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
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GRADING

Wadacre Super Trouper

Champion Stallion 2011

By kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

 

Falaza

Champion Mare 2011

and graded SPSS Elite

By kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

 

Bernwode Broadway

Champion Stallion 2010

 

Bathleyhills Sea Spray

Champion Mare 2010

By kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

 

Desarbre Falcon

Champion Stallion 2009

 

Erwfforch Dewin Direudus

Champion Stallion 2007

 

Arnie de Burgh

Champion Stallion 2006

 

 Grey Palace

Champion Stallion 2004

and Graded SPSS Elite

 

Grading is the assessment of SPSS Registered ponies and small horses (up to 158cm) to see if they meet the standards for acceptance into the SPSS Studbooks.  At least one Grading is held each year, normally in October.  Progeny of SPSS graded parents can be registered with the SPSS and given either blue (2 graded parents) or cream (one graded parent) papers/passport.  Ponies must be at least 2 years old to be presented for grading; there is no upper age limit.

 

The 2011 Grading took place on the 1st October and is written up (with full results) here.

 

*** 2012 Date ***

 

Main Grading (Mares & Stallions) - Saturday 29th September

(date to be confirmed)

 

Location: provisionally Bury Farm Equestrian Centre, Mill Road, Slapton, Bucks LU7 9BT.  The date/venue will be confirmed by early 2012 and Entry Forms will be available from August 2012.

 

The Mare Grading will be in the morning, followed by the Stallion Grading in the afternoon. The stallion grading include a British Showjumping stallion assessment if required. 

 

Please see below for more information on fees and past gradings; see the Information & FAQ page for FAQs on Grading and the In-Hand Show - including on turnout and what will happen on the day

 

If you require any more information, wish to discuss grading your pony or if you would like to put a pony forward for grading but can't attend at Bury Farm in September, please contact Head Office (details at top of page)

 

Click here to read about past gradings (including results)

 

Click here for article about the Heart of England 2004 Grading - including tips on how to prepare your pony for grading.

 

Note that mares in foal or with a foal at foot are not required to loose jump or be ridden.  In addition, competition results are taken into account as well as performance on the day.

 

Mademoiselle - 2009 Champion Mare

Currently the highest scoring mare

Photo by kind permission of Rebecca Hoare

 

Y Matilda - 2007 Champion Mare

 

 

Wurlibird - 2006 Champion Mare

By kind permission of David Wisehall Photography

SPSS GRADING FEES

 

Stallion Grading Fees

 

Only stallions and colts already registered / recorded with SPSS are eligible to enter SPSS Stallion Grading - click here for Registration Guidelines, Forms and Fees

 

Entry fee for Stallion Grading: £110.00                NB: £25.00 will be refunded if not successful

 

Stabling at stallion grading (if required) will be payable directly to the venue and will be according to costs of location.

 

Veterinary requirements

 

Any stallion that is successful in the grading will need to be DNA parentage tested at the owner’s expense (cost around £55.00) before any of their progeny can be issued with SPSS papers. In order to complete the grading process successful stallions will also be required to provide a veterinary certificate of freedom from hereditary disease and must also submit up-to-date annual certificates of freedom from venereal disease and infection according to current BEVA guidelines every year before the start of the covering season.

 

 

 

Mare Grading Fees

 

Only mares and fillies already registered /recorded with SPSS are eligible to enter SPSS Mare Grading - click here for Registration Guidelines, Forms and Fees

 

Entry fee for Mare Grading: £60.00

 

Stabling at mare grading (if required) will be payable directly to the venue and will be according to costs of location.

 

If successfully graded, mares will need to provide a DNA sample (cost around £15.00). The SPSS reserves the right to test the DNA sample at the owners expense (cost around £40.00)

 

PAST GRADINGS

2011

The 2011 stallion and mare gradings took place at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre in their lovely new indoor complex on Saturday 1st October.  We were delighted that all 15 mares presented mares passed the assessment with German Judge, Hans-Heinrich Bruening commenting on their quality overall.  In addition, of the 16 stallions presented, 7 passed the assessment and subject to them completing the final requirements (eg vets certificate and DNA) they will be licensed by the SPSS for an initial period to allow their performance and progeny to be assessed.  The full results are given here with links to each pony's breeding.  The 2011 Stallion Champion was Jeanette Matthews-Griffiths's home-bred, WBS-UK registered 2 year old, Wadacre Super Trooper and the Mare Champion was the 11 year old, 2011 double Pony European Jumping Gold medal winner, Allyson Blagg's Falaza (SHB(GB) registered and bred by Jane Fowles). More information about the successful ponies is given here.  

 

2010

The main 2010 grading took place at Heart of England Equestrian Centre (16th & 17th October 2010) by kind permission of the Ballantyne family.  A total of 7 new stallions and 8 new mares have graded into the SPSS studbook.  The full results are given here with links to each pony's breeding.  For the first time since the inaugural grading, a German judge, Herr Hans-Heinrich Bruening of the Hannoveraner Verband - Vorstand, officiated at the Gradings. Herr Bruening is a respected German breeder who is a frequent judge of mares foals and young horses at both German National and Regional Shows for both the Hannoverian Verband and for other Warmblood societies or organisations.  The 2010 Stallion Champion was the 146cm SPSS pony Bernwode Broadway, by Bernwode Brokat and the Mare Champion was the 148cm Bathleyhills Sea Spray by Chateau de Brion.  More information about the successful ponies is given here.  There were 25 ponies forward at the In-Hand Show, with the yearling colt, Bathleyhills Monet, by Casino Royale K, being awarded the Championship.  The full show results are given here with links to each pony's breeding.

 

2009

The main 2009 grading took place at: Heart of England Equestrian Centre (10th & 11th October 2009) by kind permission of the Ballantyne family.  A total of 6 new stallions and 8 new mares have graded into the SPSS studbook.  The full results are given here with links to each pony's breeding.  The stallion champion was the 128cm Welsh Section B pony Desabre Falcon and the mare champion was the 148cm SPSS pony Mademoiselle, by Bernwode Brokat.  There were 27 ponies forward at the In-Hand Show, with the 9 week old foal, Godrics Campeggio, by SPSS Elite sire Caesar 171, being awarded the Championship.  The show results are given here with links to each pony's breeding.

 

2008

The main 2008 grading took place at Heart of England Equestrian Centre (18th & 19th October 2008) by kind permission of the Ballantyne family.  An earlier mare grading was held at Trevaulter Barton Stud in Devon by kind permission of Kerensa Pluess-Cobbledick.  The combined results of all 2008 SPSS Mare and Stallion Gradings are available here.  Overall,  a total of 8 new stallions and 29 new mares were graded into the SPSS studbook in 2008.  In addition, a further 2 stallions were awarded licences for 2 or 3 years based on their grading results from other studbooks.  Again, alongside the main Grading at Heart of England there was an In-Hand Premium Show and the results are are available here

 

2007

The 2007 SPSS Mare & Stallion Gradings were held over the weekend of the 13th & 14th October at Heart of England Equestrian, Staffordshire, by kind permission of Claire Ballantyne.  Click here for results.  After the Mare Grading, on Saturday 13th Oct, there was an In-hand Premium Show with classes for Mares and  Youngstock (foals to three year olds).  This was a chance to have for members and non-members to have their ponies assessed and for temporarily licensed stallions to show their progeny.

 

2006

The 2006 Stallion and Mare Gradings were held at Heart of England Equestrian on the 21st and 22nd October.  Of the 7 stallions forward, 5 passed and have been accepted into the studbook.  The highest scoring stallion was the 4 year old Thoroughbred, Arnie de Burgh, who was racing successfully on the flat until a few weeks earlier and was viewed by the judges as a good stallion for producing event ponies.  The other successful stallions were Salvador AP, Acado, Rughavens Jackpot and Magic Gold GF.  All 13 of the mares who attended the Mare Grading were accepted into the SPSS studbook and the judges commented on the excellent standard of mares forward.  The highest scoring mare overall was the 2 year old Wurlitzer filly, Wurlibird.  Unfortunately, as her dam is of unknown breeding, Wurlibird goes into the Preliminary studbook.  The next highest scoring mare was the 12 year old, former Dutch Team Show Jumping pony, Oude Tempels Micky who was graded into the Head Studbook and also awarded Elite status in recognition of her outstanding competition career to date.

 

2005

At the 2005 Grading, 8 stallions passed even though the mark required was raised to 75% - this shows the quality of stallions forward.  In addition, 9 mares graded including the European Eventing Team Bronze medallist in 1996, Sapphire Blue, who was awarded Elite status in recognition of her outstanding competition record.  This lovely mare is now in foal to Mill Law. 

 

2004

At the Spring 2004 Grading one stallion and 2 mares were graded.  At the Autumn Gradings, a further 7 stallions were graded or licensed including the 134cm BSJA pony Grey Palace who was awarded SPSS Elite Status in recognition of his outstanding jumping career.  In 2003 a total of 6 stallions and 16 mares were graded into the SPSS studbooks.

 

For 2011 Grading results click here

For 2010 grading results click here

For 2009 grading results click here

For 2008 grading results click here

For 2007 grading results click here

For 2006 grading results click here

For 2005 grading results click here

For 2004 grading results click here

For 2003 grading results click here

 

From left to right:

Binghams Celebration - winner of Grading at New Priory Stud 2001.

Westbrink Classic - winner of Grading at Heart of England 2001.

Maelor Midora - winner of Grading at Heart of England 2001, now an Elite SPSS mare having represented GB.

The 2001 Heart of England Grading was judged by Herr Timo Coldewey and Mrs Celia Clarke.