Thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk

Staveley breeders' Arabian horses at a premium

5:47pm Wednesday 17th August 2011
By Allan Tunningley

SOUTH Lakeland horse breeders Dom and Jan Atkinson have triumphed at a top equestrian event.

Their Arabian endurance horses impressed judges during a British Equestrian Federation evaluation held at Southview, Cheshire.

The Staveley pair, who run Seren Arabians, earned two first premiums with their colt Seren Hanau and filly Seren Bellatrix Malika, both three-years-old.

The BEF Futurity evaluation series aims to identify British bred young potential sport horses and ponies destined for careers in dressage, eventing, show-jumping or endurance – and may even find the Olympic Champions of the future.

Seren Hanau took the highest mark of the day for an endurance horse at Southview, and Seren Bellatrix Malika the second highest. Their respective scores of 8.43 and 8.14 and a first premium each indicate that they have the potential and outlook to perform at national level.

Dom said: “We have 15 horses, from foals to truly ancient, living in natural herds which gives them the temperament to cope well with difficult and unexpected situations and surroundings.

“We’ve been breeding Arabian endurance horses here at Seren Arabians above Staveley for 20 years, based on our foundation stallion Hanson. Sadly he died in 2009.

“This was also the year that the BEF futurity began to include endurance horses. In 2010, our first ever entry had the highest endurance score of the year nationally, and this year we entered the last two of Hanson’s youngsters that qualify: Seren Hanau and Seren Bellatrix.

“They both scored first premiums, and Hanson currently leads the all-time overall rankings for endurance sires – a fitting tribute to a wonderful old stallion.”