SPORTS PONY STUDBOOK SOCIETY

  A DEFRA approved Passport Issuing Organisation

Studbook Office: The Last House, Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Bedfordshire MK44 2JJ

Tel: 07703 566066    Email: 

Normal office hours - Monday to Friday 10.30 am to 4 pm

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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2011 British Breeders Meritoire Award sponsored by South Essex Insurance Brokers

At the 2012 Breeders Awards Dinner, the "South Essex Insurance Brokers Meritoire" was presented to SPSS Founder Director and Chair, Mrs Celia Clarke. As the recipient of this honour is kept secret until the announcement, Celia was rendered speechless at the time of the presentation, but she later said: "I would like to dedicate my receiving this award to the memory of my friend and mentor, the late, great and irreplaceable Caroline O’Hara, founder of New Priory Stud and, as breeder of Animation, the leader of the resurgence of British breeding success at the highest level." The Meritoire Trophy is awarded annually to someone that the Awards Committee consider is making, or has made, an outstanding contribution to the Performance Sport Horse and Pony breeding industry.

The text of the citation, as read out on the night by Compère, Mike Tucker, is reproduced here (there will be a link!!) and details how great and broad a contribution to British Breeding Celia has made. The other SPSS Directors and Committee members are delighted that Celia has received this prestigious award and greatly appreciate her efforts over the years in setting up and taking forward the SPSS.

David Buckton, SEIB Associate Director presents the Meritoire trophy to Celia Clarke

Photo by kind permission of Trevor Meeks

Citation Given to Announce Celia Clarke as the Winner of the 2011 South Essex Insurance Brokers Meritoire

at the Breeders Dinner January 2012

This lifetime award is for the person who the Awards Committee consider is making or has made an outstanding contribution to the Performance Sport Horse and Pony breeding industry.  This year’s winner is celebrating her 21st anniversary, 21st anniversary, that is, of having her first book published. And the seventeenth anniversary of having her second book published!

 

It was the co-authorship of these books, and the immense amount of knowledge behind it that also led to this being the 12th anniversary of the studbook co-founded by this individual in 2000. She worked tirelessly, with her passionate sports pony colleagues, to gain Defra recognition for a sports pony studbook in the UK, in the face of some resistance! Having a thorough understanding of both Continental bloodlines and Continental studbook policies and procedures, this individual was the ideal candidate to inform the setup of the The Sports Pony Studbook Society, one of our generous sponsors here this evening. The SPSS firmly believe that “as a nation we stand alone in the production of ‘top quality’ ponies of most types and sizes and we should now consolidate our worldwide reputation by not allowing ourselves to fall further behind in the production of the Sport Pony”

 

Pivotal in making this happen, and Chair and Founder Director of SPSS is the winner of tonight’s South Essex Insurance Brokers Meritoire – Celia Clarke.

Celia is a grading judge for the Sports Pony Studbook Society as well as, before her retirement, Young Horse Evaluation series assessor and a Futurity evaluator.

 

Celia has assisted studbooks in their applications for membership of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses and in her own words “I have seen stallion grading grow from a very rare occurrence – and one often accompanied by threats of litigation from the disappointed owners - to an essential process for all breeds of serious sport horse stallion owners”.

 

She is an author of numerous articles and books on the subject of sport horse breeding and has seen Britain evolve its breeding of sports horses as long as anybody. Celia is always willing to share her accumulated knowledge and is always there for anybody excited enough to learn.

 

Celia judging at a SPSS Grading

Photograph by kind permission of Buttercross Photography

Katie (Crunchcroft Nightingale in Organjeweg) - top Kooikerhondje puppy of 2011

Just last year, Celia was pivotal in the setting up of a brand new group for young people, which in only its first year of existence, sent teams to compete abroad to the World Championships for Young Breeders in Lyon in France in 2011, with some excellent team results. “British Young Breeders” is now well on the way to engaging young people and encouraging them to understand about bloodlines, young horse handling and assessment so that, as a nation, we are well equipped for the future!

 

Little known facts about Celia are that she:

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sets syllabi and is an equestrian qualifications examiner

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has an interest in the minority dog breed Kooikerhondje, which is a small dog of Dutch ancestry, historically used for duck hunting and tolling and has herself a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

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Celia does not drive and all the work she has undertaken over the years has been reached by public transport, her knowledge of the British railway and bus system is encyclopaedic!

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pretty much all of Celia’s contributions have been voluntary and, as most of us here tonight will realise, the equestrian industry relies heavily on a motivated bunch of people who offer they support and effort for no financial reward, Celia is one of these.

Celia’s co-author, Jane Kidd, sadly isn’t able to be here this evening but sends a message, she says:

 

“It was more than thirty years ago that I first met Celia when she and Debbie Wallin were intent on setting up the first Warm-blood society in Britain. This was great news for us at the Maple Stud who had nowhere to register our British born Hannoverians. Since that time she has worked tirelessly in the promotion of the British Horse. In the many projects that we have worked together from committee activities to writing books to running young horse classes she has been diligent, enthusiastic and a great contributor. Celia is a thoroughly deserving winner of this award. Jane Kidd”

 

 

South Essex Insurance Brokers Meritoire – Celia Clarke

 

 

 

 

The Sports Pony Studbook Society

Studbook Office:   The Last House, Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Bedfordshire MK44 2JJ

Tel: 07703 566066    Email: 

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