The Sports Pony Studbook Society

Head Office, Sock Farm, Chilthorne Domer, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8QZ

Tel: 01935 840029; Mobile: 07721 766210 or 

A Private Limited Company - Companies House (Cardiff) Registration No. 4106148

Colour:

Black

Breeding:

International Sporthorse Registry (ISR) Sport Pony

Sire: Hilkens Black Delight

Dam: Mata Hari

Damsire: Mannhattan

Frozen (from UK Agent: Jamie Anderson)

Photo by kind permission of Angela Pritchard

This exciting young stallion is fully graded Weser-Ems having passed his performance test last year. Bred and located in the US, his frozen semen is available in the UK.

For more information please see below, www.avalon-equine.com or contact the UK Agent: Jamie Anderson, Equine Reproduction Ltd - www.equine-reproduction.co.uk; 07401 323 552 (within UK) ;  +44 7401 323 552 (outside UK) or

Mares may be inseminated at Home Farm Stud, Hartpury College Hartpury, Gloucestershire, GL19 3BE

Belafonte d’Avalon is the result of some of the best sport horse and sport pony breeding in the world.

Sire: Hilken’s Black Delight was the 2005 Weser-Ems Licensing Champion and was the first pony stallion to be invited to the Oldenburg Stallion Parade where he received a standing ovation and was described as being “as close to perfection as possible”. Hilken’s Black Delight went on the win his 30 day performance test in November 2007, with the overall score of 8.71. This included a score of 10 from the guest rider and Hilken’s Black Delight was particularly praised for his jumping, both X-country and over show jumps.

Dam: Mata Hari is out of the 14.1hh mare Idealiste, who was by the Old­enburg stallion Ideal and out of an en­durance racing Anglo Arab mare, Smokey Storm. Ideal (Inschallah x Pamela/Zeus) is the result of some of top improvement sires in the Oldenburg registry, including Inschallah, Zeus and Furioso II.

Damsire: Mannhattan is a North American Oldenburg jumping stallion who is fully licensed and approved with the German Oldenburg Verband, International Sporthorse Registry, Oldenburg NA and Belgian Warmblood Breeding Association. He won the jumping portion of his 100 Day stallion performance test and went on to compete successfully through Level 8 (1.55 meters) Jumpers. He was the first North American born and bred stallion to be approved by the Belgium Warmblood Breeding Association. His pedigree reads like the Who’s Who of sporthorse breeding including such renowned sires as Ferdinand, Vollkorn, Furioso II, Absatz, Hill Hawk xx and Wendekreis.

Photos by kind permission of Angela Pritchard

Belafonte at his first Hunter Trial

Belafonte was presented at the July 2010 US Weser-Ems Inspection and was approved subject to him successfully completing the FN approved 30 Day Performance Test. He received some of the highest scores over awarded by the judges for a Weser Ems stallion and the judges stating that he was what “sport pony breeders should be striving to produce”. Belafonte successfully completed the testing in October the same year - at the time of the test he’d only had a total of 106 days under saddle! He received exceptional scores rivalling those of his sire with a final overall score of 8.36 – less than ½ a point behind his sire’s overall score – including 9’s for his rideability, trainability, character, temperament and stadium jumping. He received 8.25 for his walk and 8’s for his canter and trot. Belafonte shows equal talent for dressage and jumping.

Footage from Belafonte's Weser Ems Inspection (July 2010) and 30 Day Performance Test can be seen on YouTube.

Belafonte is now in training with Rebecca Brown and is proving himself to be an exceptional eventer. He began his competition career in 2012.  Belafonte's first Hunter Trial, at Beginner Novice level, was held on March 17th & 18th 2012.  He won the event with a double clear in the stadium jumping and a penalty score of 30 (which is a good mark of 70%) in dressage and clear on cross country.  The event was Meadow Creek Hunter Trial in Kosse, Texas.

Belafonte then moved up to Novice level for his next competition and he excelled again, finishing on his dressage score in 4th place on an equal score to the winners (the places were split on how close they were to the optimum time and Belafonte was the fastest of those on equal socres, so placed lowest!).

Belafonte at his first Hunter Trial in March 2012

2011 was Belafonte’s first season at stud and we expect his first foal crop this spring. With his talent and temperament, we anticipate him to be a good match for a range of mares and eagerly await to seeing his first progeny in 2012.

Photo by kind permission of Angela Pritchard

Belafonte at his first Hunter Trial in March 2012

Buckskin Colt

Dam: Onjalei Dancer (DRP).  Born 2 May 2012. Breeder: Dianna Orana of Fox Creek Farm