Tis the season: 2018/2019 foals

THIS little darling is our first EVER chestnut standardbred. I cannot believe it - she is my instant favourite. Fly Like An Eagle - La Bliss. West Sired West Bred.

We don't know where the chestnut came from. There are no redheads on Bliss's Mum's side - in fact her granddam and great granddam were black. Blissfull Hall, while himself light coloured giving Bliss a lighter colouring, has no chestnuts. Fly Like An Eagle's Mother's sister has 1 chestnut sister but that's it even going back generations. It would be an odd throwback to get a chestnut from that line - I reeeeeally hope she stays chestnut.



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Blissfull Hall threw a few Chestnut's.

As Greg said Katie Blissfull Hall sired a few chestnuts and as you said Fly Like An Eagles grand dam threw a chestnut he obviously carries the chestnut gene as well. Don't recall Falcon Seelster or Mach Three producing any chestnuts so it's likely they were homozygous for bay and masked the chestnut gene being passed down through FLARs dam line. It is a recessive gene and a foal needs to get a copy from both parents to be expressed but it can go for quite a number of generations without being expressed. Somewhere back in both parents pedigree will be a chestnut horse and I don't think you have any worries about your new favourite girl remaining a redhead!

Born last night...Bonavista Bay x Kaluga Filly...sorry not sure how to get the pics bigger!!..please check them out on Spurrs Stud on Facebook.

What a cutie! :o

Eesh we had another baby overnight.
Bettors - Savannah Maguire colt


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The Howletts and the Spurrs are flying the flag for WA

I checked the USTA to see if Bettors x Art Major was one of their golden crosses but what I did spot was how terrible the record is for Bettors x Somebeachsomewhere (only a sample of 10 mind you)

He's a ripper Kate!!..do you have more to come?..I have 3 all going well..that's to Rusty and a few more after that to P(Shooter)forty Seven. Kev I really love the creational side of breeding..following them through..hoping to get a good one..but even if they're like me..a bit slow...to give them the opportunity...

Yes the West Australians doing a fine job, and the Westbred and double Westbred program is a good incentive.

I'd hazard a guess Kev, that the oldest of the BD/SBSW crosses are 2yos and perhaps SBSW is the only dam sire on that table where they are only 2yos still. It does look dissapointing but could change markedly in a year or two. There are a couple of other things on that table that standout more significantly to me. But of course there is the old adage, lies, damn lies, and statistics.

Like you said Dot, it is early days but American Ideal and Rock N Roll Heaven are looking promising with SBS mares

Looking more closely Kev they could be older then 2yos so early indications are definately dissapointing but the sample size of the data is still small enough to not be relevant. A statistician would say the sample size for pretty much every cross is too small to be relevant. I'll go out on a limb and say I'd prefer to see SBSW mares with stallions with Direct Scooter in there lines as American Ideal and Rock n Roll heaven do, but with the strength of the mares and maternal families SBSW was bred over his daughters in time will become good producers with a range of sires.

Born last night..our first colt by Bonavista Bay x Tears Of Pearls..

Kev, in that pic he looks like a black pearl

Haha yea he actually looks very black/bluish...or smokey even..depends on the light and stuff of course!!!

I think that he will be as Kev said a "black pearl". I hope he is a non fading black for you Kev, I've had a couple of blacks in the past but they were the fading variety and ended up a washed out yellowy brown by the end of summer each year, rugged or not!

That little guy is the cutest! I said it before, I'll say it again no doubt: Black horses are the best!

I think we still have a few due Kevin. Nivea Franco, Eliza are two I know for sure. Provided they're born before Dec 18 so I don't have to get up for the foal alarm! ;)

Well it's been a tough 4 odd days here...a day and a half after our first colt was born I found his Mother dead in the paddock..couldn't believe it..she was doing so well and she's not a person horse so I didn't want to pester her. The colt was on all fours trying to suckle when I got to him...I thought I would lose him..managed to get some formula into him while we jumped on facebook looking for a foster mum..a lady in nearby Katanning responded and said that she had a friendly quarterhorse mare with a 5 week old foal on her..I had already tried a couple of my mares to no avail..and I was sceptical that this would work too...so we had to try and to my utter surprise she accepted him immediately!!..we did put a towel over him with the smell of her foal and some urine..What an amazing mare!!..so lucky..but yes still a way to go but it's looking positive...a photo of the boy with his new Mum!!!

Aren't they amazing creatures?
I'm sorry you lost your mare :(

All the best with the young fella Big K

Very sorry to hear about Tears of Pearls Kev
Good luck with little pearler

Is the mare still ok with your baby Kev? I saw that there's a foster mare in Busselton if you still need one. "Please call Rory Hovell on 0409004328."


Here is our latest at a few hours old. Alta Christiano - Call Me Sweetheart. Back legs still to straighten and because she's a first foal, she's still a little small. That's 2 of 3 Alta's for us this season. He's not my favourite, but we can't put the foals back now!


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Hi Kate, yes he's doing okay after a few ups and downs..at one stage he went backwards for a bit but responded again in the morning. The lady who has the mare and is looking after him said that he even went for a canter and a buck yesterday which is really good news..but he has been struggling at times so hopefully he keeps ploughing ahead. Thanks for the heads up about the Foster mare!!.. Love the foals and I think Alta Christiano is still a good chance of getting some good horses out there. I bred a filly out of Our Tabletop Dancer which I sold at the sales, shes a 3yo now and was never tried at 2 but going nicely I'm hearing. The mare is due to foal to Bonavista Bay very soon..also another mare called Armbro Tess.

LOOK WHAT WE HAVE! We haven't had one bred or bought in 30 odd years and suddenly in the same crop of foals, OUR SECOND EVER CHESTNUT!!! :D :D :D :D :o :o :o :o
This is a Love Me - Tarn trotter filly.

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Not that old chestnut again ;)

I blame Prince Harry !

Congratulations Katie. Love You from a Sundon mare, no surprise that ones a redhead!

Fergie has also come back into the picture so we could blame her too

I think we might call THIS one Lucille because of the Love You reference (I Love Lucy) and the previous one Isla because it's one step back from her mum's name La Bliss (Is-la Bliss)

This huge thing arrived last night, I bet mumma is relieved it's all over as apparently she too was huge. Bettors - Nivea Franco NZ. He was much anticipated by the Mothership and we're very glad he arrived safe and sound.



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Annudda. Always Be Miki - Barbara Doo colt, very unhappy at being released into the big wide world

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Good to see the Howletts doing their bit to contribute to the horse population. You’ll be getting close to having your own field soon Katie. And WA needs it, less then 400 foals last season for the first time in WA history

Well it's with a heavy heart that I have to tell you that my little orphaned colt by Bonnavista Bay x Tears Of Pearls tragically broke his leg a few Sundays back...I guess some are just not meant to live..
On a brighter note we have another colt by him out of Our Tabletop Dancer..a few days old in this pic. I have a couple of more pics to show you in another post.
Cheers

I had to put up a pic(right) of this filly by P Forty Seven x Tess Is Best...she seriously is only 9 days old and I cant believe how big and powerful she is..probably wont run but!!! shes a beauty...the other pic is of my 2 earlier born fillies by Bonavista bay...certainly the green grass has gone!!!

Cheers

Kev, very sorry to hear about little Black Pearl

Oh no :(

I am so sorry. They really can be heartbreakers.

You have some other really nice foals. That filly is a beauty. I wish you all the best with them

Second last foal of the season and she's a beauty. Renaissance Man - Eliza Grace filly (??). Going to be a tall thing like her Mum.



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Born late December..owner just sent through a photo of this nice little lass

Unlucky with Regal Aura Kev Looked good

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hugdon

Unlucky with Regal Aura Kev Looked good

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Yea was a good effort at his first start..fought them off but yep one tap on the bum too many!!..has a future tho..I did sell him at the APG sales in Perth last year.