We recently invited you to send us your photos of your foals that have arrived this Spring to not only help celebrate how wonderful they are, but to also shine some hope onto what is a pretty tough time for many amid the current Covid-19 pandemic.
We were inundated with heart-melting photographs and want to thank everyone who submitted a picture of their new arrival. So here is our selection of the class of 2020, fluffy-eared, long-legged equines to help brighten your day…
Minnie
“This is Minnie. She is three weeks old and by the Irish Draught stallion Cos Me is Black, who is owned by Bruce Thorpeley, and out of my own horse Shannonside Schnapp It Up (aka Lilly, who is a warmblood). We hope with the mix of a hunter and showjumper that she will make a fab eventer in the future!” — Sophie Hoskins
Vincenzo
“This is Vincenzo, his stable name is Vinnie, and he is an absolute delight! He has got three beautiful stockings and a lovely straight blaze down his face. He is is my second home-bred foal out of my Gelderlander mare, who I bought from Steph Croxford [dressage rider] nearly eight years ago. After an injury we decided to use her as a broodmare and she has been a fabulous mummy! Vinnie is by Valverde, who has come from a very talented bloodline including the amazing Vivaldi, Vitalis, Ampere and Krack C. My future plans with him are to back him myself and produce him to hopefully compete in the young horse classes and hopefully he will become my future grand prix horse” — Charlotte Elliott
BoJo
“This is BoJo, born 8 April, and appropriately for this time we have named him after the Prime Minister. He is by Timolin out of our Mill Law mare, who we also bred out of our King Of Diamonds mare, so he’s very special to us. His markings are very unique and we think he will be super-smart and hopefully turn his hoof to a bit of everything — dressage and maybe a bit of eventing. Our two daughters are mad-keen vaulters so they also are hoping he might be happy like to be a superstar vaulting horse for them” — Alex and Rachel Jessett
Saracens Silver Twist
This is my mum’s beautiful purebred Irish Draught filly, who is now 21 days old. Her stable name is Lilly and her registered name is Saracens Silver Twist. She foaled at 11.17pm on Wednesday 8 April and is by registered Irish Draught stallion Silver Wind Twister. He is extremely well-known with his full brother Silver Diamond winning at HOYS [Horse of the Year Show] more than once in recent years. Their sire is the famous stallion Silver Jasper. Lilly is out of my mum’s mare, Class 1 registered Irish Draught, Emily, who is by Attwood Black Laughton. My mum, Helen, who owns and bred Lilly, absolutely adores her — she has been loved since the second she was born. In fact, Lillys first trick was ‘kisses!’” — Charlea Venters
Boris
“Boris is by Escape Z, the son of Harrie Smolders’ Emerald, and was bred at the Lordships Stud at Writtle University, where I have photographed their 2020 crop of foals” — Elli Birch
Heald Town Luna and Heald Town Meòrachadh Rudah
“Both of these images are taken by myself of our Highland ponies at Heald Town Highland Pony Stud. It is hoped that our foals this year will help us raise funds for the Equine Grass Sickness Fund by featuring in our calendar (you covered last year’s, which also featured HM The Queen’s Balmoral ponies). We have two foals on the ground with six more due. The black foal is Heald Town Luna (Ghamjon Ernie x Heald Town Bonnie Heather), named Luna having been born on the night of the pink supermoon. The yellow dun is Heald Town Meòrachadh Rudah (Rudah’s Reflection AKA Fleck) – Ghamjon Ernie x Marnonwells Rudah” — Melody Ashcroft
Winmark Merida
“Winmark Merida was born on 18 April. Her dam is Winmark Marion (Bwlchllwyd Mona x Winmark Archie) and her sire Burnetts Golden Boy, who is by Rhencullen Vanilla Ice. She is a Welsh section D, and the first purebred filly we have produced in 10 years (all the others have been colts!)” — Nicky Cauvin
Bazaars Exclusive X Desert Style
“This is my lovely colt foal by Bazaars Exclusive, out of Venetian Princess. I did British Eventing and British Ddressage with the mare, so I’m hoping to do the same with this stunning chap. I’m a very proud owner! Thanks to Phil and Lee at Bazaars Stud for the picture and for looking after them” — Charlotte Morten
Pandemic
“This is Pandemic (aka Panda) born on 21 April. He is bred for polo by an Australian polo stallion called Clarin out of a New Zealand mare called Peaches (via embryo transfer), who is currently played by England player James Harper in the high goal” — Nikki Keene
KommeCasallTN x Cassino
“This is one of the first crop of foals by KommeCasallTN from the Nijhof Stud in Holland. Her breeding is KommeCasallTN x Cassino x Cassini 1 x Cavalier Royale. She has been bred by my wife Pamela Guthrie and I to showjump. She was born on 22 April at Premier A.I Services in St. Andrews” — Captain Greig Guthrie
Diamanté D’Amour
“This is our foal Diamond (Diamanté D’Amour) born on 14 April. She is the second foal we’ve had out of the same dam — Lupaire (by Lupicor) — and stallion — Darosa D’Amour, a SPSS graded pony stallion. Diamond has been bred for my daughter Tilly Shaw, who is 14, to showjump. Tilly handles Diamond herself and has already built a fabulous bond” — Jodie Shaw
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