Several local horse breeders had the chance to show off their youngstock at the Baileys Horse Feeds/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity Evaluations, which took place recently at Sunnybank Equestrian Centre, Caerphilly. This series of evaluations help to identify British bred, young potential sport horses that are destined for careers as dressage horses, eventers, show jumpers, endurance horses and sports ponies, and could discover potential sports horses and ponies that become future Olympic or British team stars. Polo’s Spring Edition, owned and bred by Marie Turpin of Great Merixton Farm, Narberth, took the highest score of the day at Sunnybank.

This dark bay filly foal was entered in the dressage section at the Futurity Evaluations and was awarded a First Premium score. Her dam is the 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, Ramexico Teenozo, who Marie bought just a year ago. This mare had previously done some working hunter classes and BSJA show jumping.

Marie also owns Polo’s Spring Edition’s sire, the Hanoverian stallion Pik Polo. He has show jumped and Marie has competed him in dressage. Marie has been breeding horses for ten years and breeds around five horses each year. Isabel and David Scourfield, of Belle Vue Stud, Narberth, entered the grey colt yearling, Belle Vue Royal Envoy, in the sports pony section, where he took one of the best marks and was also the highest graded sports pony.

His sire, Royal Tartan VII, and dam, Miss Lady Mischief, were both bred by Isabel and are at Belle Vue Stud. They hope to keep him entire and give him a career in eventing.

His full brother is Belle Vue Royal Prince, who was bred by Isabel and is owned and successfully competed by Danielle Gardham, and has qualified for the 15hh Working Hunter class at the Horse Of The Year Show.

“This was our first time at the Futurity Evaluations and we are very pleased with the result. I aim to breed quality ponies that can be jumped by children,” said Isabel, who has been breeding ponies for about 20 years.

Skewbald colt foal Kenniford Samberumba (Cyril) owned and bred by Jason Kenniford, of The Kenniford Stud, Cosheston, took the highest event horse score of the day at Sunnybank. Cyril’s dam, Helsons Rumstar, is an-unraced National Hunt bred mare imported from Ireland and his sire is the coloured dressage stallion Sambertino, who was trained to Prix St George's in Germany and is currently the only coloured stallion standing in the UK who has passed the 100 day Performance Test. Cyril will be branded this year by the Oldenburg Studbook.

Des Morris, of Dove Vale Stud, Rhydlewis, entered the three-year-old chestnut mare, Dove Vale Diamond Dove and another home bred bay yearling mare, Dove Vale Millers Maid, both in the eventing section. Both youngsters are out of the same mare, Bold Dove. Nineteen years ago, Des helped to deliver Bold Dove, as he was a stud groom at the yard where she was born. He then bought her as a two-year-old and as she had an injury as a yearling, she was never backed. Des decided to use her as a brood mare and she has now bred 11 foals. Dove Vale Millers Maid’s sire is the international advanced event stallion, Mill Law and Dove Vale Diamond Dove is by the stallion, Araham, who is the sire of many successful performance horses. Des Morris has been breeding sports horses for 11 years and has three brood mares. He plans to keep the youngsters until they are three or four years old, back them and then sell them on. Polo’s Hangman’s Legacy, owned and bred by Clare Harris, of Pembroke, was the highest placed sports pony foal. Clare bought the dam of this colt foal as a two-year-old and backed her when she was three. Clare then decided to breed two foals from her, one being Polo Hangman’s Legacy and the other one being Polo Discovery, the sports pony that took a First Premium in last year’s Futurity Evaluations at Sunnybank. The sire of Polo Hangman’s Legacy is the pink papered Hanoverian stallion, Pik Polo, owned by Marie Turpin. Clare also had a second foal in this sports pony class, also by Pik Polo, called Polo’s Hangman, who took second place.

With entries limited to 60 at each evaluation venue, places are keenly sought after. Entries are categorised by discipline with age groups for foals, yearlings, two and three year olds and each horse is evaluated in hand and loose in a safe indoor environment as well as undergoing a vet’s assessment. All results are published on the fully searchable Futurity site, and afterwards feature with those horses’ performance records on NED, the National Equine Database. For more information, visit www.bef.co.uk/british_breeding.