The Stallion Showcase Great Britain is set to return to the Addington Equestrian Centre in Buckinghamshire, UK for 2012 on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 February 2012. The event is for stallions based in the UK and Ireland and aims at increasing awareness of breeding in Great Britain.
In 2011 the inaugural running of this event was deemed a resounding success with excellent feedback from stallion owners and spectators alike! As an event in its infancy the aim is to get bigger and better year on year.
Last year we had GB Dressage Team member Fiona Bigwood do a dressage Masterclass aboard Wie Atlantico. This year we have the maestro and doyenne of British Dressage herself giving a display! Jennie Loriston-Clarke, the four time Team GB Olympic rider, International Dressage Judge and world renowned horse breeder and founder of Catherston Stud will be giving a dressage demo on Saturday aboard her homebred Catherston Springsteen followed by a Masterclass with two of her younger horses.
"This is surely a spectacle not to be missed as demo's by Jennie are few and far between nowadays as her judging commitments keep her very busy," Shirley Light of SSGB told Eurodressage.
In addition to this demo, on the Saturday we will also see the dressage stallions on display including the above mentioned Catherston Springsteen, the Furst Heinrich son Franklyn Sugar, the multi-purpose but incredibly dressage talented Wolkentanz I son Wolkenderry, the WBS-UK grading Champion's Amour G and Dark De Niro, the Trakehner Verband Approved stallion Latin King, the Hanoverian Verband stallion Elroon and the BEF joint leading sire in 2011, Legrande who has been dubbed by many as the 'golden Totilas' and whose fan base includes Paralympic Gold Medallist Lee Pearson! This is in addition to many other stallions including those eventing and jumping stallions who can be seen to be 'dual purpose' sires and indeed have dressage influence shown strongly in their pedigrees such as Caretino Glory, and the multi society approved TB stallions Albaran and Watermill Swatch amongst many many more.
Whilst the dressage will be focused on throughout Saturday, Sunday will also see lots more with a loose jumping competition for 3 & 4 yr old mares, geldings or colts as well as the display of eventing and show jumping stallions. There will also be a fabulous display/masterclass given by GB Eventing Team member Oliver Townend who will also be in attendance with 6 stallions!
Another highlight of the weekend is the Silent Auction that runs throughout with all proceeds going directly to the Help For Heroes Charity. This auction proved incredibly popular last year with generous donations of coverings from stallion owners, horse training packages, AI Vet packages and more on offer and likewise to come for 2012. In all the auction managed to raise in excess of £11,000 last year for the charity and aims to keep building on this year on year for what must be one of the most worthwhile charities in today's day and age.
Tickets for SSGB can be bought in advance via the website or at the door and are £10 for one day or £16 for the whole weekend. Also available to purchase will be the professionally produced compendium Competition Stallions book of graded and approved stallions in the UK, including many entered in the showcase which in itself is a resource to keep year on year as a stallion reference guide.
Related Links
2012 British Stallion Event Scheduled for 28 January 2012
Jennie Loriston-Clarke wins First Queen’s Award for Equestrianism
Greatest Oldies: Dutch Gold, Like Father Like Son
Greatest Oldies: Dutch Courage, Pioneer of British Dressage