Abbotswood

We hiked all the way down to the depths of Devon for the BSPA grading with Diddy and Maggie.  Both were really well behaved and our Abbotswood crew Champion Stallion and Champion Mare.  Were are thrilled and very proud to own such special horses.  Imogen had to do a ridden appraisal on Maggie - she performed beautifully.

Will and Bruno taking on the Sussex hedges

Hunting Avril and Robin Bartolomony's H/W Show Cob - Marble Arch - Nov '09

The most beautiful, talented and most genuine horse - Lola - December '09

Charlotte hunting Lola

Dixie is to make 14.2hh, is chunky and a great mover!

This little filly is only 8 weeks old and look at the hair she has already! 

Both fillie's are DNA'd for 3 generations of top class traditional breeding. 

We have done 7 days of Autumn hunting with Bruno and Lola.  There is nothing more rewarding or worthwhile when you have two of the most generous horses anyone could ever wish for.  Lola, only 4, and Bruno, just 5 are truly exceptional.  They don't muck about, are happy with the hounds, jump anything in front of them and stand very quietly whilst we have the odd tipple.  It is truly a joy to own two very very special and kind horses.  We love them to bits for giving us such amazing days out.

Three children were finalists for the Junior Bursary at CHAPS and Imogen won the top award!  Imogen was tickled pink and ran Maggie around the indoor arena in the Gala performance with the hugest grin on her face.  She plans to put her bursary money to good use with showing lessons and perhaps a dressage lesson with Carl Hester!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oscar behaved impeccably (anddidn't manage to fall asleep) to gain very high marks in his youngstock evaluation.   Out of 30 forward, very few were awarded 1st premiums.  His conformation marks were incredibly high and he received three scores over 9.  His overall score was 9.25 out of 10.

Oscar was awarded a First Premium with BSPA and received the highest marks out of the colts put forward with the judges commenting he is 'stallion potential'.   He was a very well behaved boy and took everything in his stride.  Absolutely nothing phases that boy!

And practice terrier racing aged 4 weeks - the girls gave them their own back numbers!

And then Great Aunt Diva takes over child minding duties...

Diddy and Maggie had a day out together in the New Forest.  New Forest is a nice show - it is easy to see most things there and we enjoyed having early classes so we could get around to see other things.  A huge group of friends were there - from the North and South.  It was a good fun day out and we were made up with Diddy who won his class and Maggie who as 4th.  Imogen and Val did superb jobs of showing them.

Imogen showed Maggie in the Open Native Cob and Traditional Class and was 2nd!    It was a good result, and especially as Imogen did all the hard work herself - washing, grooming and showing her!

Maggie had a wonderful Royal Show at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.  She competed in the Open Youngstock Class and was in a monster class with about 25 plaited and non plaiteds.  She came a very creditable 5th.   She also competed in the Open Native, Cob and Traditional Class was was 3th out of 20 or so.  The Royal is a beautiful show and was rather special this time, as it was the last one.

Only Hickstead can put on an absolutely stonking hot day - 27 degrees.  Lots of friends and family were there to cheer him on - thank you everyone!  It was a real buzz for our boy to win Open class at Hickstead Derby Meeting two years on the trot .  Poor chap was dying to have a wee throughout and managed to keep it all together until the end.  Val showed him beautifully, as usual - sorry about the unusual heat wave Val - I am glad it was you rather than me!   A very special moment.

Maggie was 5th in the Open Youngstock Class - she was the first non plaited in the line up so we were very pleased with her.  Charlotte did a great job of showing her and it was a tough class with some really lovely horses and ponies in there. 

Oscar has all the ingredients to make a top stallion - quality, 4 generations of verified breeding, movement, dripping in silky feather, a lovely small head, beautiful big brown eyes, small ears and a kind soft temperament to top it off.  

Gracie was scanned in foal today to Ninfield Tom Kitten.  Tom Kitten is the renowned sire of all the Hindleap ponies - Hindleap Choir Boy being the pony of the moment.  He has never been used to outside mares in his 15 young years, and we have been very priviledged to use him - especially with a coloured mare!  We are told by his owner that Gracie is the last mare he will ever cover, so we are very priviledged indeed.

Well, what a day - dreams are made of winning such a prestigious show like Royal Windsor.  Diddy, shown by Val brilliantly, rose to the challenge and won the Native. Cob and Traditional Class which was open to all ages.  It was an incredibly strong class with many well known and graded stallion/mares of all heights in there.  He was foot perfectly, impeccably behaved and wow, did he point his toes!  That boy loves a party!!

Molly and Charlotte were in the Coloured Pony under 15hh which is a mixed class with plaited and hairy's as well.   A huge ask for Molly who has only been riding three months - she did a beautiful show and was 6th out of 20 - a lovely rosette as well.  She was the 2nd highest traditional.  Were were over the moon with our two - just to be at Royal Windsor is one thing - the atmosphere is alive, to compete there is a real treat and to have a placing is awesome and to win, just WOW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PjHHOAs5ok

This video was kindly done by Emily Darby, the 10 year old girl who owns Heidi with her twin sister, Amy.  Emily took took all the video's and photos, then magically made this beautiful video clip of our special boy.  Thank you Emily - it bought a tear to our eye, of what really was a very special moment.

Molly was a very creditable 6th in a very strong class of plaited and non plaited horses under 15hh.  Molly was an absolute saint and seems to love the big stage.  What a great thrill for a pony who has only been backed for 3 months.  Go Molly!!

Maggie and Imogen won their class at NPS Area 14 on their debut.  It was a special moment given Imogen's long wait to have something in the ring to show.  They have qualified for CHAPS Nationals, Ponies UK Summer Champs and the Royal London.  Well done Imogen and Maggie!

Lily produced a beautiful filly foal early this morning - she is absolutely gorgeous.  All the children were there to see her make her entrance into the world, and they have nick named her Bella.  Mum and baby doing very well in the sun just 10 hours old.

Diddy was Reserve Supreme Champion at PUK Midlands Regional Show in a very strong class of blood horses.  Shown by our close friend Val superbly, he did so well and we were over the moon.

Lola is a beautiful natured kind 4yo mare purchased from the Hawtins at Squires Sports Horse Stud near Blackpool.

We headed down to our good friend's Steve and Julie's for a night and were treated to a 'spin' on their extraordinary stepping stallion 'Biscuit'.  Now this was something I had never done and boy oh boy, when you are doing 50kph for fun on the road - it is the ultimate adrenalin rush!  Thanks Steve & Ju! (This is our friend Val in the passenger's seat with Steve driving whilst I was being photographer!).

What can we say?  He has all four feet off the ground and ours haven't touched the ground either -  Diddy was SUPREME IN HAND PONY CHAMPION at the CHAPS National Championships at Arena UK, Lincolnshire.  This is truly a remarkable result, given the fact that he is only a yearling.  He had a phenomenal Championship Show - winning five final classes out of five!  We are awaiting confirmation from CHAPS, but think that this has never been done by anyone to date, of any type.    He is, as one friend emailed and said,

"Congratulations to you Jayne and Diddy you've done the breed proud, Diddy will go down in history as the one who put the breed in the ring and won BIG TIME"

kushti Joe

 We are priviledged to own you Diddy - throughout a desperately sad year, you have put a smile on so many people's faces - I know Nancy and Millie are up there giggling too.  You are our little hero and we love you to bits.

Diddy had a fantastic trip to Hickstead Derby Meeting and won his Open Class, then went on to be Reserve Champion!!!

Fantastic news,we found out that Lily's foal Boris is double homozygous.  This means that he will only produce coloured foals - but never a chestnut and white!!!!

From Animal Genetics:

I just spoke to the laboratory, the DNA sample indicates that Abbotswood Royal Male carries two inherited copies of the Tobiano-inversion in his genotype, this means he is Tobiano Homozygous. He will pass the Tobiano gene to 100% of his foals, since Tobiano is a dominant gene this means that regardless of the mare he covers - the foal will be 'coloured'... 

Diddy had a HUGE result at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in the Open Native, Cob and Traditional Class coming 2nd.  It was a very strong class and we are over the moon with him.  He was beaten by one of the best show cobs in the country at the moment.  Go Diddy, you are a legend!!  Nancy also had an outstanding  4th in the same class at Windsor - she was kindly shown by our very good friend Kirsty Wilson and we are very grateful for her expertise.  It really was a spectacular day and we loved every minute of it.

What an amazing boy - Diddy got his FIRST PREMIUM  at the CHAPS Youngstock Evaluation.  What a star - this proves he is an exceptional colt of his type.  He was champion out of a very strong class, of not just 'hairy's but posh horses too.  Go Diddy, you are a superstar!!

The girls enjoyed a wonderful Boxing Day Meet at Lewes.  It was a glorious day and was again, well supported.  The ponies were perfectly behaved too!

Our sincere thanks to Kirsty and Steve Wilson, and their daughter Chloe, for taking and showing Diddy at the British National Foal of the Year Show in Solihull.  They did a superb job and came home with Diddy winning his class and beating the non-natives!   Go Diddy!!!  He obviously loves a party and we are VERY proud of him.

Our truly wonderful friend Steve made a monstrous 500 mile round trip from Devon to bring up his fantastic stallion 'Cookie' to visit our mare Lily.  Both Steve and Cookie were only here for 4 hours.  It was great to see Steve again albeit it far too short.  Sadly Lil didn't take this time around.  We would sincerely like to say  thanks Steve (and Julie for manning the fort back at their home).

Abbotswood Gorgie Boy arrived very quickly on Tuesday 4 April at 3.15pm.  We had no warning that Lily was going to foal and received a call from our decorator that she was having a foal (we were at a show!).  Although we drove back as quickly as we could, we missed the event!  Our sincere thanks go to Paulos for spotting her, our midwifery team - Lyn Stone, Rocky and Alison.  They did a splendid job of bringing this beautiful little colt into the world.  Mum and Baby doing well!

Millie won the Supreme Working Hunter at the Gala Evening on Saturday Night at the BSPA National Championships at Keysoe, Bedfordshire.  The competition was very tough and all the champions from the different championships classes came through for the Supreme.   Following the presentation, I  gave her the gallop of her life which sent the crowd wild!  Well done Millie - you jumped out of your skin.  She won both of her jumping classes, went champion then took the SUPREME!!!!!  All with baby inside!!!