Top horses celebrated at British Breeders Awards
Tuesday 27 January 2009
 For the fourteenth time, the success of British breeders was celebrated at the glittering 2009 Breeders' Awards Dinner at London's Grange City Hotel. Twenty-five awards were presented in recognition of the continued development of the British breeding industry.
Six racehorses, re-schooled to excel as performance horses, received awards in the South Essex Insurance Brokers / Retraining of Racehorses awards, one of whom, Liz Harcombe's Kings Piper was on the podium for the third time in the affiliated dressage section, and another - Joey Ellis' Blue Streak for the second time in the showing section.
BEF Futurity section boasted winners from areas as far apart as Aberdeenshire and Wiltshire represented by Craigmancie Cracker (Welton Double Cracker) and Knockleith Eureka (Shinglehall Senator) from Aberdeen and Classictop Notch (Lauriston) from Wiltshire, all taking the bows. Foal Classic Prada (Classic Juan) won hearts and the stallion award to Woodcroft Garuda K (Munchhausen) and mare award to Sandrina (Sandro) demonstrated remarkable consistency in progeny quality.
High level success was recorded in the Sports Pony Studbook Society sponsored section with outstanding performance results being established by the progeny of sire Machno Carwyn (Carregcoch Bleddyn) - his own sire having been a previous recipient of this award.
 British Eventing's Breeding Awards also saw some consistent patterns with the four (Cotton King) and six (Coopers Law) year old winners both being by event sire Mill Law. Five-year-old winner was Newmiln Dakota by Newmiln Landini. Vincent Jones presented the trophies.
British Dressage celebrated a first, where all three winners were by the same stallion Dimaggio. The breeders of Half Moon Dynasty, Headmore Delegate and Woodlander Dornroeschen went home with the trophies, presented by Jennie Loriston Clarke.
BSJA's winners were presented by William Funnell and were; Sorceress by Cabri D'Elle, Jumping Mac Flash by Kannan and Billy Congo by Vechta. PJ Doyle and Donal Barnwell were there as breeders to collect their awards in person and MJ Dawson's was collected by Liz Wood.
The British Horse Foundation's Outstanding Mare Award went to another showjumper, Amber Du Montois, Denise Stamp's home bred mare by Abdullah. William Funnell's ride Amber retired this year, still jumping 1.50m tracks and having winnings of over £180,000. Amber bred a foal in 1994, a very good Grade A, Double Eclipse, by Animo.
The BEF Olympic Award went to Maurice Pinto, breeder of Miners Frolic (Miners Lamp), the 2008 Hong Kong double bronze medal winner and mount of Kristina Cook.
A surprise award was presented to Supporters of British Breeding Chairman Desi Dillingham, who was recognised for her contribution to British sport horse breeding over the last 14 years.
The room fell silent in anticipation of the announcement of the winner of the Merial Meritoire for outstanding services to British sport horse breeding. As Mike Tucker announced the winner, Johanna Vardon, the room erupted. Johanna's story is a remarkable one and the tale was recounted by Mike as Johanna stepped up to collect her award, insisting that husband John Baxter be part of the celebrations.
With thanks extended to guest speaker Yogi Breisner and Supporters of British Breeding who organised the event, NED the National Equine Database, which made calculation of results so much easier, and to all of those who attended and made the occasion so memorable.
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