About Us
Our History | The Society Today | The Council | Show Committee | Fund Raising & Finance Committee
The British Sport Horse | World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses | Stallions | Mares | Show Hunters
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reduced and finally withdrawn and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
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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
Brood Mare Committee, Stallion Committee, and Show 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 2012 (Back
to top)
President: The Hon Mrs JCG Cavendish
hops@hotmail.co.uk
Chairman:
D walters Esq -
d.walters230@btinternet.com
Vice Chairman: Mrs I Susca -
irenesusca@btinternet.com
Mrs J Hastie(Nixon) -
jane@nixonequinevetconsultancy.com
V. Jones Esq -
vhj@preci-spark.uk.com
Miss H Knight -
hen@westlockinge.co.uk
Mrs J Loriston-Clarke MBE -
jennielc@btconnect.com
I McKie Esq -
ianmckie@lantonestate.com
Miss E Morley
R Ramsay Esq -
randmramsay@dsl.pipex.com
C Upham Esq -
langallerfarm@aol.com
BREEDING COMMITTEE 2012 (Back
to top)
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
SHOW COMMITTEE 2012 (Back
to top)
Chairman:
Mrs J Hastie(Nixon) -
jane@nixonequinevetconsultancy.com
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
Miss E Morley
Fund Raising & Finance Committe 2012 (Back
to top)
Chairman:
Mrs E A Morley
Mr V Jones -
vhj@preci-spark.uk.com
Mrs I Susca -
irenesusca@btinternet.com
THE BRITISH SPORT HORSE INDUSTRY
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
