Suffolk Horses / Breeders

[Mugsgame]

I'm curious because I've loved this breed from quite a young age when we had some pure bred mares at work. They were more for display and at the time I didn't wonder too much about their breeding program!

Are there many breeders now? Would they be mainly studs or private individuals? Are the registered mares mainly kept to breed pure breds or are many part breds born each year? What sort of disciplines to part bred do? What sort of money do people expect for a good mare/ stud fees for a lisenced stallion, etc? Also wondering how the current economic climate effects the breeding program and if people will continue to breed even in a poor market?

As I said, all just curious thinking out loud - stunning animals and I would love to know a bit more!!

 

[FanyDuChamp]

Don't know of any but would be very interested.
FDC

 

[Rollin]

Like the Cleveland Bay, the Suffolk Punch is on the RBST critical list. Someone on the Horse Breeders Forum has recently posted a lovely pic of Easton Park Farm, Suffolk Punch day.

There are one or two events each year in East Anglia. The breed society have a list of breeders and information on where to see.

www.suffolkhorsesociety.org.

I don't know how the economic climate is affecting the Suffolk but this year CBHS expect only 38 pure-bred registration WORLDWIDE and it appears that many mares have been left empty this year.

 

[2Conker]

Could also try this for more infor http://www.suffolkpunchtrust.org/suffolk-punch/

 

[MistletoeMegan]

There's a stud at Hollesley Bay, an open prison - it's the largest Suffolk Punch stud and is also used rehabilitation/employment/training.

Aside from that there's a small number of individuals in the area who also breed and are heavily involved in promoting the breed.

AFAIK the vast majority of mares have pure-bred foals in an effort to boost the population; it's a shame in one way because they produce very nice 1/2 and 1/4 breds, but I can fully understand that until the breeding population increases they need to keep breeding pure.

 

[Mugsgame]

Good lord Rollin, 38 CBs registering worldwide! Frightening really. I am surprised by this because without taking anything away from the S Punch, I can imagine more people would find a use for a pure CB?

Regards the Suffolks, looked on the website and it mentioned a figure around 50 for 2010. Not great numbers are they - but what do people do with their pure breds aside from show them? Appreciate they are draught horses but the mares we had around were so amiable I can only imagine them being great family horses too. Expensive to keep or buy maybe? Also, with so few (relatively speaking) are breeders able to put aside the weaker stock and breed from the best? Can't imagine the logistics of working with such a small gene pool - you want to keep as many bloodlines as possible but not breed from animals with too many faults. This must feel like six one, half a dozen the other, esp if some lines have a habit of throwing up the odd confo fault.

Got me thinking! I see Eriskays join the Suffolk and CB on the critical list too.

 

[Rose Folly]

Not an answer to your question, but an angle. Between the Wars my father bred Suffolk Punches. He also crossed them with TBs, to produce absolutely cracking classy heavyweight hunters. I know he exported three at least to the US. He would be horrified - not to mention mortified - to realise how few there are left. He thought the world of them and said they were so economical to keep and never sick or sorry.

 

[Rollin]

Good lord Rollin, 38 CBs registering worldwide! Frightening really. I am surprised by this because without taking anything away from the S Punch, I can imagine more people would find a use for a pure CB?

Regards the Suffolks, looked on the website and it mentioned a figure around 50 for 2010. Not great numbers are they - but what do people do with their pure breds aside from show them? Appreciate they are draught horses but the mares we had around were so amiable I can only imagine them being great family horses too. Expensive to keep or buy maybe? Also, with so few (relatively speaking) are breeders able to put aside the weaker stock and breed from the best? Can't imagine the logistics of working with such a small gene pool - you want to keep as many bloodlines as possible but not breed from animals with too many faults. This must feel like six one, half a dozen the other, esp if some lines have a habit of throwing up the odd confo fault.

Got me thinking! I see Eriskays join the Suffolk and CB on the critical list too.

During my childhood I lived beside Stansgate Farm be side the River Blackwater, the farmer bred Suffolks, hence my love for the breed. He bred a filly called Stansgate Nefertiti (1960's)who appears in the pedigrees of many Suffolks today.

I know they are still used for forestry projects, there is a lady who has been interviewed for Farming Today, Radio Four. The Suffolk was a great farm horse, by the way, because it could work longer than other heavy horses before needing a feed and rest

GENE POOL The CBHS have a selective mating scheme called SPARKS. The aim is to widen the gene pool. The author of this computer programme Andy Dell, was given an award by the RBST presented by the Prince of Wales. The programme is based on work done by zoos worldwide who focus on conservation.

Before we purchased our CB stallion we checked that he would be a suitable mate for our mares. There is more information on www.southernclevelandbayclub.co.uk