"Win a live covering for your mare" competition

sheep

sheep

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Just saw on Facebook - am I being unreasonable in thinking this is the most ridiculous competition I have ever seen? A stud offering free cover via a like and share competition. Didn't sit well with me, couldn't help but comment... I can't help but feel this is not really a good idea. Surely someone should choose to put their mare in foal because they have the resources, time and money to do it, not because they had their name drawn out of a hat. The market is saturated, as it is, surely studs should be encouraging responsible breeding, and being highly selective about the mares they cover? Not to mention increased risk to both mare and stallion through live cover.

Thoughts?
 
I would have thought the stud could have been thinking about serious breeders, rather than joe blogs who happens to have a mare.

You can't tell how they select these, and Tbf- my mum would love to win a free covering to one of the stallions we use!!

I understand about over breeding and idiots doing it for the sake of it, but be fair- if someone wants to breed rubbish, they will. Fair play to the stud for trying to survive and spread awareness I reckon :)

Plus they will probably look through the 'likes' and find a new customer who is already breeding/ has quality horses- there's no point in them putting their stallions to rubbish mares, as then it's their reputation at risk as well, and it would be unlikely that the new client would come back once they have to pay- serious breeders, once they find a stallion which suits their mare often stay with him.
 
I really hope they are thinking along those lines :)
The cynic in me though thinks this maybe isn't a good idea and doesn't really give the right impression, in a world where you can buy a 3yo pony for £20, and the next Facebook post to it is a competition for a free covering.
 
Many years ago I won a free covering through a magazine. The result will be 20yrs old this year. He has been my pony of a lifetime and I wouldn't be without him.
 
Sheep said:
Stallion choice of either Matros or Sinatra, apparently.
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Never heard of them so had to google

It is not uncommon for studs to offer a free covering in a promotional way and I don't have a problem with it per se.

I do have a problem with keeping horses entire for the sake of their colour and then breeding from them, free or paid 😬 no one with a decent mare will use those stallions if they were paid, so yes I fear they will just increase the burden on lower end of market
 
Hadn't heard of them either. I think it's the "like and share" element that gets my goat lol. Seems too casual and flippant a way of going about things. Though of course as High Hope mentions above, perhaps they have some other selection criteria. I hope so!
 
popsdosh said:
I very much doubt it!!!!
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ihatework said:
Never heard of them so had to google

It is not uncommon for studs to offer a free covering in a promotional way and I don't have a problem with it per se.

I do have a problem with keeping horses entire for the sake of their colour and then breeding from them, free or paid 😬 no one with a decent mare will use those stallions if they were paid, so yes I fear they will just increase the burden on lower end of market
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Yeah.. I was kind of hoping it was a reputable stud like Louella or End House etc etc...

Now unfortunately I might have to agree fully with the OP!
 
If it's anything like those "Win a Range River" types posts, forget it. They're not real and there are no prizes. I believe the idea is to build a page that looks popular by way of likes and shares, then it can be sold on at a later date for loads of money. Or something like that.

Or it might just be a plain old scam.

Always check the website of the donor of the prize. It might be real, but its unlikely.
 
In fairness to the person offering the prize, they did come back to me with: "Only people wanting to breed will enter. Both stallions produce excellent stock that are much in demand here and have been sold abroad. There is currently a 2year waiting list for cream variant filly foals from Sinatra. Where the winner's mare proves unsuitable, the stud has a choice of three quality proven and performance bred broodmares that are available. So far most people entering the draw who are serious about breeding have contacted the stud with details of the intended broodmare and have discussed which stallion may be most suited. We are very pleased with the selection of intended broodmares so far, and have every confidence that the winner will be absolutely delighted with the outcome."

However I would worry that people who "want to breed" might be encouraged to go ahead and do so for the sake of a freebie. Hell, I want to breed - but only from the right stallion at the right time, to the right mare. And it would be for me, and not because it was a fancy colour ;)
 
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