SHBGB GRADING PHOTOS

M

maestro

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www.westonstud.co.uk
As I am so naff at posting photos I thought I would let you know the Pleasure Print photos are now up for the 2007 Autumn Grading. Ours is English Ashorne who as you know we just put through for a prelim assesment. He scrubs up quie well we think although he has only just come off holiday as it we a late decision to take him.
You will find it on the gallery of pleasureprints.co.uk/
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Valeur R was one of only three that graded on the first day, Changuu and Zigeunernabe were the other two I think. I dont know what happened the second day other than to us as we had to get back home.

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Are you sure that zigeunernabe graded? I thought he got pulled out as he was unsound?!
 
I really love the look of your horse Maestro- what are his bloodlines?

Some nice horses there, but some seriously odd looking ones as well!
 
The photographer doesn't do those poor horses any favours, does he? I don't know what it is; maybe its the clear light or the way the horses aren't always posed, but his pictures show up every fault. Which I suppose is exactly what you want, but it would be enough to make me howl, if I found out what my horse really looked like, under those circumstances...After a while, even the HANDLER'S legs start to look funny...

Your boy comes out of it very well, Maestro. If he can look that good under those circunstances, he must be stunning in the flesh.
 
Maestro what age is your lad again? He was one of the better looking ones. I have to say that judging by the pictures taken the only other one that looked "interesting" to myself was the chesnut one Valeur R. The photographs have not done them any justice at all........which is a shame for the owners.

I used to wonder about the quality of some of the stallions forward at the SSH Stallion Gradings, but judging by this group I see its the same up and down the country.

As I say I am only going on the photos and did not see any of them in the flesh, nor see them jumping etc........so dont shoot me down in flames.........but going on the pictures I am pretty disappointed with about 90% of them. Granted some look better under saddle and jumping than without tack or on the flat.

The coloured one called "Indi" looks like it has crab steering in the front judging from the pictures...........
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Indi

Can I ask, do they judge any of the movement at this grading loose?? Its just that judging by the pictures alone it seems that none of them are being run out at their best??? I know this was why the SSH changed their rules and only got the owners to do so much in-hand because it was realised that not many people in the UK can run out their horses in-hand and do them any justice.

When you see the runners at the KWPN, Hano or Olden stallion gradings they are getting those stallions to really power out when running in-hand, and that is what makes all the difference to a pass or fail sometimes.
 
They do judge them moving loose, but in a tight jumping ring so that doesnt help either. However the true test for me is still under saddle which also gives an indication of trainability and that can be where the gremlins come out. We can if we are not careful lose sight of the fact we are trying to produce competition horses and you often see horses look amazing loose and wont move an inch or jump a stick under saddle.
 
I would not disagree with you on that front maestro, however to show off a stallion at a grading you need to do it justice whether in-hand or under saddle, otherwise it will not do well.

You could have Donnerhall or Sandro Boy underneath a rider, but if that person cannot ride to a certain level then they too will not do a stallion any justice either, especially at a grading. Yes you still have the opportunity to prove its worth in sport, but if it does not pass in the first instance you are at a loss from the outset.

ALSO a good competition stallion does not necessitate a good breeding stallion and vice versa.
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Just my preference but i wouldn't use a stallion that didn't have some kind of competition record, people have so much choice nowadays i think it would be hard to market a stallion if it wasn't working to a certain standard in competition. Breeders want the whole package and with so many fantastic stallions around i'm not sure if just being a good breeding stallion is enough anymore? or is it just me
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(Not including young stallions who have yet to prove themselves etc).
 
I can feel another interesting debate brewing
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I agree that in this country we have alot to learn about gradings and producing for gradings. Indeed Im off to Germany in two weeks and will see some fabulous perfomances and will learn a lot. But we could make all our stock look fab by running full pelt and chasing with a big stick. Get a large audience behind them and they are floating on air.
The hard graft put in by competition stallions may not guarantee they will be successful stallions but surely it shortens the odds if their bloodlines also prove that trainabilty and ridablity.
 
Im going to Vechta to theie Oldenburg Stallion Viewing and auction. We have been to a couple of times and have a friend who is an agent and now is involved with a new venture out there. He is so helpful as he is Dutch but speaks fluent German so can tell us what the Germans really think!
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I'd love to hear what you think when you gte back. I'm dying to go to the Westfalen one but cant get away having only been back from Germany a week or so. My German is c**p so I struggle with the detail when they announce who is graded and why
 
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I can feel another interesting debate brewing
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I agree that in this country we have alot to learn about gradings and producing for gradings. Indeed Im off to Germany in two weeks and will see some fabulous perfomances and will learn a lot. But we could make all our stock look fab by running full pelt and chasing with a big stick. Get a large audience behind them and they are floating on air.
The hard graft put in by competition stallions may not guarantee they will be successful stallions but surely it shortens the odds if their bloodlines also prove that trainabilty and ridablity.

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I would slightly disagree on the fact that we could all make our stock look stunning by running them out with a stick up their bum. If you dont have the raw material there then no matter how much chasing and "whooping" up you do it does not mean that every horse will move equally.

You also have to remember that all we have to go on is the pictures, and that is what I said from the outset. I was not there in person to see the SHBGB grading.

However, having seen gradings in both continents for different Studbooks I would definately say that the British have a lot to learn on presentation of stallions at gradings. In my mind (and this may be a little controversal) I feel that many people put forward stallions for grading in the UK which I would only class as good geldings. Like I say this is just my own point of view.

Nowadays in the UK, unless you have a good event stallion you need to have a very very good showjumping or dressage stallion to compete with those stallions abroad that you can get chilled or frozen semen from.

You also have to have a good rider, excellent mares breeding to your stallion and good marketing to bring it to the fore.

As you rightly pointed out, it is hard graft putting any stallion through competition....and a lot of expense as well. This is one reason we have sold several colts we purchased abroad to other people to bring on as stallion prospects.

However, saying all the above.........one just has to look at Clover Hill, who never jumped a pole himself but was one of Irelands best showjumping sire.

Going to stallion gradings abroad fairly increases your perspective on stallions. We go to the KWPN Keuring in Den Bosch every year and next year we are also hoping to get to the Hano or Oldenburg ones as well. One thing is for sure, you will certainly enjoy what you see, they are great experiences, and more so when you can hear what they are all saying if you have the interpreter or know the language......
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Hi, new to all this, but I happened to google the name of my Stallion and saw that he had come up as a topic of conversation in this forum. I co-own and ride Valeur R. It was lovely to read that some of you thought that he looked an impressive horse from the photos of SHGB grading.

He will be available for fresh/chilled and frozen semen this year through Twemlows.

In case any of you are interested he also happened to be placed 7th at the British Dressage National Championships in the Potential International Young Dressage Horse Class for 5 year olds.

If you should have any questions I would love to hear from you.
 
Thanks for the welcome!

Valerie (he's a true dressage horse, and a little bit gay at times - hence the stable name!) came over from holland as a 2 year old. His co-owner brought him over and asked me to ride him when he was just turning 4.

He's a big moving horse and he'e growing all the time so we've taken it quite slow with him. He did the BEF evaluation as a 4 yr old. Scored 9.5/10 for his loosejumping technique and came 4th in the dressage final at Hickstead. He also qualified for the BD nationals that year where he was 13th and he got an invite to go the equine pathway trials for potential olympic horses. We decided he wasn't ready for that so he didn't go and had a break over the winter.

This year he has done 3 competitions. The first was to qualify for the BD NAtionals, the second was the nationals where he came 7th and the 3rd was a novice freestyle to qualify him for the regionals.

We got the 1st part of his grading in November and he also had another invite to the equine pathway trials.

Plans for 2008 are young horse classes again and then aim to bring him out in pure dressage classes at the end of the year.
He is also available at stud for the first time this year so we would like to try and put him to several different types of mare to see what we get.

He has the most fantastic temprament and at home you wouldn't know he was a stallion. He's been stabled next to an inseason mare and been fine. although this may change once he gets into the breeding!!!

We'll also keep going with his jumping, he scored a 9/10 in the loose jumping at the grading.

He is my first stallion so we are playing it a little bit by ear and seeing what happens as we go. I am also in the process of building a new business so this year could be a little quieter for him than we originally planned.


Do you have a stallion Volatis? Or a mare? or just an interest in breeding? Any advice is always welcome...
 
iv just looked at your website and i was v.pleased to see that he is out of a darlington mare, my most favourite horse in the world was by darlington, will keep an eye on your boy
 
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