Thank you Sue Shore for asking for my neigh nominations oof horses of a lifetime. Although I have had almost 40 over the years there was no problem in selecting three and they are Tallents Wellesley (Tally), Rylandes Tacta (Tacta) and Fourwinds Gethin (Rin). Tally (by Webfang out of Gaspin by Gaspari) was imported by me from Denmark (where he had been Foal of the Year) at rising 3 and passed his BWBS grading a short while afterwards. Co-owned by Bo and Anne Carlen and ridden by their daughter Louise Carlen he was a horse of huge presence, great temperatment and rideability and superb conformation but sadly -- perhaps becuase (as Lynne Crowden said to me many years later when she described him as one of the horses that made her decide to breed warmbloods (you have a lot to answer for Tally)) -- he was ahead of his time for the old ladies who then ruled much of British dressage judging and training. As a result he spent much of his time at Stromsholm in Sweden where he was appreciated as the star he was -- but what a missed opportunity for British breeding and competition. Tacta (Tango (Trak) out of Brasilia by Brabant) I bought unseen from Marie Smith (then Registration Secretary of the BWBS) as a foundation mare for the Tallents Stud as I knew her excellent eye for a horse and outstanding reputation as a breeder. Tacta proved her weight in gold producing over 15 foals including Rachel Struels dressage horse Ragusa, the eventer and show horses Tallents Quest and Tallents Highlight and the showjumper Tallents Quondam -- and of course Anita Pidgeons eventer Archie (sorry forgot his registered name!). Finally, of course there is Rin the much loved and much missed (especially by co-owners Jean Hurl and Richard Hurl and his keeper Kerensa Pluess-Cobbledick) our super Section D SPSS-graded palomino stallion. He had outstanding potential as a sports pony stallion but was sadly taken from us at 7 years old with colic before he could really make his mark although we do have some frozen semen left for future years. Chosing the neigh nominees I wish to put forward so that they can write about their horses / ponies of a lifetime I was of course spoiled for choice so I decided to pick those that would add as wide a range of stories as possible. Step forward therefore please Lynda Lodge, Sue Cullen, Annette Nally and Pauline Smith :-)
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 08:54:09 +0000
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