SPSS Grading & Evaluation Information 2024

2024 SPSS Gradings & Evaluations
Mares - Stallions - Youngstock

There will be a blended approach to SPSS Gradings in 2024. We anticipate running a few of our own events offering full in-person stallion & mare gradings and youngstock evaluations (COVID/other restrictions permitting) and will also, like previous years, hopefully work with the AES & the British Breeding Futurity to offer additional opportunities at their events.

Mare & Stallion Grading

and Youngstock Evaluation Dates

Friday 19^th April 2024 (afternoon)

Bromyard Equestrian Centre (previously Kings Equestrian)

The Sturts Farm, Bromyard, Herefordshire HR7 4SR

Other dates will be announced once confirmed.

These are likely to be in other areas of the country.

Entries close 1 week before the event's date

Download the entry forms here:

Stallion Grading Entry Form

Mare Grading Entry Form

Youngstock Evaluation Entry Form

There are limited spaces so please contact us asap if you want to bring your stallion or mare. Late entries will be accepted subject to a surcharge.

All events will be subject to & fully compliant with all COVID restrictions in place at the time plus any venue or Futurity requirements (eg equine flu vaccinations and/or equine health declarations).

PLUS

Youngstock Evaluations (via Futurity or SPSS)

SPSS passported or overstamped youngstock entered for Futurity can also enter for the 2024 SPSS Youngstock Evaluations and will be awarded an SPSS Premium or Gold Premium based on their Futurity score (whether from the virtual or in-person Futurity).

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More about:

Rosettes and Sashes waiting to be posted to the top youngstock and mares in 2021

Mares Grading gives permanent graded status into the appropriate Mare Studbook depending on their score and completeness of pedigree. Read more here. Note that SPSS Mare Performance Testing may take place in 2024 if there is sufficient interest - so please email us if this is of interest to you.

All events will be subject to & fully compliant with all COVID restrictions in place at the time plus any venue requirements (eg equine flu vaccinations and/or equine health declarations).

SPSS Youngstock Evaluations will take place at venues where the SPSS is running independently of the Futurity - for SPSS passported or overstamped youngstock only.

Youngstock which are evaluated through the British Breeding “Futurity” (which is also being done either in -person or via video clips) and are SPSS passported or overstamped will also be eligible for an SPSS Premium, based on their Futurity Evaluation score (entry fee £10 paid to the SPSS in addition to the Futurity entry fee).

The scores of all eligible youngstock will be taken forward to the SPSS end of year awards which we anticipate will include a Youngstock Champion and Reserve Champion, as well as rosettes for the top scorer in various categories. Provided there are at least 25 eligible youngstock, Youngstock Champion and Reserve Champion Sashes and Rosettes will also be awarded. Read more here.

Entry Windows:

"In-person" events - SPSS Mare/Stallion Grading Entries are open until 1 week before the event's date..

Lead judges (to be confirmed for 2024): Jacke Mathieson, Anna Lowndes & Katy Holder-Vale

If you have any questions or queries, please call the SPSS Studbook Office on 07703 566066

Flu Vaccination Requirements

All in-person grading entrants and any yearlings upwards forward for evaluation must abide by any requirements of the Futurity and/or the venue. We anticipate that Futurity events will require that all equine attendees (including any travelling companions but excluding foals at foot) have a current vaccination against Equine Influenza which complies with the following conditions:

Two injections for primary vaccination, not less than 21 days and not more than 92 days apart, are required;
A first booster injection must be given within seven months after the second injection of primary vaccination;
Subsequent booster injections must be given at intervals of not more than one year, commencing after the first booster injection;

The Record of Vaccination(s) in the equine’s passport must be completed by an appropriate veterinary surgeon, signed and stamped line by line. in accordance with the FEI rules including a vaccination within 6 months (but more than one week) before the grading.

Stallion Grading

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STALLION GRADING PATHWAY

Provided that at least 5 stallions have been inspected on the day, the highest scoring stallion of that day will be declared as the Champion Stallion for that region(s) and will receive an additional rosette & sash. The next highest scoring stallion will become the Reserve Champion Stallion. The SPSS reserves the right to combine or split days/regions depending on entry numbers (we anticipate that a minimum of 5 stallions need to have been inspected for a Champion/Reserve to be declared).

Then, after the last stallion grading, the stallion with the highest score across all of the venues will be declared as the 2024 Champion Stallion and receive an additional rosette & sash. The next highest scoring stallion will become the 2024 Reserve Champion Stallion and receive an additional rosette & sash.

In-Person Stallion Grading

At the grading, each stallion is assessed in hand for conformation, then in hand and loose for paces and loose down a jumping lane (normally 3 fences). Then, in general:

2 year old stallions are not ridden
3 year old stallions may be ridden if they are ready but those that aren’t are not disadvantaged
We expect 4 year old stallions will be ridden, but the judges will take into account how long they’ve been backed when assessing them. We will consider exceptions on a case by case basis
We expect older stallions to be ridden but will consider exceptions on a case by case basis. Exceptions will normally only be made when an older stallion has proven progeny.

Note the SPSS vaccination requirements (here) and that, where we are sharing a venue with the Futurity, any additional requirements that they set will also have to be met.

2023 Stallion Grading Champion Glenview Shadow

(Silver Shadow x Fricotin (FR))

Photo by kind permission of Qorum Photos

2022 Stallion Grading Champion

Stallion 2024 Grading Entry Fee

£250 for stallions already SPSS passported or overstamped.
£300 for other stallions – includes £50 registration fee for overstamping of ungraded stallions not already SPSS passported or overstamped.

Click here to download an information sheet about SPSS Stallion Grading

Jacke Mathieson & Anna Lowndes will be the lead judges for the 2024 Stallion Gradings.

Mare Grading

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Mare Grading gives permanent graded status into the appropriate Mare Studbook depending on their score and completeness of pedigree. Read more here.

After the 2024 grading window has closed on 1st November, all eligible mares* will be grouped by region (ensuring that there are at least 5 mares in a group) and the highest scoring mare will become the Champion Mare and the next highest scoring the Reserve Champion Mare for that region. Both will receive an extra rosette and the Champion Mare will also get a sash. Then, as long as at least 2 regional champions have been declared, the mare with the highest score overall will be declared as the 2024 Supreme Champion Mare and receive an additional rosette & sash. The next highest scoring mare will become the 2024 Reserve Supreme Champion Mare and receive an additional rosette & sash.

Click here to download an information sheet about SPSS Mare Grading

Mare Grading

For 2024, following the success of this route in earlier years, British Breeding Futurity have kindly agreed to allow SPSS Mare Grading at their 2024 evaluation events. This opportunity is open to barren mares (of any age) as well as mares with foals entered for the Futurity. All mares MUST meet the Futurity equine influenza vaccination requirements (see their website here). See the Info & FAQ page Grading section for more about what happens on the day including turnout and preparation.

The 2024 dates are at the top of this page - here

Note the SPSS vaccination requirements (here) and that, where we are sharing a venue with the Futurity, any additional requirements that the Futurity and/or venue set will also have to be met.

* Mares are only eligible for the end of year awards if they have completed the grading process, including having the passport overstamped by the SPSS Studbook Office.

2023 Supreme Champion Mare

Myspires Triple Perfection

(Langwedh Sunny Jim x Brennus B)

Photo by kind permission of Andrea Irvine Photography

MM Lady Marmalade - 2022 Supreme Champion Mare

Photo by kind permission of Lenzon Images

Stage 1. The SPSS judges will assess the mare at the venue and make a decision on whether or not the mare is accepted as SPSS Graded or not then informally notify the owner.

Stage 2. The owners of mares that are accepted will have to:

(a) either supply a copy of an existing DNA profile for your mare or, if a sample is not taken at the grading, send us a DNA hair sample (taken by a vet). This sample will be stored by the SPSS in case it is necessary to DNA profile the mare in the future.

(b) send the mare’s passport into the SPSS Studbook Office.

Stage 3. The mare’s allocated studbook and graded status will be recorded in her passport which will then be returned to the owner along with and her rosette. The individual scores will not be released until after the end of year awards have been announced when the scores and scoresheets will be released.

The scores of all mares for whom Stage 3 has been completed will be taken forward to the SPSS end of year awards where, as long as at least 5 mares have been graded, the 2024 Mare Grading Champion and Reserve Champion will be declared (based on scores received). Should 10 or more mares be graded then regional groups (of at least 5 mares) will be formed and Regional Champions & Reserve Champions be declared with the top mare overall being the Supreme Mare Champion.

Mare Grading Entry Fee

£80 for mares already SPSS passported or overstamped
£105 other mares – includes £25 registration fee for overstamping of ungraded mares not already SPSS passported or overstamped

N.B. Owners need to be paid up SPSS Members to make a Mare Grading entry.

Note that it is unlikely that SPSS Mare Performance Testing will take place in 2024.

Youngstock Evaluations

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2023 SPSS Youngstock Champion

Fourseasons Gorgeous George

Photo by kind permission of Tanja Davis Photography

2022 SPSS Youngstock Champion

Gorsebrook Hot Shot

Photo by kind permission of Joshua Steer Photography

The British Breeding team (who run the Futurity series) will be offering a similar blended approach with both in-person and virtual youngstock evaluations on offer. Once again, all SPSS passported or overstamped youngstock will also be eligible for an SPSS Premium, based on their Futurity Evaluations score, whether evaluated in-person or virtually (provided they complete and return the SPSS Youngstock Entry Form).

Where we are not running in association with the Futurity, SPSS Youngstock Evaluations will take place - for SPSS passported or overstamped youngstock only.

To be eligible for the end of year awards, the passport must be sent to the SPSS Studbook Office so the result can be properly recorded and the appropriate SPSS Premium rosette (if not awarded on the day) will be sent back with the passport.

The scores of all eligible youngstock will be taken forward to the SPSS end of year awards which will include rosettes for the Top Foal, Yearling, 2 Year Old & 3 Year Old; Top Filly, Colt & Gelding and Top Pony & Top Small Horse. Provided there are at least 25 eligible youngstock, Youngstock Champion and Reserve Champion Sashes and Rosettes will also be awarded.

Should any SPSS passported pony/horse not be eligible for the Futurity due to their requirement for the sire to be licensed then please contact us directly as we will endeavour to facilitate their assessment.

Youngstock Evaluation Fee - Evaluation through Futurity (virtual or in-person) or by SPSS in-person:

£10 for passported or overstamped youngstock evaluated through the Futurity or by SPSS in-person (free for foals passported SPSS by 1st October). There is a discount for multiple youngstock owned by a current SPSS member with the fee reducing to £8 each for 2 youngstock and £5 each for 3 or more youngstock. Note that for foals that have not yet been passported, then a deposit of £25 is also required, which is refundable against the passport/overstamping cost.

£35 for youngstock NOT passported or overstamped by the SPSS before entry.

This fee includes overstamping by the SPSS for all youngstock gaining at least a Premium.

Download the Youngstock Evaluation Rules & Entry Form - here

Entry Information

Entry Windows:

SPSS Mare/Stallion Grading Entries are from the announcement of the date/venue until 1 week before the event - unless capacity is reached earlier

Note that only stallions & mares for which all stages of Grading have been completed by 1st November will be eligible for the 2024 Grading Championships.

Download the entry forms here:

Stallion Grading Entry Form

Mare Grading Entry Form

Youngstock Evaluation Entry Form

Entries open on when the date/venue has been annouced.

Only members can enter stallions & mares for Grading - if you want to join ahead of entry, here is the form, but it's fine to enter your stallion/mare and join/renew your membership at the same time.

Youngstock Evaluations are open to non-members

Click here to download an information sheet about SPSS Stallion Grading

Click here to download an information sheet about SPSS Mare Grading

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Costs

2024>

Stallion 2024 Grading Entry Fee

£250 for stallions already SPSS passported or overstamped.
£300 for other stallions – includes £50 registration fee for overstamping of ungraded stallions not already SPSS passported or overstamped.

Mare Grading Entry Fee

£80 for mares already SPSS passported or overstamped
£105 other mares – includes £25 registration fee for overstamping of ungraded mares not already SPSS passported or overstamped

N.B. Owners need to be paid up SPSS Members to make a Stallion/Mare Grading entry.

Youngstock Evaluation Fee - Evaluation through Futurity (virtual or in-person) or by SPSS in-person:

£10 for passported or overstamped youngstock evaluated through the Futurity or by SPSS in-person (free for foals passported SPSS by 1st October). There is a discount for multiple youngstock owned by a current SPSS member with the fee reducing to £8 each for 2 youngstock and £5 each for 3 or more youngstock. Note that for foals that have not yet been passported, then a deposit of £25 is also required, which is refundable against the passport/overstamping cost.

£35 for youngstock NOT passported or overstamped by the SPSS before entry.

This fee includes overstamping by the SPSS for all youngstock gaining at least a Premium.

Closing Dates

Entries for in-person events will be one week before the event's date (unless capacity is reached before)

Note that only mares & stallions for which all stages of Grading have been completed by 1st November will be eligible for the 2024 Grading Championships.

Rules

The latest SPSS Rule book can be download here.

Withdrawals

For Mare/Stallion in-person assessments - please see relevant Entry Form

For Youngstock Evaluations - There will be no refund of entry fee for withdrawals but another pony can be substituted or the entry can carried forward to another date/venue.

More information

For more information about the 2024 Gradings please follow the links at the top of the page.

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Note that the SPSS Office relocated in April 2014 and the contact details at the top of the page should now be used for all contact with the SPSS
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