Belton HT Stallion Parade

volatis

volatis

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 May 2007
Messages
4,017
Location
Warwickshire, England
www.volatis.co.uk
Did anyone else happen to see this today?
First time I've seen the two Louella Primitive stallions. The grey Primitive Star is very RID in stamp and did show himself well and looks like he'd produce a lot of show hunters. Primitve Proposal did interest me but you couldn't judge his movement at all sadly.
Why do we try and show stallions in this country by mincing like we're showing ponies? It's one of my pet peeves.

Only 8 stallions shown but it's nice to see something like this introduced at somewhere like Belton. Most of the stallions were not my cup of tea but it is a great way to be able to compare them and see what is available to breeders on home soil.
 
We thought it was a yery good idea, but really had to fight to show our boy under saddle they wanted them all in hand. Not all the stallion owners were informed that they could ride, I spoke to the the Louella crew and they would have much prefferred to show them undersaddle.
To really show in hand is quite an art and to try and really get them to move on grass especially needs proffesional runners or lots of practice, some of those young stallions took some handling just mincing.
 
What irritated the crap out of me, was the untruths that were told about some of the stallions. As they all entered the ring, they were announced as "all are graded stallions". This was simply not true with at least 2 of them.

I also saw the phrase "World Class" used many times. Unproven three year olds are NOT World Class. Furst Heinrich was announced (as sire of one of the stallions) as "the World Champion" again that grates, as he is not THE World Champion, but was the champion of the six year old championship, held in Germany and called the "World Championships".

There were a stack of other inconsistincies and untruths, but the list is endless.

For all breeders out there, both big and small, please please please do your research and find out the truth. There's a whole heap of bullshit being spoken about some stallions and you are potentially being hoodwinked, and being used as a test bed for unproven stallions, and this will not advance British breeding.
 
LOL, Ken you know I totally agree with you about the 'interesting' wording used in the opening promotional blurb about all the graded stallions we were going to see and the rather OTT descriptions of some of the horses and their pedigrees.
 
I saw it and thought Primitive Star showed himself off the best of all of the in-hand stallions, whereas it was difficult to get a good look at Primitive Proposal. I wish Gemini had brought Classic Primitive as I didn't really get a chance to see him at the British Breeding champs last year, and he looks stunning on their website (anyone know anything, good or bad, about his sire, Chico's Boy?)

None of the ridden stallions really floated my boat, but it has to be a positive thing to have these stallion parades more often.
 
http://www.gestuet-sprehe.com/cms/front_content.php?idcat=29

This is a link to Chico's Boy. I love this stallion, he is super moving for a jumping stallion and such a nice temperament, and really filles the eye.
I would like to have seen Classic Primitive too as we beat him in hand/loose jumping last year at east of England and he didnt excite me at the time so be interesting to see hoiw he had improved since then
 
Oooh Volatis, which one of yours beat him?

btw you obviously didn't see my reply to you in my CR post, asking whether Lola might want to be an eventer instead of a dressage pony?
wink.gif
 
A Trakehner filly who is actually a champion show hack ironically. She won the 2yo class last year at East of England and actually had higher scores than the 3yo winner. She also won the loose jumping at the Trakehner breed show dispite being just a 2yo, and wa sHack Champion at the Royal Show. Pretty and talented! She belongs to my boss so I just do the prepping and producing.

I didnt see your reply about Lola no. I think she'd love to event LOL, she has a few half brothers and sisters out there eventing and bless her she's got such a cracking canter. If I keep her she'll end up being a dressage pony as I havent evented for so long I bet my nerve will have gone.
 
There were a few stallions there that could hardly be described as 'event stallions' and rather a lot of poetic licence in the commentry. Apparently Maximillion was not allowed to be shown as he was 'not an event stallion' I was surprised that Gemini stud chose to bring Furst Opera rather than Classic Primitive but he's still by a show jumping sire.
 
I did like Future Illusion but, and I know his breeding says he should be an eventer, he looks more like a riding horse/hack than eventer. However I'm someone who likes bigger horses, so if there was a scaled-up version of him in the UK I'd like to know.

Apologies if my comments upset any of you learned and experienced breeders, but I'm looking at it from the other side of the fence as a rider who knows what she likes!
tongue.gif
 
Nicky, Future Illusion looks like he'd make a cracking sire of hacks/riding horses, as he does look the type my boss breeds.

I cant believe Maximillion wasn't allowed to be shown, now that is scandalous. I had heard Mill Law's owner wasn't happy about something, now I now why. Does make the whole thing look rather political if that is true as Furst Opera is not my idea of an eventing sire at all and Maximillion did well at the Futurity last year and is the produce of two eventers!

I wonder if Ciss will see this and be able to comment through her BEF connection
 
I think that if you look at the sponsors of the "stallion Parade", you'll find most of the answers.

I am seriously thinking about bringing a ten horse lorry full of Z stallions next year and four or five French stallions, but whilst I would want to sponsor it, to ensure the quality of the presentation, I'd be concerned about how that might look.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I wonder if Ciss will see this and be able to comment through her BEF connection

[/ QUOTE ]

Can't comment I'm afraid as I had nothing to do with this and and AFAIK there was no official BEF or Lead Body representation or support there on the day either. You would therefor probably be better e-mailing Jan directly and asking her for her thoughts if you want any sort of informed official view of it.

HTH
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am seriously thinking about bringing a ten horse lorry full of Z stallions next year and four or five French stallions, but whilst I would want to sponsor it, to ensure the quality of the presentation, I'd be concerned about how that might look.

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't have to be a sponsor to take part in the PSHP Parade at Moulton and we do have a very informed commentator who does not make the sort of mistakes that appear to have been made at Belton (and ungraded stallions are not allowed either, except very rarely for those -- usually TB eventing sires -- with top level peformance records). And of course the audience is probably more knowledgable too! So hopefully you will stop off at Moulton too next year on your great trip over from France :-)).
 
More stallions the merrier in the parade - that is what I would say !!. I am sure if you wanted to bring them next year it would be truely great for mare owners to see a wider selection.

As this year was the first year, it started out small and was just limited to Midlands based stallions. As the gorgeous ones you are the Sales Rep for are based in France I wouldnt be offended that they werent there. ...but it would be GREAT to have them there in the future.

Re graded versus un-graded - It was made very clear by the organisers in the official Belton Catalogue that the older ones were graded and the younger ones would be presented in the future. Stuart and Anna Buntine were correct and clear on that.

Hope this helps.
 
I'm sure that the organisers were made aware, but the announcer was reading from a script and he clearly stated that ALL of the stallions presented were graded. We nearly fell off our chairs.

This is so misleading to a growing population of breeders who are searching for information, and really doesn't help. Especially when at least one (possibly two) of these stallions had been presented for grading and had not passed. I understand why that wouldn't have been mentioned, why let the truth get in the way of a good story, but again it really doesn't help British breeders make informed decisions.

I had a meeting with Stuart regarding next year, he wants to make changes and improvements. To have show jumping stallions there will help swell the number of visitors, which is what the whole Belton event is about.
 
Kinnearr, I understand Washington Postman, Primitive Proposal and King Acaccia are not graded, and they are not young stallions. In fact the only two young stallions that are not yet graded were Furst Opera and Future Illusion, and I know Future Illusion is to be presened this autumn to SHB.

So yes the catalogue did say there would be young ungraded potential stallions there, but in the end I 'think' only 3 stallions were graded (Classic Juan, Weston Justice and Primitive Star).

Still, as I said initially its a great idea and I look forward to next years being bigger and better.
 
I think it was ridiculous that Maximillion couldnt go he'd be mroe event than either of the Gemini ones.......glad it was a positive parade etc though and like you say the more they can be encouraged the better. However sadly it is all very much who is in the clique as to who is invited (and who sponsors.....!)
 
Can anyone shed any light on the politics surrounding which stallions could and could not attend the parade please? It is understood that one or two stallions were blocked by the sponsors, and that there was a lot of tooing and froing immediately prior to the event.

Also, of the stallions shown, whilst I know that Future Illusion is being presented for approval this year, which were the ones presented as "graded" but had in fact failed their grading?

Important questions to be answered for the event to have any credibility and for the sponsors not to lose any more face.
 
I can only tell you what information we had. We had an invite to what was promoted as a parade of midland based event stallions. We are definatly not in the clique so I assume that was as an advanced graded stallion, at least they couldnt argue out our credentials! Once we saw who was sponsers we knew what angle the parade would take but felt the idea was too good not to be involved.
I was appalled about how much influence the said stud had however and a lot of my commentary was censored. But I do think the breeding community are far from stupid and this little exercise has backfired, I just hope the idea isnt abandoned because the concept is good and could be developed.
 
Hi there

Really sorry he didnt come, he has been very busy at Stud and Gemini decided to bring the BEF National Champion across all 3 disciplines (Eventing, SJ and Dressage).

Classic Primitive's sire is himself a Champion Stallion, has an impeccable jumping pedigree with quite a lot of TB in it. He has produced stock to both Dressage and Jumping lines.

Chico's Boy is line bred (a long way back) to Cor De La Bryere who is also the sire of Cavalier Royale, who is the sire of Mary King's "Call Again Cavalier".

Cavalier Royale is one of the most influential warmblood stallions in the Irish Sports Horse Stud Book.

I hope this helps, and really sorry that Classic Primitive wasnt there, but if you would like to come and see him just drop me a private note and it can be arranged.

All the very best
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top