BY CHRIS GOULD / CWHBA
PHOTOGRAPHY: LEGACY EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHY
It’s that time of year again! In the dead of winter, Canadian breeders look optimistically toward a new breeding season by bidding on stallion services at the annual Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders’ Association Stallion Service Auction.
For several decades this event has heralded the beginning of the breeding season for Canadian Warmblood breeders. This year's event will be held online February 12 through 16.
What sets the CWHBA SSA apart is the annual Foal Futurities. The year following each auction, stallion owners and successful bidders get a free entry into a chapter futurity, where they will compete for approximately 50% of the funds raised through the auction. Offspring from nominated stallions may also buy in to the class, adding additional money to the pot. In some chapters there can be significant prizes up to or more than one thousand dollars for the winning foal. Placings to fifth receive a payout.
Foal Futurities attract a lot of attention, primarily because there can be significant prize money, but also because it’s a good way for breeders to showcase their breeding programs and for stallion owners to gain visibility for their stallions. Spread all across the country, some of the stallions from 2024 SSA that had futurity earning offspring were Nuit d’Emerald (Emerald x Balou du Rouet) Ermeska Stables in Quebec, Companero PJ (Comme il faut x Quality Time TN) Meadow Lane Equine Clinic in British Columbia, Belshazzar (BeachBoy x Arkansas) Alborak Stables in Alberta, His Querido (His Highness x Quatro B) Jackie Vandenbrink in Ontario, Night’s Watch (Kannan x Cantos) Rosenol Performance Horses in British Columbia, and Otamendi (Don VHPZ NO x Comme il faut) Ashland Farm in Ontario. Congratulations to all the successful breeders and thanks to the generous stallion owners.
It is noteworthy that all the winning stallions stand at stud here in Canada. These stallions and many more represent the high quality of breeding that is available to Canadian breeders. (www.32auction.com/CW2026SSA)...
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