I may be looking for something that no longer exists, are there any breeders that breed thoroughbreds for sports other than racing? I really want to invest in and enjoy a young horse in the next few years. I have been scowering the off-the-track adds but if I could I would rather spend more money on something 2.5-3yo and unraced with qualities that were bred into it intentionally to promote the best possibility of a positive outcome in hunters or jumpers. Don’t get me wrong, I am not bashing OTTB and I have owned/shown quite a few, I am merely exploring my options.
Not many as the market isn’t there. The ones that do tend to be “colored tbs”
Contact Gail at Tamarack Lane Farm. She stands the beautiful Tb stallion A Fine Romance. She has bred and produced numerous TB that were bred for sport.
http://www.afineromance.ca/
There are many TB’s born each year into racing programs who, for one reason or another, are deemed as non racing quality and are then sold as pleasure mounts. Simple searches on any general equine sales engine (equine.com, equinehits.com, etc) should bring up pages full of unraced, registered TB’s in the age group you seek as will creating relationships with any local breeders.
Try Allen Stock Farm in California. Very nice TB’s bred for sport.
Debracy Sport Horses breeds both TB’s and WB’s for sport.
http://www.debracysporthorses.com/DeBracy_Sport_Horses/Home.html
Yes, the sport horse TB does exist bred by breeders who are looking for specific sport horse qualities, including movement, mind and soundness, etc.
A Fine Romance is an excellent start in your search.
I bred to a TB stallion called Final Pool (now dead) because he was a GP showjumper up to the World Cup qualifiers with his amateur owner, was a beautiful elegant mover, had a great mind and gorgeous looks - but he was lousy at the track winning $800.00 in total.
The resulting mare was gorgeous and to my mind there is nothing to compare with the best TB for elegance and offering a good, sensitive ride.
[QUOTE=LKenn;6711458]
I may be looking for something that no longer exists, are there any breeders that breed thoroughbreds for sports other than racing? I really want to invest in and enjoy a young horse in the next few years. I have been scowering the off-the-track adds but if I could I would rather spend more money on something 2.5-3yo and unraced with qualities that were bred into it intentionally to promote the best possibility of a positive outcome in hunters or jumpers. Don’t get me wrong, I am not bashing OTTB and I have owned/shown quite a few, I am merely exploring my options.[/QUOTE]
Yes! Avenir-Farm as a Final Pool mare that I covet. Her name is Neah Bay and her pedigree can be found here: http://www.pedigreequery.com/neah+bay2
“Sissi” has produced upper level offspring and her 2011 colt has been deemed a serious stallion prospect by numerous professionals. Really a rare gem of a mare. They also have a daughter of hers by Coconut Grove xx, named Cayah Bay. Her pedigree is here: http://www.pedigreequery.com/cayah+bay
“Kai” is solely used as a broodmare due to her breeding, conformation, movement, etc. She was made available last year for custom breedings and someone jumped at that opportunity, breeding her to Jaguar Mail. The mare line is very consistent in what it stamps its offspring with. Love this mare line!
http://www.avenir-farm.com/ is the farm website. Happy hunting!
They do exist, I have stood TB stallions and produced sport bred TBs (as well as ISH and WBs) for 17 years. Not much of a market since OTTB prices are so appealing, but there are people looking for them who are willing to pay for what they want.
Jennifer
Oliver Brown and Kenny Wheeler both have clients/friends who breed such horses, some of which show up in the hunter breeding classes at Devon. I wish I remembered the name of the breeder whose TB’s with “Foxy” names have done very well handled by Oliver Brown-- but I’m sure Oliver could tell you. Likewise, for Kenny Wheeler and the friend whose TB colt (“Holden”??) by Indian Ocean (or was it Stormy Atlantic??) he showed to Best Young Horse at Devon a few years ago. Seems to me that there might be quite a few old-timers in VA horse country, in addition to these 2, who remain TB fanciers at heart.
Thanks guys. I actually have been to the Avenir Farm website and spent time drooling over their horses. I know the market for this type of horse is limited. I always loved the thoroughbreds I rode/showed during my younger years and credit them with my ability to easily ride a sensitive horse. I enjoy the warmbloods too and have owned/shown them as well but there is still nothing that compares for me to the classic thoroughbred hunter.
I do SO hear you, OP. But is the market limited once a TB has started to prove himself and win and has the right stuff?
Or is it because the judges are not pinning the TB’s and are rther looking at the WB style hunter? Has the classic hunter form and style and movement changed - I’m sorry if that is the case. Or are the trainers not recommending them to clients to buy. Or can today’s riders not ride the calm and obedient TB?
Anyway, to the discerning buyer there is nothing like a TB in my book!
I have TB’s I breed for showing as well as racing, but they always seem to end up in the show ring before they get to the track. I bred my stallion to a buckskin TB mare who is due mid April. Hoping to get a buckskin baby.
They are out there. You just have to look for them. Joan Fox and Little Hawk Farm are both in Virginia and stand TBs for sport.
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Not many as the market isn’t there. The ones that do tend to be “colored tbs”[/QUOTE]
Well, while my signature line mentions our palomino TB stallion, our recently deceased dark bay TB stallion put a couple foals on the ground who I expect will turn into decent show horses, with the right training & partners. We breed for conformation, soundness & temperament (and our palomino TB stallion throws a correct front-end for hunters).
But yes - breeders like us are out there. We admittedly have slowed down a bit in this economy, but we’re still here . . .
You might hit the misc. TB sales and pick up unstarted young horses. In many outlying ares they still have the old bloodlines that do well for sport. In Minnesota and Iowa they will have sales…they don’t have enough yearlings so it ends up mixed with 2 yos and 3 yos and mares.
My husband and I breed pure TB and heavily TB (3/4 & 7/8 TB) Irish Sport Horses for sport. Yes, we love it when they have the loud chrome and/or overo markings, but we breed for quality horses firstly and enjoy the flash if they get it. And yes, it is very hard to compete with the OTTB’s and race bred rejects on price, but some people do appreciate the fact that our youngsters are bred and raised for conformation, movement, soundness and disposition…not just speed!!
I breed thoroughbreds for sport and not for racing. There are a few particular lines that I personally like for hunters or eventers. I only breed 1 or 2 mares a year, and so far they have all sold as foals. My stallion is a buckskin, and he has the conformation and movement I like, regardless of his color. His foals that sold were in fact bays. The foal I have now is only a few weeks old and she is by far the largest one I have ever had.
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Try Allen Stock Farm in California. Very nice TB’s bred for sport. [/QUOTE] I bought a 3 y.o. from Dottie Allen this summer. Wonderful temperament. Nicely put together. But since Ben died they aren’t making any more and Dottie is trying to sell what she can.
Is Phyllis Jones still around? Last time I was at her farm (ca. 7 years ago), she had Castle Cove and Rock Point on her farm, in addition to a pinto and a pony (not sure if Rock Point was still standing.) Then there’s Jones Hall (don’t know if he’s already been mentioned), and, a long way from Va., Noble Houston. In PA, Harry the Hat has been used on show horse mares-- in fact, that entire area (MD, PA, VA horse country flows on and on) seems to have quite a few farms with stallions used for both race and show. I visited one (Justaplain) which even had an approved WB stallion (quite nice) in addition to their 2 TB’s used mostly on race mares. You might enjoy touring the area talking to people, and looking at their horses-- and maybe even find what you’re looking for.
