‘Elite’ tag that shows Erika's colt is one to watch for future success (From Evesham Journal)

‘Elite’ tag that shows Erika's colt is one to watch for future success

9:51am Thursday 27th September 2012 in News

ERIKA Coghland of the Welford Pastures Stud in Welford-on- Avon, near Bidford, earned an Elite premium at the Baileys Horse Feeds/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity Evaluations held at Solihull, with her home-bred colt foal Welford Furst Utopian.

The BEF Futurity evaluation series aims to identify Britishbred young potential sport horses and ponies destined for careers in dressage, eventing, show-jumping or endurance and may even find the Olympic champions of the future.

Welford Furst Utopian took an Elite premium of 9.39 in the dressage section at Solihull. An Elite premium indicates that the young horse has the potential and outlook to perform at international level.

Welford Furst Utopian is by dressage Olympic gold medallist, Uthopia. His dam, From Heaven, shares the same sire, Furst Heinrich, as world champion five and six year old, Woodlander Farouche. From Heaven is in foal to Sandros Dancer for 2013 and Furst Utopian is the first foal she has bred.

Erika said: “We will wait and see what happens with Furst Utopian. Hopefully he will be kept entire as a possible stallion.

Dressage rider Henry Boswell competes my horses so in time that is the place for him. I don’t intend to sell him. He is very similar looking to his sire Uthopia.”

Last year, 2011, was the first time Erika, who breeds around 12 youngsters a year, attended the Futurity. She said; “I have found the the evaluation comments helpful and the day is easy and relaxed for the foals, there is no pressure on them.”

The BEF’s head of equine development, Jan Rogers said: “The Futurity continues to grown and be shaped by the feedback we receive and is developing into an assessment the British horse world recognises as a valuable indicator of future performance talent.”

The BEF Futurity Evaluations are held at 16 venues throughout the UK and young horses go home with a BEF Premium (grade), a stylish rosette and a detailed, informative score sheet. An attractive certificate to keep and frame follows on after the event. All results are published on the fully searchable British Breeding website at britishbreeding.org