Espadero RPB 'this snow is such a bore'

What a start to the new year!  Along with the rest of the UK we experienced some of the coldest weather conditions I think I have ever experienced in Cornwall. 

 Initially it comes with great excitement, fabulous photograph opportunities and the novelty factor.  HOWEVER! After 5 days of solid icy yards, horses confined to stables, frozen hoses and the prospect of carrying water to fields and stables, not to mention the slips and falls – frankly the novelty has started to wear a bit thin.  I never thought I would look forward to the usual wet and windy winter days we are use to.

 All credit has to go to Kirsty, Rosie and Sara whom made it into work and spent hours each day in the freezing conditions, their efforts very much appreciated by Paul and I.

 Snow aside, life at the stud is hectic, with 11 horses in work and generally only one rider available each day.  We have welcomed Louisa, Gusto and Afortunada JW back to the stud and the teaching schedule is pretty intense.

 The girls have done a great job on their respective NVQ’s generating quality evidence for their portfolio’s, the standard of work is high and I hope they can keep this level up and present completed portfolio’s that represent the high standards we strive for.

Rosie has been working on her module related to feeding and horse health monitoring and has some fabulous work records and assessments that show a level of competence above a level 2 apprentice.  Kirsty is working on her horse health unit and at level 3 has to demonstrate a higher level of knowledge and understanding of a much wider range of horse health issues.  I am really pleased to see 5 pieces of evidence all written well and referenced to the standards.  I am hoping at the assessor visit this week we will see Rosie complete her unit 202 and Kirsty her 302 unit.  Both girls attend Duchy College, Cornwall as part of their Apprentice (Horse Care) contracts.  Great progress girls.

Riding and training of riders and horses at St Piran’s Stud (although hampered by the snow since last Wednesday) continues to progress well.  Rosie has started a training diary for herself and her horse Coco on www.club caballo.com so if you would like to follow her progress as a trainee dressage rider then go to : http://clubcaballo.com/index.php?topic=986.0 and a topic about her life as a student at the stud : http://clubcaballo.com/index.php?topic=987.0

 We have started a video training diary to plot Rosie’s training which will make a fabulous record for her. http://clubcaballo.com/index.php?topic=994.0

 We continue to offer a variety of purebred and partbred Spanish horses for ssale at St Piran’s Stud.  These can be seen @ http://www.st-pirans-stud-spanish-horses.com/FORSALE.html

Ridden Spanish horses (Andalusian’s) for sale include Intensa Su and Inta Su.  Purebred Spanish colts and fillies for sale include Estiloso RPB, Entonado RPB and Euforica RPB.

 …finally we move to pre-foal watch time with Capi and are starting to increase her diet to finish the foal to bes growth and development.  This week coming we look forward to welcoming Peter Maddison-Greenwell of El Caballo de Espana, our long standing trainer back to the stud for a private training clinic.  More news on this next week……

Euforica RPB in her winter woolys

Well I guess my new years resolution has to be to make more of an effort with updating the St Piran’s Stud blog, I can’t believe that so much time has escaped since I last put an entry in!

The foals are growing well and become more beautiful every day.  Although one should never wish time away, the excitment about this years crop of foals reaching 3 years old and being ready to train is very much anticipated.  In the mean time the fillies run as a small herd and the colts run together with Danzante RPB from the 2008 breeding season

Life at the stud is as busy as ever.  We are now only 4 weeks off going onto foal watch with Capi, our top bay purebred Spanish mare from Yeguada Susaeta.  Once again she is in foal to Gavilan XX and whilst we just hope for a safe foaling, a filly would be lovely as we could begin to build our own cobra of mares, but a colt would be a fabulous addition for dressage and breeding.  Capi is due to foal at the end of Febuary, so we are hoping for some sunny dry weather – definitely wishful thinking!

more news to follow ….

In addition Inta Su a wonderful ridden mare will arrive with Capi and Mana.  She will be available for sale as soon as she is settled – a fabulous price for a mare with prospects as both a competition mare and breeding mare.

Well, fingers crossed we are just about complete for the covering and scanning of the breeding mares preparing for the 2010 crop of foals – all of whom will have names begining with F.

The mares have been covered as follows

Jeferia x Bierzo (first foal from this combination), an exciting mix from this prolific mare bred by Yeguada Militar.  Her bloodines combined with Bierzo’s promise a large foal with beautiful movement.

Nefritis II x Bierzo (first foal from this combination) our second Yeguada Militar mare whom has already produced exceptionally sucessful dressage horses.

Vinatera VII x Fichaje (2nd foal from this combination – see Euforica RPB), we are thrilled that our oldest mare from the top stud Candau is back in foal, each year is a blessing and she is looking as good as ever.

Buhonera II x Birzo (2nd foal from this combination – see Etereo RPB) fingers crossed for an identical foal as Etereo has it all – size, beauty and movement with the gentlest temperament.

Fraccion x Bierzo (2nd foal from this combination – see Exquisita RPB) this combination are producing foals with the highest quality conformation and extravagant movement

Ritmica II x Bierzo (3rd foal from this combination – see Cadensiosa and Entonado RPB) a fabulous match combining extravagant movement with a double line from Panadero V

Valentia x Bierzo ( 5th foal from this combination – see Bienamada, Carinoso, Diosa and Estiloso RPB) fabulous consistency and we are waiting to see these foals finish as fabulous event horses.

Brillante x Bierzo (2nd foal from this combination – see Esmeralda RPB) again as with the Valentia partbreds a real event prospect

Contact us if you are interested in any of the 2009 or 2010 foals (the E’s and F’s to come) some are available for sale @ www.st-pirans-stud-spanish-horses.com 

More details on the foalings to follow

 Last year the stud went through a huge expansion in its breeding program expanding from four to nine breeding mares, seven PRE and two partbreds, one TBx and one IDx.

 In January the foaling started with our first new mare Estuca.  We have waited for some years to be able to invest in this very special mare who is a daughter of Oficial XXIX.  Estuca came over in foal to my favourite Susaeta stallion Enorme (who is listed as excellent in the ANCCE Young Reproducers 2009 catalogue and has been selected for the ANCCE dressage team).

 So, on a wild and wet January night we welcomed Espadero RPB into the world – exactly what I wanted a strapping colt.

 At nearly six months Espadero is now weaned and is following in his fathers footsteps showing great height, beauty and wonderful movement – along with the gentle Oficial temperament.  Essie will be staying with us to become on of our future competition and breeding stallions.

 We then had several months gap until the main foaling season started, the beginning of April saw the birth of foal two Entonado RPB, by Bierzo out of Ritmica II, a very successful match giving their foals one of my favourite bloodlines lines (via Panadera V) on both side of their lineage.  Panadera V has been key to many top dressage horses such as 2009 Olympic stallion Invasor ridden by Rafael Sotto.

May saw the birth of two foals from our new Yeguada Militar mares Jeferia and Nefritis II.  Both mares came from Yeguada Susaeta and formed the foundation stock for Maria at Susaeta.  Although they are now older mares, are still productive and have produced horses of exceptional quality for Susaeta. 

 Jeferia foaled Expresivo RPB in the field whilst we were racing round preparing for our bi-monthly stud clinic with Peter Maddison-Greenwell.  Affectionately called Coffee, this beautiful bay colt is now owned by Kate Arman and we wish Kate and Coffee a fabulous life together – he is a horse with exceptional presence, his sire Cubanon won first place in the 5 year old dressage class at SICAB last year, so Coffee has all the credentials to make a great horse.

Nefritis, somewhat annoyed that Jeferia foaled before her promptly gave birth the following evening to a stunning and tall bay filly – exactly what we were hoping for.  Escarlata RPB will stay with us to breed and also in the initial stages be trained for dressage.  Nefritis II has been a producer of exceptional horses in the past.  In 2009 Susaeta competed Nefritis daughter Facul and she achieved one of seventy listed horses in the ANCCE Young Reproducers catalogue.  Escarlata is by another top Susaeta stallion Decreto (x Oficial XXIX) again he is listed in the 2009 ANCCE catalogue, so we have high hopes for this filly.

This year was our first year of branding and saw C and D year foals returning to the stud to receive their stamp.  It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with their owners and see how the foals were maturing.  In true Spanish tradition (but with less than Spanish weather!) we held a branding celebration.

Quite a few people have asked – who is the favourite, and it is a question that both Paul and I struggle with because they were all important foals this year but for different reasons.

 Very special was the welcome of Euforica RPB to the world.  Two years ago we were lucky enough to buy Vinatera VII (Bierzo’s dam) a LIMPRE listed Candau mare.  Again, she was another foundation mare for Susaeta and we bought her in foal to Enorme in 2007 with Kopla Su at foot.  Last year she produced exactly what we wanted a bay half brother to Bierzo.  Danzante RPB is maturing superbly and he will be a fabulous competition and breeding horse.  This year Vinatera was in foal to our second stallion Fichaje, and at 22 years old we had everything crossed that the foaling would be safe and both would be healthy.  Vinatera didn’t disappoint and in June  Euforica joined us, she is fabulous, shows great cadence in her movement.

 Our partbreds were another great success this year with both Valentia and Brillante producing 75% Spanish crosses (with TB and ID lines respectively).  Estiloso (colt) and Esmeralda (filly) are both exceptional and combine all that is good with each element of their bloodlines.  Esmeralda has been sold to Cora Spong way up there in Derby and we wish them both a successful career together in dressage.

Fraccion (x Macanuo IV, one of 5 PREs to score over 70% at grand prix) has produced a filly with exceptional presence and conformation whom we have aptly named Exquisita. 

 Final foaling of the year came four weeks early.  A critical foal after the sad loss of Desvelado last year (premature and breach), we were willing Buhonera II to go to term and have the joy of a healthy foal.  Well, term was not going to happen!  At 6 weeks before foaling she was huge and by four weeks she was ready – Etereo was born.  A whopping colt who is healthy, strong BIG and fast!  At the moment we are still not sure if he will be grey or bay – either way, he is beautiful and a perfect end to a long season.

 Now we settle to the long warm summer, enjoy watching the foals at liberty, growing and maturing into an exceptional selection.  All mares are covered and scanned in foal.  So we can get back to the business of training.

 Several new developments, Estuca our top mare is coming back to work, she is a mare with exceptional.  The plan is to get her out competing at affiliated level and prove just how exceptional the mares are for this work. 

 Another reason for training Estuca is the move from dressage to jumping for our top stallion Bierzo.  I have worked with Bierzo for 5 years and he is now just starting the advanced movements – HOWEVER, as part of her NVQ college course, our student Kirsty Lee need to jump two horses, so we decided that she could use Bierzo.  Well, he is exceptional, after four lessons with our trainer Stephen Williams (a local Grade A jumper), he is at 1m 20cm and Stephen says ‘one of the most talented horses he has seen in years’.  So this is his new direction.  It proves just how multifunctional the PRE really is and we hope it will help expand the market for the PRE to beyond being considered mainly for dressage.

 This year saw us embark on dressage competitions.  During May we purchased Guiño (Oficial XXIX x Nefritis II) whom we had imported and sold late in 2008.  Now gelded, he is a super horse to let Kirsty start competing on.  At our first two competitions Kirsty and Guiño achieved a double 1^st place at novice level (70.0%) qualifying for the David Broome Grassroots Dressage regional championships, in October we take them to the championships – fingers crossed for a positive result.

 Despite the credit crunch we continue to develop and expand, 2009 has been a memorable year for us in many ways.  Club Caballo our dressage and Spanish horse forum is now in its second year and offers free membership to all BAPSH members.  The club is internet based but also has real entity with competitions and gatherings throughout the year.

 In November we will be embarking on our second student placement.  This year has been immensely rewarding, watching Kirsty develop as a rider and as invaluable help at the stud.  Her achievements on and off the horses have been a credit to her hard work and dedication.  The stud also opened its doors to a number of school and university work placements providing opportunities for students to learn about stud and Spanish horse life.  Paul and I have been really impressed with all the students, who worked hard and demonstrated great attitudes to work.  We hope to be able to build on this success over the coming year.

 Next year we are planning our third open day and hope to top our crowd figures of 480 in 2005.  If you happen to be in Cornwall please look us up and come and say hello.