Celebrating British breeds: native youngsters invited to Futurity evaluations for the first time

Entries are open for the 2025 British Breeding Baileys Horse Feeds Futurity series – and this year native breeds are included for the first time.

As part of an initiative to “recognise and celebrate the special contribution of our British native breeds to the equestrian community”, all British-bred horses and ponies aged six weeks to five years, if they are registered with a Defra-approved native breed society, can enter the 2025 pilot.

“The aim of the programme is to highlight the ridden attributes and contribution native breeds make to British equestrianism as ridden horses and ponies across a wide range of purposes,” a British Breeding spokesperson said.

The horses and ponies will be assessed using the series’ linear scoring system, to give a profile of conformation and movement. Evaluation and interpretation will differ from those used for sports horses and ponies, so entrants are “evaluated through the lens of the fact that they are a traditional breed type”.

British Breeding director Eva-Maria Livesey said: “Our native breeds make a significant contribution to the diversity and vibrancy of the British equestrian landscape, as well as forming an essential and much valued part of our heritage. It is a grave concern to many of us that some of these beloved breeds are becoming increasingly rare and endangered.”

Dr Livesey added that as British riders and owners are highly diverse, so are the horses and ponies that suit them.

“What better way to serve those needs than to promote the wonderful variety of our native breeds?” she said.

Different breed standards will not be used in evaluation; these “remain the firm domain of their breed societies”.

“Instead, all horses and ponies entered into this section will be evaluated and scored using the same criteria as each other and there will be a separate awards section just for them,” the spokesperson said. “The evaluation will reward attributes likely to contribute to a long and comfortable ridden career. This includes soundness and correctness, as well as balanced and rhythmical gaits, which are prioritised over the extravagance and athleticism associated with purely performance bred horses and ponies.

“All UK studbooks are warmly invited to use the Futurity to organise their own gradings and evaluations alongside it, thus offering more opportunities for everyone.”

The first Futurity assessment is on 24 July. For dates and venues, check the British Breeding website.

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