About Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain
OUR HISTORY
Between the years of 1873 and 1882 no fewer than 197,002 horses were imported into England, chiefly for the army, at a relative cost today of £250 million. Consequently, the Government at that time was greatly in favour of encouraging the breeding of horses in this country.
This crisis in the British Equestrian Industry coincided with a decision made at a November meeting in 1884 by the Hackney Horses Society’s Council. It was decided to include a class for Thoroughbred stallions suitable for use as hunter sires at their annual show and a ‘Committee of Management’ was formed to administer this new venture. This was followed up a year later at another meeting where a proposal led to the formation of a Society for improving the breed of the hunter type horse. The existing Committee of Management responsible for the Thoroughbred Stallion Classes agreed to form the new Society, and the Hunter’s Improvement Society (H.I.S.) was born.
In 1894, the Ministry of Agriculture and the War Office offered premiums at £150 to 29 Stallions in the scheme. The Army, via their remount officers, continued to play a major part in the Society's activities and the financial backing came from the same source right up until the outbreak of the Second World War. After the war, backing was continued by the Totalisator Board and then by the Horserace Betting Levy Board. Between 1996 - 1998 financial assistance was reduced and finally withdrawn and the Society has since had to sustain itself by it’s own operations.
In 1981, the Society’s name was extended to “Hunter’s Improvement and National Light Horse Breeding Society”. This was intended to reflect the shift in the demand for horses for sport and leisure. In fact, with the Army now almost completely mechanised, the Society’s emphasis totally changed and breeders became much more selective. Quality was of the up most importance and the market for the ‘Competition Horse’ became very strong. To this aim, the Society started to register Stallions of other types whilst continuing with its established policy of making available the sound, strong, Thoroughbred Stallion.
In 1998 the Society went through its most recent transition and became Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain. The Society now grades and registers all breeds of horse with the main objective of producing a correct, sound, athletic sport horse with the potential to exceed in Show Jumping, Dressage or Eventing.
THE SOCIETY TODAY
Today Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain is a professional Society run by a Council elected annually by its members. To date, SHB (GB) has over 3,500 members and a Council of up to 15 members. The Society has 3 sub-committees the Show Committee, Fundraising Committee and Finance Committee who look after the operations of the Society in these areas. The objectives of the Society are to:
1. Maintain the Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain Stud Books
2. Promote and market the achievements of British bred sport horses nationally and internationally
3. Operate schemes to improve the quality of British bred sport horses
4. Oversee the governance of Show Hunter and Sport Horse Classes nation wide
The breeding objective of Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain is to produce a correct, sound, athletic sport horse with the potential to exceed in Show Jumping, Dressage or Eventing.
THE COUNCIL
President: The Hon Mrs JCG Cavendish hops@hotmail.co.uk
Chairman: Mrs J Loriston-Clarke MBE – jennielc@btconnect.com
Vice Chairman: Mrs I Susca - irenesusca@btinternet.com
Mrs K Barley – yorkietalkie@live.co.uk
Mrs A Bassett
Mr R Fernyhough
Miss K Jerram – jmjerram@live.co.uk
V Jones Esq – vhj@preci-spark.uk.com
MrC McGrann
Miss E Morley
Mrs S Rawding – rawding891@btinternet.com
BREEDING COMMITTEE
Chairman: V Jones Esq- vhj@preci-spark.uk.com
R Fernyhough Esq - afernyhough@hotmail.co.uk
Mrs J Hastie(Nixon) - jane@nixonequinevetconsultancy.com
Lady Howick (with responsibility for Mares) - mugga@btinternet.com
Mrs J Loriston-Clarke MBE - jennielc@btconnect.com
O Townend Esq
C Upham Esq - langallerfarm@aol.com
Edward Matson Esq edwardmatson@twemlows.co.uk
SHOW COMMITTEE
Chairman: Miss E Morley
Miss K Jerram (Rider's Representative) - katiejerram@live.co.uk
Mrs R Morris - rosemary.morris1@yahoo.co.uk
N Oliver Esq (Show Director of the National Hunter Supreme Championship Show) - ndoequestrian@aol.co.uk
R Ramsay Esq - randmramsay@dsl.pipex.com
Mrs S M Rawding - rawding891@btinternet.com
Mrs I Susca - irenesusca@btinternet.com
Mrs A Bassett
FUND RAISING & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Chairman: Mrs I Susca - renesusca@btinternet.com
Mr V Jones - vhj@preci-spark.uk.com
Miss E Morley
THE BRITISH SPORT HORSE INDUSTRY
Britain has been producing top class sport horses for many years and now the Society is able to emphasise the outstanding national and international influence our graded stallions have had. SHB (GB) is committed to supporting the British sport horse breeding Industry by providing incentives for breeders, education and high standard grading schemes.
We aim to promote the British bred competition horses in order to secure international recognition and enable Great Britain to take its rightful place in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses world rankings.
WORLD BREEDING FEDERATION FOR SPORT HORSES
The Society is a Full Member of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses. This is the only international federation of studbooks for sport horses in the world. The WBFSH is the connection between the sport horse breeding organisations and international equestrian sport (FEI).
The WBFSH provides official information on studbooks as well as pedigrees of the leading sires, breeding rankings, analysis and statistics.
SHB (GB) has consistently asserted its presence in the Individual Eventing rankings winning the WBFSH Individual Eventing Rankings Prize three years in a row with the following horses and achieved success in the overall stud book rankings out of 55 member stud books
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS - EVENTING
2000 – Sleep Late by Kuwait Beach x Fast Asleep (Grade II) by Evening Trial
2001 – Winsome Adante by Saunter x Jus with Genoa by Bohemond
2002 – Winsome Adante by Saunter x Jus with Genoa by Bohemond
2004 – Winsome Adante by Saunter x Jus with Genoa by Bohemond
STUD BOOK RANKINGS – EVENTING
2000 - 4th in the Eventing Stud Book Ranking
2001 - 2nd in the Eventing Stud Book Ranking
2002 - 2nd in the Eventing Stud Book Ranking
2003 - 7th in the Eventing Stud Book Ranking
2006 - 6th in the Eventing Stud Book Ranking
STALLIONS
The Society grades sport horse stallions of all breeds. The process is strict and standards are kept very high. Stallions are inspected for correct conformation, movement, soundness and ability over a jump. All stallions graded with the Society have at least three generations of pedigree on each side of their parentage. All graded stallions over the age of 6 must have some performance.
MARES
The Society grades mares of all breeds throughout the summer each year. The inspections are open to all mares over 14.2hh and are usually conducted in hand. Mares are assessed for correct conformation and movement. If the mare has any performance or if she has competing progeny this is also taken into account.
Mares are graded into one of three studbooks depending on their inspection marks and any performance they may have. Stock by graded mares become eligible for registration onto SHB (GB) studbooks providing certain criteria are met.
HUNTER & SPORT HORSE CLASSES
The Society is the governing body for all affiliated hunter and sport horse classes held at major shows throughout the country. Horses entering these classes have to be registered with SHB (GB). All Show Hunter and Sport Horse results recorded and performance printouts are available for competing horses.
Our own “National Hunter Supreme Championship Show” is held in September each year.
As a Registered Charity any money we make is put back into achieving our aims.
SHB(GB) Office and Staffing Update – April 2013
Who does what in the Edenbridge Office:
Catherine Burdock (Full Time, Monday to Friday) – General Secretary
Overall responsibility for the administration of all the Society’s business and the running of the office.
Marian Eydmann (Part Time, Monday to Friday 12noon to 5pm) – Grading & Breeding Secretary
Responsible for all administration in relation to mare & stallion grading, dealing with all breeding issues and all stud book registrations and foaling returns.
Kim Eades (Part Time, Mondays 8am to 5pm, Tuesdays 12noon to 5pm, Wednesdays 9am to 12 noon) – Membership & Registration Secretary (job share with Laura Paice)
Responsible for all basic identity registrations, show hunter registrations and memberships.
Laura Paice (Part Time, Wednesdays & Fridays 1pm to 5pm and 5 hours per week from home) – Membership & Registration Secretary (job share with Kim Eades)
Responsible for all basic identity registrations, show hunter registrations and memberships. In addition Laura is responsible for the Society’s website and Facebook page.
Tracey Osgood (Part Time, all day Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 9am to 12 noon Tuesdays & Thursdays) – Qualifying Show Secretary (job share with Joy Hill)
Responsible for affiliated show administration, panel judges, checking schedules & entries, inputting results. Assistance to the General Secretary in relation to judges’ assessments. General office administration in relation to incoming and outgoing post and general office emails.
Joy Hill (Part Time, Tuesdays and Thursdays 1pm to 5pm)
Qualifying Show Secretary (job share with Tracey Osgood) – assists Tracey with affiliated show admin.
Claire Glossop (Part Time, 10 hours per week, days depending on workload)
Clerical Assistant – collating and binding of DEFRA approved equine passports and registration documents. Office filing.
Rachel McGrath
Temporary/ Part time general office admin assistance as and when required.