performance Test Success for Wadacre's Wee Pocket Rocket

*  2013 Dancer Medal awarded to LE Chiffre

*  2013 SPSS AGM Announcement & British Stallion Event

*  Young Dressage Pony Championship Results

Young Eventing Pony Championship Results

*  Mare Grading Results

*  Stallion Grading Results

*  Entries open for 2013 Young Dressage Pony Championships

*  Entries Open for 2013 Young Eventing Pony Championships

*  Entries Open for 2013 SPSS Stallion & Mare Gradings

*  SOS Kantje's Unicolor Update

*  SPSS Elite Graded Mare 15th at Pony Euros

*  SPSS Stallion News

*  SPSS Graded Mare Selected for Pony Euros

*  News of Elite Graded Mare - Sapphire Blue

*  WFS Top Red Selected for BEF Equine Bridge

*  Dressage Team Announced for Pony Euros

*  SPSS Graded Mare Long-listed for Pony Euros

*  First BEF Equine Bridge Assessment Day

*  2013 Pony European Championships

*  2013 BEF Futurity Equine Bridge

*  First Foal Report of 2013

SPSS Ponies at the Under 25s Dressage Festival

*  Success for SOS Kantje's Unicolor

*  Loveden Sea Swallow Promoted to SPSS Head Studbook

*  Australian Achievements

*  Rembrandt DDH attending SSGB Stallion Parade

*  Prestigious Pony Breeding & Performance Award for Bernwode Brokat

*  SPSS Breeder Rewarded at Breeders Dinner

*  Bernwode Brokat Stars on the British Breeder Cover

*  SPSS Merit Award for Bathleyhills Monet

*  2012 Dancer Medal Awarded to Rembrandt DDH

*  2013 Year Book and Stallion Guide

*  Dates Announced For 2013 SPSS Young Pony Championships

*  2013 British Stallion Event

*  2013 British Breeders' Awards Dinner

Key Dates in 2013

*  Guidance on Obtaining a Passport

 

Click here for a summary of Events for the year

 

Short cuts to Event Reports:

*  2013 Gradings

*  2013 Young Dressage Pony Championships

*  2013 Young Eventing Pony Championships

*  2013 Pony European Championships

 

Back to Top

 

Performance Test Success for Wadacre's Wee Pocket Rocket

 

Jeannette Matthews-Griffiths' British-bred and SPSS graded stallion Wadcre's Wee Pocket Rocket (Waikiki of Wadacre x Hurstead Spruce) recently completed the 30 day Performance Test for small horses in Germany, finishing 3rd overall.

 

Holding a WBS-UK passport, Pocket Rocket went out to Germany for his initial grading and he passed the Hannover Pony Verband licensing at Adelheidsdorf in February 2012. While in Germany, Pocket Rocket has sired Premium winning foals and he is returning to the UK for the 2014 stud season.

Back to Top

2013 Dancer Medal awarded to LE Chiffre

 

The 2013 SPSS Dancer Medal has been awarded to the SPSS Elite Graded dressage pony stallion LE Chiffre (Caesar 171 x Donnerwetter) in recognition of him being the first SPSS passported pony to compete Internationally when he and Chloe Vell competed for GB at the Hickstead CDI in August. As LE Chiffre is a SPSS graded stallion, this achievement has also earned him the Elite accolade.

 

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.

 

LE Chiffre was bred by Bev & Sam Brown who still own him and he is by Sam's former international dressage pony, the SPSS Elite graded, Caesar 171, who stands with LE Chiffre at Sam's Godrics Stud near  Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear.  LE Chiffre's dam, Tiger Lily has several notable ponies in her pedigree, including the highly acclaimed sire Dancer (known in the UK as Broomford Dancer and another SPSS Elite sire) and the renown German State Premium mare, Kaprice.

 

The 2007 British Breeding Best British-bred Pony Foal, LE Chiffre was backed and brought on by his owner/co-breeder (Sam Brown) and his first test rider (Becky Moody).  As a 5 year old, LE Chiffre had a great first year in affiliated dressage.  He was one of just two 5 year olds to qualify for and compete at Elementary Open level at the National Championships - and the only pony in the class.  LE Chiffre then competed at the 2012 SPSS Open Young Dressage Pony Championships where he was the Top 5 Year Old & Reserve Champion overall. 

 

LE Chiffre went to pony rider Chloe Vell in 2013 to start at FEI Pony level and after competing at the Keysoe and Addington Manor Premier League Shows, they were selected for the Hickstead CDI at the beginning of August. Just 6 weeks after his 6th birthday, LE Chiffre did well and finished in the top 6 in the FEI Pony Team & Music tests and 3rd in the Individual test.

 

Read about other Dancer Medal recipients here

 

 

 

LE Chiffre & Chloe Vell at the 2013 Hickstead CDI

By kind permission of Rui Pedro Godinho

 

 

Back to Top

2013 SPSS AGM Announcement & British Stallion Event

 

SPSS members are invited to attend the 2013 AGM.  It is being held on Saturday 4th January 2014 at 10.30am in a classroom at the Hartpury Arena (Hartpury College, near Gloucester GL19 3BE).  The room will be open from 10am and we plan to have hot drinks and cake for attendees.  Entrance to the Hartpury Arena classrooms is from the lower of the 2 main entrances and we will put a notice on the door to say which room we are using.

 

We have chosen to hold the 2013 AGM at the same location as the British Bred Sport Horse Stallion Event in the hope that more members will attend as we are seeking your input into future events and initiatives.  The stallions are due to start parading at noon and tickets are available on the door (at a cost of £10); more information is available here and the SPSS will have a display stand at the event so please come and chat does us even if you're not able to attend the AGM.

 

Please  before Tuesday 31st December if you plan to attend.

 

The Agenda can be downloaded here

2013 Champion Dressage Pony

Cruz ridden by Jayne Turney

Photos by qorum-photos.com

Back to Top

Young Dressage Pony Championship Results

 

To the SPSS's great delight, at the Bury Farm High Profile Show on 30th November and for the second year running, a SPSS passported pony was declared the Champion Young Dressage Pony.  The top 4 year old pony, British-bred gelding Cruz ridden by Jayne Turney was and bred by Rachel Silk and is by the SPSS Elite graded sire, Caesar 171 and out of the SPSS graded mare Chaniera (Don Larino x Casteddu xx).  Cruz is owned by double Olympic Champion, Charlotte Dujardin, who Jayne said, wants to train a pony to GP level.  Jayne has had Cruz for just under a year and in that time has backed him and taken him to a couple of shows, but this was his first test indoors.

 

Reserve Champion was the second placed 4 year old pony, the German bred Dumbledore D ridden by his owner, Julia Walker, then third placed overall was the top 6 year old pony, the German bred SPSS graded stallion Classic's Charmeur, ridden by Megan Pomphret and owned by Jacke Mathieson. Although the top 3 ponies were all purpose bred for dressage, only a fraction behind in 4th place was Sorrelcourt Masquarade (Glynwyn Yab-a-dab-a-doo x Cippyn Red Flyer), a striking 4 year old WPCS Sec C, owned and ridden by Sarah Mitchell-Smith and the top scoring 5 year old pony was the pure bred British Connemara mare, Kirtle Bluebell (Castle Gizmo x Tiercel Woodman).  Bluebell was bred in Scotland by Mr & Mrs W Hodge at their small stud is owned by her rider, Sophie Palmer.

 

The other combinations were all British bred and included a HOYS competitor, a British Riding Pony, a 6 year old who started his life as an unwanted "BOGOF" foal and a son of the SPSS graded WPCS Sec A, Sunwillow Jubilee.

 

Click here to see the full results and read more about all the competitors.  The SPSS is very grateful to Bury Farm for hosting these classes for us, to British Dressage for generously providing horse registration vouchers to the section winners and to Jacke Mathieson for giving all competitors a Wish Bands voucher.

Back to Top

Young Eventing Pony Championship Results

 

The third Open Young Eventing Pony Championship took place on Sunday 3rd November 2013 at The College Equestrian Centre, Keysoe.  The Championship classes were open to 4, 5 and 6 year old ponies up to and including 148cms (149 cms with shoes) in height and riders could be any age  (including adults). 

 

Overall Eventing Champion was the 6 year old winner, Johnny Cash ridden by 15 year old Jasmine Roach.  Johnny is a British-bred TB/New Forest who was bred by his owner, Charlotte Springall of Springall Equestrian who has been with the Roach family since he was 4.  Reserve Champion, 5 year old Renkum Bombadier and Daisy Bathe were the only other young pony entrants to complete on their dressage score.  Bombadier is also British-bred (by Henk Minderman) and is by the Welsh Section B Wharley Grenadier out of an AES registered mare by the International GP Show Jumper Cobretti.  As the youngest rider, 10 year old Daisy also won the SPSS Teddy prize.

 

A full report and results are provided here. The SPSS is very grateful to The College for hosting these classes for us and for British Eventing for generously providing training vouchers to the section winners.

2013 Champion Eventing Pony

Johnny Cash ridden by Jasmine Roach

Photo by qorum-photos.com

2013 Mare Champion - Bernwode Golden Delicious

Photo by kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

Back to Top

2013 Mare Grading Results

 

At the main grading, all 5 mares forward graded into one of the SPSS Studbooks depending on grading score, performance record and completeness of pedigree.  The judges were Herr Hans-Heinrich Bruening and Mrs Celia Clarke. 

 

The Mare Champion was Sarah Steggall and Caroline Hunt's 4 year old Bernwode Golden Delicious (Bernwode Brokat x Golden Dancer)Known at home as "Piglet" due to her appearance at birth, she bred by Sarah and is the second SPSS Mare Champion by the SPSS Elite stallion, Bernwode Brokat (Brillant x Diamant II).  Piglet scored over 83% and thus went in to the prestigious SPSS Head Studbook.  Piglet is a future mount for Caroline's young daughter and was presented with a SPSS Thermatex Rug.

 

The Reserve Champion mare, Escley Trump Card (Criccieth Victor x Pendock Trapeze), also scored over 80% and went into the Head Studbook.  Trump Card is a 6 year old Welsh Mountain Pony (WPCS Sec A) and she was bred by Mrs R C Hunter and is owned by Kerensa Cobbledick of Trevoulter Barton Stud.  Trump Card was presented with a Wish Bands beaded browband by their creator, Jacke Mathieson.

 

Click here for the full report.

Back to Top

2013 Stallion Grading Results

 

Eight stallions (out of 14 presented) passed assessment at the Main Grading in 2013 and were either given permanent graded status or awarded a license for an initial period.  The grading judges were Mrs Celia Clarke, Herr Hans-Heinrich Bruening and Mr Geoff Glazzard. 

 

The Stallion Champion was the 2 year old, Woodlander Wales (Woodlander Wavavoom x Talon Teifion).  Wales was bred in Britain by Lynne Crowden and carries the prefix of her Woodlander Stud which is renown for breeding warmblood horses.   As a foal, Wales was the 2011 SPSS In-Hand Show Champion and was awarded an Elite premium at his futurity evaluation.  Wales was also presented at the 2013 Futurity Evaluation, where he was equally successful, scoring 9.30 for another Elite and again being the highest scoring pony. 

 

Reserve Champion was the 3 year old, Higherspen Show Time (Eindershof Jamai x Bayloveny). Another British-bred pony, Show Time was bred by Jane Dewhurst, who still owns him.  Both Showtime's sire and dam are SPSS graded, with his dam, Shannaya Bayloveny  grading into the SPSS Head Studbook in 2007.  Jacke Mathieson of Wish Bands presented a lovely beaded browband to Show Time.  Click here for the full report.

2013 Stallion Champion, Woodlander Wales, judges Hans Heinrich Bruening (far left) and Geoff Glazzard (far right), owner/breeder Lynne Crowden and handler Karsten Sandrock

 

Photo by kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

2011 Champion - the German-bred 4 year old stallion Der Kleine Lord pictured wearing his SPSS Thermatex Rug prize, ridden by Erin Williams and owned by her mother, Clare. 

Back to Top

Entries open for 2013 Young Dressage Pony Championships

 

The 2013 Young Dressage Pony Championships take place this year at Bury Farm, Buckinghamshire on Saturday 30th November. The event is being sponsored by the SPSS, supported by BD and organised and run by Bury Farm as part of their BD High Profile Show on that date. There are no qualifiers for the event so entry is direct to the championships.

 

This will be the fourth time the Young Dressage Pony Championships has run in this format (previously it was part of the British Dressage Young Horse and Breeding Championships). Past competitors have gone on to compete Internationally for GB, most notably, Madam's Miss Maria who was a member of the British Dressage team at 2012 Pony Europeans having placed 2nd in the 5 year old class at the Championships in 2010.  The 2011 Champion Der Kleine Lord and the 2012 Reserve Champion LE Chiffre both competed internationally for GB in 2013 aged just 6 years.

Open to BD registered and un-registered ponies only up to and including 148cms in height (149cms with shoes) the event includes sections for four, five and six year olds. Riders/owners need not be BD members and may be any age. The prizes are generous with £50 to the Overall Champion as well as a Thermatex Rug and voucher for BD Horse registration. The Reserve Champion receives £30 and the overall 3rd placed combination £20. The other section winners receive a voucher for 50% off Horse Registration. There's also a prize of a SPSS Teddy Bear for the youngest rider!

 

Although entries can be made on-line through Bury Farm's website, postal entries are preferred as all entrants are requested to provide information about the pedigree etc of their pony so that breeding information can be provided to spectators. Further information, including entry form, prize list and full rules, can be found here. The judges for 2013 are both very used to evaluating dressage ponies as they are Jenny Ward (British Dressage List One Judge and past British Dressage Pony Team Selector) and Darryl Thickitt (British Dressage Pony Team Trainer and International Rider)

Harriette Williams & Madam's Miss Maria at the 2012 Pony European Championships. 

2012 Champion Eventing Pony

Feagh Delamain ridden by Chloe Bell

Back to Top

 

Entries Open for the Young Eventing Pony Championships

 

The third Open Young Eventing Pony Championships will take place on Sunday 3rd November 2013 at The College Equestrian Centre, Church Road, Keysoe, Bedfordshire MK44 2JP (note that this is an amendment to the date/venue published in the SPSS Year Book).  The Championships are open to 4, 5 and 6 year old ponies up to and including 148cms (149 cms with shoes) in height and riders can be any age  (including adults).  The Championships are sponsored by the SPSS and supported by British Eventing

 

The College is a top class venue and it's central location is easily accessible from the A1, M1 and A14. Running the event at The College will enable a more extensive and realistic cross country phase where the fences will be laid out to allow a reasonable pace and be more like riding cross country than doing a working hunter course.

 

Spectators are very welcome at this event and a running order will be available including information about the breeding of each pony.  The College Cafe will be open and there will also be information about the SPSS available.

 

More information and entry forms here.

Back to Top

 

Entries Open for 2013 SPSS Stallion & Mare Gradings

 

Entry forms are now available for the 2013 SPSS Stallion & Mare Gradings which are being held on Saturday 12th October at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre, Mill Road Slapton Bucks LU7 9BT. 

 

The mare grading will take place in the morning, judged by Hans Heinrich Bruening & Celia Clarke then the stallions will be presented in the afternoon. The stallions also have the option of doing the British Showjumping stallion assessment as Geoff Glazzard will be part of the judging panel, alongside Hans Heinrich Bruening and Celia Clarke.

 

The height limit for both mares and stallions is 158cms and early entry is advised as last year all spaces were filled well before the closing date. Specialist equestrian photographer Julia Shearwood will be the official event photographer.   Find out more here.

 

 

Spectators welcome – Free Entry

2012 Mare Champion, Madam's Miss Maria and rider Harriette Williams with judge, Hans-Heinrich Bruening

Photo by kind permission of Nicola Elliott Photography

www.nicolaelliottphotography.co.uk

Back to Top

SOS Kantje's Unicolor Update

 

SPSS Graded stallion, SOS Kantje's Unicolor and 12 year old Poppy Padley have had a very successful summer.  They were 2nd overall in the C Squad competition at the BYRDS Inter-Regional at the end of June, which helped them gain selection to represent their Region again at the BYRDS Home International, where their team placed 10th (out of 25 teams). 

 

Then in early September, Poppy and the Dutch New Forest "Nippy" placed 3rd in the Elementary Restricted Pet Plan Area Festival class at Wellington Riding and this has qualified them for the Area Festival Final at the British Dressage Winter Championships in April 2014.  Poppy and Nippy are pictured competing in the Area Festival class.

SPSS Elite Graded Mare 15th at Pony Euros

Back to Top

 

The British-bred, SPSS Elite graded mare, Catherston Nutsafe (Catherston Nightsafe x Dutch Courage) and her rider, Chelsea Pearce competed as individuals at the 2013 Pony European Championship.  Nutsafe was bred by Lizzie Murray of Catherston Stud and had previously  won Team Silver in 2008 & 2009 (ridden by Ella McEwen) and Team Gold in 2010 (ridden by Sam Ecroyd).  Nutsafe was awarded the 2008 SPSS Dancer Medal to mark her achievements in that year.  Read more about Nutsafe's past career here.

 

At the 2013 Pony Euros, Chelsea & Nutsafe did a good dressage test scoring 49.60 penalties which put them into 14th place at the end of that first phase.  The mainly flat cross country course was twisty and the high temperatures and direct sun added to the challenge.  However, Nutsafe belied her 18 years and Chelsea rode a beautifully timed and faultless round to come in 10 seconds ahead of the optimum time and they moved up to 12th place.  Along with the rest of the British Eventing squad (kindly sponsored by Charles Owen), Nutsafe passed the vet check on the last morning and went forward to the Show Jumping phase.  Here, they were unlucky to knock down fence 6 and this sadly dropped them down to 15th place.  However, there were 51 starters in the eventing competition and so to be 15th is still a considerable achievement - and it was Chelsea's first Championships too.  As Chelsea is young enough to remain eligible for the Championships next year, the experience gained will give her an advantage next year.

 

Read more about how Team GB got on at the 2013 Pony Euros on our dedicated page here

SPSS Elite graded mare, Catherston Nutsafe & Chelsea Pearce at the 2013 Pony European Championships

Photo by qorum-photos.com

SPSS Stallion News

Back to Top

 

News has been arriving at SPSS Head Office of recent successes by SPSS graded stallions.  In particular, Bernwode Brokat and his 14 year old rider, Ruth Hole, have been picked as British team reserves for the 2013 Pony European Championships; SOS Kantje's Unicolor and 12 year old Poppy Padley were 2nd overall in the C Squad competition at the BYRDS Inter-Regional; and Rembandt DDH and Maisie Scruton have qualified for the Medium Open British Dressage Regional Championships.

 

In addition, six year old LE Chiffre, ridden by Chloe Vell, has been nominated for the Pony International classes at the Hickstead CDI in August. This is a remarkable achievement for this young stallion (known as "Peanut"), who was bred in the UK by his owners, Bev & Samantha Brown.  If Peanut competes at Hickstead, he will be the first SPSS passported pony to compete at an International Pony Show.  Peanut and Chloe are pictured on the right after qualifying for the Novice Open British Dressage Regional Championships.

2013 Pony European Championships

Back to Top

 

The 2013 FEI European Pony Championships were held from Tuesday 23rd to Sunday 28th July in Arezzo, Italy. The Championships are annual and consist of the FEI European Pony Dressage, Eventing and Jumping Championships and GB sends teams to compete in each of the disciplines.

 

Reports on the 2013 Championships can be found here with news of team contenders, selection trials through to updates during the event as the action happened.

SPSS Elite graded mare, Catherston Nutsafe & Sam Ecroyd at the 2010 Pony European Championships

Photo by kind permission of Hannah Owen

SPSS Graded Mare Selected for Pony Euros

Back to Top

 

British Eventing have announced the squad of 6 ponies and their riders that will travel to the 2013 Pony European Championships in Arezzo, Italy.  Four of the ponies & riders will form the team and the remaining two will compete as individuals.  The SPSS is delighted that the long-list includes the British-bred, SPSS Elite graded mare, Catherston Nutsafe (Catherston Nightsafe x Dutch Courage) and her rider, Chelsea Pearce.  Seventeen year old Nutsafe was bred by Lizzie Murray of Catherston Stud and is an experienced eventing pony; she  won Team Silver in 2008 & 2009 (ridden by Ella McEwen) and Team Gold in 2010 (ridden by Sam Ecroyd).  Nutsafe was awarded the 2008 SPSS Dancer Medal to mark her achievements in that year.  Read more about Nutsafe here.

 

The full squad list and the latest on the 2013 Pony European Championships (including the weather!) can be found here.  Some of the SPSS Committee will be at the event and will report both on this website's dedicated 2013 Pony Euros page and on Facebook.  The Championships start with the dressage and jumping ponies being measured and inspected by the ground jury and a vet on Tuesday 23rd July and finish with the Individual Jumping Final on Sunday 28th July.  For more information about the event and the venue, see the Championships website.

News of Elite Graded Mare - Sapphire Blue

Back to Top

 

The SPSS is thrilled to hear that the 2005 Mare Champion, Sapphire Blue, is still enjoying life at 24 years of age.   Sapphire Blue, who is known at home as "Scruff" is by  Shantamar (TB) out of Priceless Gem, a half Connemara mare (by Sooner Peace (TB)).   Scruff was produced by her owner's daughter, Helen Bosanquet, and they won European Pony Eventing Team Bronze in 1996 when Helen was 15 and Scruff was 7.  After an illustrious career with 3 other children, including two more Pony European Championships (2000 & 2001), Scruff returned to the Bosanquet family when she was 16 and started a second career as a broodmare. 

 

Awarded the accolade "Elite" by the SPSS in recognition of her European Pony Team appearances, Scruff proved her resilience by recovering from septicaemia when her first foal died in utero.  So the Bosanquet family were greatly relieved when Scruff safely produced a filly foal, Ruby Rouge, by Mill Law in 2007.  Ruby Rouge herself graded into the SPSS Head Studbook in 2011 having had her own foal by the French international jumping pony Jimmerdor de Florys that year. 

 

Scruff's 2008 foal, Diamond Black, is by the Polish bred TB, Stravinsky, who is approved for breeding by a number of warmblood stud books.  Diamond Black has been produced by Helen Bosanquet and they completed their first BE90 class in May this year.  Diamond Black attended the recent Futurity Equine Bridge Assessments having had a High First Premium when evaluated as a foal.

 

Scruff had two more foals, Crystal Vert (by Revolution) in 2009 then her last foal, Topaz Gold (by FS Don't Worry) in 2010.  As a foal, Topaz Gold got a High First Premium at as a Sports Pony in the Eventing section.

 

Read more about the Futurity Equine Bridge Assessments here.

Diamond Black (out of Sapphire Blue) & Helen Bosanquet

Photos by kind permission of Craig Payne

WFS Top Red Selected for BEF Equine Bridge

Back to Top

 

The SPSS is delighted that Sarah Steggall & Elaine Coleridge Smith's SPSS passported and graded pony stallion WFS Top Red has been selected for the inaugural BEF Equine Bridge Programme.  The aim of the Equine Bridge is to provide direction and support to the riders and trainers of horses and ponies identified as having international potential and to help their owners and breeders realise the best of their horse/pony’s ability.  Read more about the Equine Bridge, including reports on the Dressage & Eventing assessment days, here.

 

Bred in Britain by Yvonne Wood & Sarah Steggall, Top Red is by the SPSS Elite graded stallion Top Yellow out of the SPSS graded mare Bernwode Poppy Red (by Pilgrims Red). Both Top Red's sire and damsire are past German Bundeschampions and Top Yellow also competed internationally at Dressage.  Top Red was the 2012 SPSS Stallion Grading Champion, with judge Herr Hans-Heinrich Bruening commenting that he considered Top Red to be a prospective international dressage pony.  This was also the view of the judges at the SPSS Young Dressage Pony Championships, where Top Red & Linsay White (nee Coleridge Smith) won the 4 year old class and stood as Champions.  In 2013, Linsey & Top Red have qualified for the British Dressage Novice Open Summer Regional Championships.

Dressage Team Announced for Pony Euros

Back to Top

 

The British Dressage Pony Selectors have announced the team for the 2013 FEI European Pony Championships which are being held from Tuesday 23rd to Sunday 28th July in Arezzo, Italy.

 

The SPSS is delighted that Elite Stallion, Bernwode Brokat (Brillant x Diamant II) has been named as one of the reserves. Brokat, who as he is aged 16 is two years older than his rider, Ruth Hole, has been with Ruth for less than 2 years.  Ruth and Brokat have been working hard campaigning for a team place, competing against some of the top German & Dutch ponies recently at the CDIs in Roosendaal (NED) and Moorsele (BEL).

 

The full list of selected ponies & riders can be found here. We wish all those selected the best of luck at the Championships and offer our commiserations to those not selected in this very competitive and high quality year.

 

Brokat is pictured with Ruth at the 2012 Pompadour CDI.

Photo by kind permission of Cédric Vlemmings

SPSS Elite graded mare, Catherston Nutsafe & Sam Ecroyd at the 2010 Pony European Championships

SPSS Graded Mare Long-listed for Pony Euros

Back to Top

 

British Eventing have announced a provisional long list of 9 ponies and their riders.  The final squad of six (four for the team and two individuals) will be announced after the final trial at Barbury Castle International Horse Trial on the 5th July.  The SPSS is delighted that the long-list includes the British-bred, SPSS Elite graded mare, Catherston Nutsafe (Catherston Nightsafe x Dutch Courage) and her rider, Chelsea Pearce.  Nutsafe was bred by Lizzie Murray of Catherston Stud and is an experienced eventing pony; she  won Team Silver in 2008 & 2009 (ridden by Ella McEwen) and Team Gold in 2010 (ridden by Sam Ecroyd).  Nutsafe was awarded the 2008 SPSS Dancer Medal to mark her achievements in that year.  Read more about Nutsafe here.

 

The long-list also includes the British-bred, part-bred Welsh pony Nutkin (Glantracth Telynegwr x not recorded) & Victoria Smith.  The full long-list and the latest on the 2013 Pony European Championships can be found here

First BEF Equine Bridge Assessment Day

Back to Top

 

The first BEF Equine Bridge Assessment day was for 5 year old dressage horses and ponies and took place on the 2nd June at Solihull Riding Club, West Midlands.  Eighteen horses and 3 ponies were scheduled to be seen on the day and they were viewed in small groups by international dressage judge/rider, Isobel Wessels (ridden section) and then individually by Jane Nixon (vetting phase).  The three ponies forward were the SPSS graded stallion WFS Top Red (Top Yellow x Pilgrims Red); the SPSS registered gelding, Kingswalk Moonraker (Bernwode Brokat x Chidock Fankino); and the CHAPS registered mare Abbeywoods Chocolate Brownie (Copybush Chiron x Harroway Mr Harlequin).  More information about the day and the ponies can be found here.  The next assessment day is also being held at Solihull Riding Club on 12th June and is for 5 year old Eventers.

WFS Top Red & Linsay White (nee Coleridge Smith) during the commanded test

Cherryhills Arctic Kiss

(Laban x unknown)

ridden by her breeder, Hannah Owen

2013 BEF Futurity Equine Bridge

Back to Top

 

The British Equestrian Federation have announced the details, including dates & format, of the pilot for their new initiative, the Futurity Equine Bridge.  The Equine Bridge is designed to identify horses and ponies with international potential and to provide direction and support to their riders and trainers and help their owners and breeders realise the best of their horse/pony’s ability.  For the pilot, 4 and 5 year old horses and ponies which have previously participated in Futurity and obtained the threshold score of 8.5 have been invited to a discipline specific assessment day (dates still to be confirmed).  Of the 35 four & five year old ponies meet the minimum score, 29 of these are SPSS Registered and/or have a SPSS graded sire, dam and/or damsire.

 

More information on the Equine Bridge can be found on the BEF website, Long Term Equine Development section - here and our list of eligible ponies can be found here.  The picture on the right is of Cherryhills Arctic Kiss, one of the SPSS ponies invited to the Eventing selection day, competing in the 4 year old class at the 2012 SPSS Young Eventing Pony Championships.

First Foal Report of 2013

Back to Top

 

Penny Walster of Bathley Hill Stud has sent in the first foal report of the year.  The buckskin colt, who has been given the stable name of "Norris", was born on the 21st March.  Norris is by Penny's young SPSS graded stallion, Bathleyhills Monet out of her SPSS graded mare, Bathleyhills First Mystery.  First Mystery is a partbred Arab, whose sire is unknown, but her dam, First Lady, is by Maraday Mystic Morn and is also a SPSS graded mare.

 

If anyone else has had or is awaiting a foal by a SPSS graded stallion or graded mare, then please send us a picture for the foals page - here.  There is a link on the page to email in pictures – but please note that you must have the permission from the photographer for any pictures sent for the website (and tell us that you have in your email).  Please also include the foals name, colour, sex, parents names, date of birth and breeder.

SPSS Ponies at the Under 25s Dressage Festival

 

Back to Top

 

The SPSS was well represented at the high profile Under 25s Dressage Event at The College Equestrian Centre, Keysoe in March.  Established SPSS Elite stallions Rembrandt DDH and Bernwode Brokat were both competing in the higher level classes.  Rembrandt & Maisie Scruton won both of the Medium classes (scoring 72% in one of them) while Bernwode Brokat & Ruth Hole achieved good results in both the Pony Team (4th) and Music (2nd with over 70%) classes.

 

In addition, two of Bernwode Brokat's progeny were also at the event gaining valuable experience in the lower level classes.  Ruth Hole rode the 2009 Mare Grading Champion Mademoiselle; Mademoiselle had a foal in 2011 and so only started in serious training after her foal was weaned. Then Ruth's younger sister Claire (age 11) rode the young graded stallion Bernwode Broadway for the first time in competition.  Broadway was the 2010 Stalllion Grading Champion.  Boradway and Claire are pictured on the right.

 

Success for SOS Kantje's Unicolor

 

Back to Top

 

In August 2012, 12 year old Poppy Padley started riding SPSS graded stallion, SOS Kantje's Unicolor and not only did they quickly gain Area Festival Qualification at Novice Restricted but they also competed at the Home International at Bishop Burton for the South West BYRDS team that month. 

 

Then, in September, Poppy and Unicolor won their class at the Tall Trees Petplan Area Festival with over 70% - which was nearly 3% ahead of second place.  So Unicolor is once again qualified for the Pet Plan Area Festival Finals which take place at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire on 13th April 2013.  Unicolor and Poppy are pictured at a recent stallion parade.

Photo by kind permission of Kathryn Pearn

Loveden Sea Swallow Promoted to SPSS Head Studbook

 

Back to Top

 

One of Bathley Hill Stud's foundation mares, Loveden Sea Swallow (Gigman Jacana x Downland Sea Eagle), has been promoted to the SPSS Head Studbook due to her impressive breeding record.  Swallow was graded into the SPSS Main Studbook in 2005 with 78.5% and since then she has also been inspected and accepted "Stutbuch I" for Germany with two societies (Weser- Ems & Pferdezuchtverband Sachsen-Thuringen e.V.).  

 

Swallow was the highest placed Sports Pony Dam in the 2011 BEF Futurity, has bred 3 Graded Mares (and her first granddaughter is also graded SPSS Head Stud Book) and Supreme & Championship winning foals.  Swallow herself was placed highly at County Level showing and also qualified for the Ponies UK Championships

 

The SPSS welcomes updates on graded mares at any time and anyone with a mare with a full 3 generation pedigree who scored between 75% & 80% at her grading and has then gone on to achieve an impressive competition and/or breeding record is encouraged to submit details for consideration for upgrade to the Head Studbook.

Australian Achievements

Back to Top

 

The Sports Pony Studbook Society (SPSS) passported, British Bred dressage pony, Rosewater Driving Miss Daisy who was the 2012 Australian Dressage Pony Champion of Champions has qualified for the 2013 competition.  Daisy is by FS Don't Worry out of the British-bred and SPSS graded mare Broomford Bellisima (Broomford Dancer (GRP & SPSS Elite Graded) x Wittinger (Hann)) and she was bred by Sarah Eberle and Lucy Northcott (Rosewater Sports Ponies) in the UK in 2008. 

 

A Futurity Elite foal, Daisy was bought as a yearling by Andrea Taylor (of Tamlyn Farm Performance Ponies, Victoria, Australia) and exported to Australia to be a foundation pony for her sports pony breeding programme. Daisy has qualified for the 5 year old Young Pony Class at the this year's PSI Dressage and Jumping with the Stars (21st - 23rd March) and will be reunited with her 2012 rider, Benjamin Terry, who has spent the last few months training in Germany. 

Rosewater Driving Miss Daisy training recently ridden by her owner, Andrea Taylor

Rembrandt DDH & Maisie Scruton at the Pony European Championships

By kind permission of Helen Revington

Rembrandt DDH attending SSGB Stallion Parade

 

Back to Top

 

The 2013 Stallion Showcase is being held at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre on the 2nd and 3rd February.  The full 2013 timetable is not yet available but provisionally the timetable is:

 

Saturday – young show jumping stallions, followed by eventing stallions, followed by demo, followed by older jumping stallions.  The Neil Fiddes Loose jumping competition will run in the evening and restaurant and bar will be open. 

 

Sunday - young dressage stallions, followed by demo, followed by older stallions then Dressage to Music competition. Then the draw for Help for heroes silent auction.

 

The full entry list has not been published yet, but SPSS Elite stallion Rembrandt DDH will be parading on Sunday and he is also entered in the Dressage to Music.  Rembrandt & Maisie Scruton were members of the GB team at the 2011 & 2012 Pony European Championships; prior to this, Rembrandt won Tean Gold & Team Silver medals with the Dutch team.  Rembrandt was awarded the 2012 SPSS Dancer Medal in recognition of his contribution to British Pony Dressage.

 

Tickets are £10 each day or £16 for both days.  All tickets purchased in advance will include a full colour catalogue. Catalogues on the day will be priced at £2.00.  Advance tickets may be bought here

 

Prestigious Pony Performance & Breeding Award For Bernwode Brokat

Back to Top

 

At the 2013 Breeders Dinner & Awards Ceremony (organised by the British Horse Foundation), the SPSS sponsored Pony Performance & Breeding Award was presented to SPSS Elite graded stallion Bernwode Brokat (Brillant x Diamant II).   The award was accepted on Brokat's behalf by his 13 yr old rider, Ruth Hole.  Brokat and Ruth were selected to represent Great Britain on the Pony International dressage teams three times in 2012, in Moorselle, Pompadour and Leudelange. Brokat is also a popular and successful sire; for 3 consecutive years he sired Elite Futurity ponies, an achievement unmatched by any other pony stallion.  In 2012, while Brokat was busy touring Europe 17 foals arrived taking his tally of British-bred children into the high 80s.

 

Brokat is graded Elite with the SPSS in recognition of his International competition successes. Read more about Brokat here and more about previous winners of this award here.

Ruth Hole collects Bernwode Broakt's  award  from Jan Rogers (BEF Head of Equine Development)

Photo by kind permission of Trevor Meeks

Jane Buchan, Baileys Marketing Manager presents the certificate to Bev Brown

Photo by kind permission of Trevor Meeks

 

Godrics Carpe Diem

(Photo by kind permission of Kevin Sparrow

SPSS Breeder Rewarded at Breeders Dinner

 

Back to Top

 

At the British Horse Foundation's Breeders Dinner & Awards Ceremony in January 2013, the Baileys Horse Feeds/British Breeding Certificate of Merit for the Leading 3 Year Old Pony was awarded to Godrics Carpe Diem (Caesar 171 x Donnerwetter).  Godrics Carpe Diem was bred by Samantha and Beverly Brown of Godrics Stud and he received a Higher First Premium for Dressage at the Richmond Evaluation. 

 

Carpe Diem is a full brother of SPSS graded stallion LE Chiffre.  Their sire, Caesar 171 is graded Elite with the SPSS in recognition of his International competition record as a member of the GB Pony Team that won Silver at the European Championships in Germany in 2000 and the Bronze medal winning team in 2002.

 

Carpe Diem & LE Chiffre's dam, Tiger Lily, is a Westfalian mare who graded into the SPSS Head Studbook in 2006 and then, with LE Chiffre at foot, was Champion at the 2007 SPSS In-Hand Premium Show.  Tiger Lily's dam, Eboli, has classic riding pony and welsh ancestry from her sire, Nordstar, combined with Thoroughbred and Trakehner from her dam.  Tiger Lily is by Donnerwetter, who is one of several graded sons of Kaprice, whose other notable offspring include De Vito (by Dressman I), who represented GB at the Pony European Championships and the SPSS Elite sire Top Yellow (by Till The Champ).  Donnerwetter's sire is the highly acclaimed sire Dancer, who was one of the first ponies to represent multiple nations at Pony FEI Level, winning Team Bronze for the Netherlands in 1993 and for Great Britain in 1997.   Dancer was also a top sire with another of his sons, Golden Dancer, being a multiple Gold medal winning International dressage pony.  Dancer's name appears in the pedigrees of many current International dressage ponies. 

Bernwode Brokat Stars on the British Breeder Cover

 

Back to Top

 

A picture by SPSS Committee member, Hannah Owen of SPSS Elite stallion, Bernwode Brokat was selected by the Editor of British Breeder for the cover of the January 2013 Issue.  Brokat is the first pony to appear on the magazine's cover. Hannah has been photographing ponies for the last couple of years and a selection of her photos can be seen on Facebook or this website.

 

The British Breeder magazine is published 3 times a year and contains News from the studbooks, including the latest from the SPSS, reports from recent events and features.  In the January 2013 issue, the features were on "Angles - The Relevance", "The Big Interview Harthill Stud", "Embryo Transfer in the Sport Horse Industry", "Breeding Your First Foal", "Foaling Down Box Design" and "Nutrition for Optimal Growth".

 

To order a copy of British Breeder magazine, published by Redpin Publishing (www.redpin.co.uk), please call them on 01380 734374.

By kind permission of Hannah Owen & Redpin Publishing

Bathleyhills Monet

Photo by kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

 

Bathleyhills Flashlight with her 2012 foal by Bathleyhills Monet

Photo by kind permission of Kevin Sparrow

 

SPSS Merit Award for Bathleyhills Monet

Back to Top

 

The young SPSS graded stallion, Bathleyhills Monet (Casino Royale K x Matcho) has received a coveted SPSS Merit Award in recognition of his being the leading pony sire in the 2012 Futurity Evaluations.  In order to appear on the sire rankings list a stallion had to have 5 progeny evaluated and Penny Walsters’ British-born Bathleyhills Monet had the highest average score (for his top 5 progeny) of 8.87. This is an excellent result for a young first season sire who, as well as siring an Elite premium foal, had six other progeny evaluated and they showed a remarkable consistency with five gaining High First Premiums and the other one gaining a First Premium. Bathleyhills Monet was awarded a SPSS Merit Certificate and Rosette to reward this remarkable result. Monet is pictured on the right at the 2011 SPSS Stallion Grading, where he stood Reserve Champion.

 

Bathley Hill Farm Stud also maintained their excellent record in the Futurity annual mare rankings, with their Bathleyhills Flashlight being the 2012 Leading Sports Pony mare. In order to appear on the mare rankings, a minimum of two progeny have to be evaluated and in 2012, six mares met this criteria and all were SPSS graded. The highest scorer, Bathleyhills Flashlight is by the SPSS graded WPCS Sec B, Thistledown Copper Lustre out of the SPSS graded part-bred Arab, Aklah Twilight Star (Shamil x unknown). Flashlight’s two progeny both gained High First Premiums. This is the third time that Penny and her Bathley Hill Farm Stud have owned the Leading Pony Mare but the first time she’s been a home-bred pony.

 

2012 Dancer Medal awarded to Rembrandt DDH

 

Back to Top

 

The 2012 SPSS Dancer Medal has been awarded to the SPSS Graded dressage pony stallion Rembrandt DDH (Renoir x Viktoria’s Chirac) in recognition of his contribution (with rider Maisie Scruton) to the British pony dressage team at the 2011 and 2012 Pony European Championships.

 

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.

 

Bred by Heinz Muller in Germany, Rembrandt had already been on the Dutch dressage team twice, winning Team Silver in 2009 then Team Gold in 2010, when he came to the UK to be ridden by Maisie Scruton. Despite them being a new partnership, they quickly impressed the selectors and so were selected for the British team for the 2011 Championships.  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. The team finished in fourth place with the highest British Pony team average (of 70%+) recorded to date.  This was a great end to pony careers together as Maisie moves on to horses to compete at Junior level in 2013.

 

Read about other Dancer Medal recipients here

2013 SPSS Year Book & Stallion Guide

Back to Top

 

The 2012 SPSS Year Book and Stallion Guide has been published and posted to members.  A copy is also mailed to anyone joining the SPSS during the year; click here to find out about Membership.  Non members can to get a copy by sending a large SAE (£1.10p postage) to:

 

SPSS Booklet, c/o The Last House, Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Beds MK44 2JJ

 

Copies will also be available at the BEF Futurity Evaluations, all SPSS Events and selected other events this summer. 

 

The full colour booklet includes reports on last year’s SPSS Events, profiles of the winners of SPSS awards in the last year and reviews of the 2012 Pony European Championships and the 2012 BEF Futurity Evaluations. This year's special feature is on Sarah Steggall, the SPSS Studbook Manager and one of the SPSS's founding Directors.  Finally, 29 of the SPSS Stallions are featured in the Stallion Guide section.

 

Dates Announced For 2013 SPSS Young Pony Championships

Back to Top

 

SPSS Open Young Dressage Pony Championships supported by British Dressage

Sunday 30th September - Bury Farm Equestrian Centre, Slapton, Bucks LU7 9BT

 

SPSS Open Young Event Pony Championships

Saturday 27th October - South View Equestrian Centre, Cheshire CW7 4DL

 

SPSS Open Young Jumping Pony Championships

Saturday 27th October - South View Equestrian Centre, Cheshire CW7 4DL

 

All young pony classes are open to any 4,5 & 6 year old ponies (max height 148cms). More information on the 2013 events will be available from the Events page nearer the time.  Reports from the 2012 events are available as links from here.

 

The Jumping and Eventing Championships are being run by the International Pony Showcase & Auction team and the IPS Auction will be held after the Championships.  - for more information see the IPS Website or find them on Facebook (IPS Auction).

2013 BBSH Stallion Event

Back to Top

 

The SPSS will be at the British Bred Sport Horse (BBSH) Stallion Event at Hartpury College (GL19 3BE) again, on Saturday 5th January from 11am to 8pm.  The event is set to be bigger and better than ever, with an improved trade stand area, top class stallions, international riders and an evening spectacular. 

 

Tickets are £10 and include the latest edition of the British Breeder Magazine, which also forms the parade catalogue as well as having all the latest news.  The SPSS display boards will be set up in the trade stand area so do come and see us. 

 

SPSS Stallions confirmed as entered (and the section they have been entered in) are:

 

Classic's Charmeur (Dressage)

Littledale Bright Star (Dressage)

Jonkers Metyo (Eventing)

Romulus (Jumping)

 

Provisional timetable:

 
10.00 Stables open to the public
11.00 Trade stands open to the public 
12 Noon (sharp) Stallion show begins
12 Noon until 13:30 Showjumping stallions
13:30 Endurance Stallion
13:35 to 15:20 Eventing Stallions
15:20 – 16:30 Break/ Stables reopen to the public
16:30 – 19:30 Dressage Stallions

 

More information including how to get tickets and the latest list of stallions entered is available here.

 

 

The SPSS Stand at the 2012 Parade

2013 British Breeders' Awards Dinner

Back to Top

 

The 2013 British Breeders Awards Dinner takes place on Saturday 7th January from 6.45 pm at the Grange City Hotel in London (near the Tower).  At this dinner the annual SPSS special award is presented, as well as there being Certificates of Merit to the top scoring Pony Futurity entrants in 2012. There's more information about the event here and you buy tickets through the website here.

SPSS Ponies Eligible for 2013 NPS Supreme Dressage Championships

 

Qualifiers are now taking place around the country for the 2013 NPS/Fodder Feeds Supreme Dressage Championships. This competition was introduced by the NPS Dressage Working Group to encourage both the performance and education of British bred ponies and their riders and qualifiers run through to 31st March 2013.  The Championship Final will then be held at the prestigious show venue Addington Manor Equestrian Centre,  Buckinghamshire on Sunday 14th April 2013.  The set tests for 2013 are Prelim 12 and Novice 27 and SPSS passported/registered ponies may be entered in the "Part-bred", "Mini" or "Junior" sections.  For more information and a list of qualifiers see here or look for NPS Dressage Working Group on Facebook. 

Back to Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Dates in 2013

Back to Top

 

Provisional Dates are now available for key pony and breeding events in 2013.  Please check with the organisers for any changes.

 

British Bred Sport Horse Stallion Parade

Saturday 5th January at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire

 

British Breeders Dinner

Saturday 12th January at The Grange City Hotel, London.  More information and ticket purchase on this link

 

Baileys Horse Feeds/BEF Futurity Young Horse Evaluations 2013

For 2013 dates/venues and latest information see the BEF Futurity website here

 

2013 Pony European Championships

Tuesday 23rd - Sunday 28th July - Arezzo, Italy

Note that the dates for this event were changed by the FEI after the 2013 SPSS Year Book was published so the dates in the Year Book are incorrect.

 

SPSS 2013 Stallion & Mare Grading

Saturday 12th October at Bury Farm Equestrian Club, Mill Road, Slapton, Bucks LU7 9BT

 

SPSS Open Young Dressage Pony Championships supported by British Dressage

Saturday 19th October at Bury Farm Equestrian Club, Mill Road, Slapton, Bucks LU7 9BT

 

SPSS Open Young Eventing Pony Championships supported by British Eventing

Date/venue to be confirmed (note that this will no longer take place as published in the SPSS Year Book)

 

SPSS Open Young Jumping Pony Championships

Date/venue to be confirmed (note that this will no longer take place as published in the SPSS Year Book)

 

All young pony classes are open to any 4,5 & 6 year old ponies (max height 148cms)

 

SPSS AGM

Date/details still to be announced

Guidance on Obtaining a Passport

 

Back to Top

 

The Information/FAQ and Passports pages contain guidance about how to get a passport for your foal - PLEASE READ before submitting a passport application as it will help Head Office process your passport quickly and mean that you won't have to get your vet out again to complete missing paperwork/DNA/ID chip.

 

The Sports Pony Studbook Society

Studbook Office:   The Last House, Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Bedfordshire MK44 2JJ

Tel: 07703 566066    Email: 

A Private Limited Company - Companies House (Cardiff) Registration No. 4106148

Registered Office: The Stables, Higher Farm, Limington, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8EG