Open
Day 2008
Open
Day 2008
Stanhopes Diddicoy, ridden by Emily Harris
By some miracle, weeks of torrential rain ended at midday on the 30th March, just in time for our annual open day to start at 2pm! The sun shone as the first of our 300 visitors walked past our resting fields at Putlands Farm, and through the woods to Hobgoblins. The most famous of Coloured Stallions, Stanhopes Diddicoy, was the first horse to be presented. Beautifully ridden this year on the flat by European Bronze Medallist Emily Harris, and jumped by Georgie Messenger, Diddicoy showed why his progeny have been the winners of top national showing classes as well as in all three Olympic disciplines.
Stanhops Diddicoy, Andrew and Emily Harris
Next into the ring, being displayed by Hobgoblins Stallion
Manager John Bedford, was the 2 year old stallion
Treloar. Treloar is the
first stallion by Jaguar Mail to be standing at public stud in the
The Sportinghorse Stud kindly brought
Devil’s Jump
all the way up from
We took particular pleasure in presenting the fourth stallion, Outward Bound, as he is the result of an insemination performed at Hobgoblins in 2004. By Fleetwater Opposition, the only stallion to himself win an international three day event and also to sire the winner of an international three day event, Outward Bound’s dam is the extraordinary Elite Advanced eventing mare Chamois IV, who went double clear around Badminton. Outward Bound is thus by an elite-graded stallion out of an elite-graded mare, and is destined for an eventing career under the guidance of Sam Griffith.
Tribute Tertius and Boundless
For the first time, progeny of the Hobgoblins stallions were include in the open day display in 2008. Outward Bound’s half brother, Boundless , also out of Chamois IV, by Stanhopes Diddicoy, came into ring along with fellow-yearling Tribute Tertius (Millenium x Tribute Tricolore). To the amusement of all, the two of them stuck together as if glued, and performed the most impeccable pas de deux – have a look at the photos. Both of these yearlings will be presented at the BEF Futurity competition in 2008. Boundless is bred to event and already being syndicated for that purpose, and Tribute Tertius will hopefully follow his illustrious father into the dressage arena.
Another of Millenium’s first crop, Adnam’s Broadside, was presented at the Hobgoblins Open Day by his breeder, Mrs Christie Greenfield, and shown by Mr Dan O’Brien. ”Shrek”, as he is nicknamed, is the impressive result of crossing Millenium with the Suffolk Punch mare “Annabelle”. Huge, with substantial and very correct limbs and lovely movement, Shrek is being prepared for heavy hunter classes. Judging from the interest at ringside, and from phone calls which we have received, Mrs Greenfield may have started a new trend in hunter breeding!
Cripps Killenium
The last foal to be shown was Cripps Killenium – by Millenium out of the fantastically bred Danish Warmblood mare Kiki Prydsholm. Killenium was bred by Mrs Dyring of Cripps Manor, at Hobgoblins Equine Reproduction Centre. Killenium’s elegance and movement captured everyone’s attention, and demonstrated well what a good cross Millenium is for Thoroughbred or largely-Thoroughbred mares.
Don Joshi, ridden by Emily Harris
After a hasty ring re-flattening, the audience was treated to a fine dressage display by international FEI dressage pony Don Joshi, ridden by Emily Harris. Shaking off any tiredness from having been competing the day before, Don Joshi clearly demonstrated why he is not only one of Europe’s most successful dressage ponies, but also already the sire of proven and graded pony stallions and competition ponies. We are very grateful to the Harris family for having made the long drive to include Don Joshi in the Hobgoblins Open Day.
Millenium, ridden by Laura Richardson
The finale was provided, as in previous years, by Millenium and his owner-rider Laura Richardson. Though nineteen this year, the quality of Millenium’s passage, piaffe and one-time changes would put many of this year’s Olympic hopefuls to shame! Millenium’s enthusiasm is overwhelming, and left the audience grinning as they made their way to the cakes (provided as always by the Ashdown Garden Centre) and then on to meet the stallions and chat to their owners.
We would like to thank our sponsors, Dodson and Horrell and Kruuse, for their continuing support, and specifically for their support of our annual open days.
The photos provided on this website were taken by Viscountess Petersham and are reproduced here with her kind permission.
For photographs taken by the official event photographer, which are available for purchase, please visit: www.cimagesphotography.co.uk