interview So why have they decided to relocate? “The strategy was to tackle all sides of our life,” explains Lynne. “The steep topography of Goblaen House was uncompromising for the horses – and us, as neither of us is getting younger – so we wanted somewhere more manageable, as well as being able to buy somewhere for our retirement. “But the biggest driver was the direction of the business – we wanted to bring the horses closer to the Eilbergs and our clients, as well as extending the stallion portfolio – we want to be an influence on other studs breeding, not just our own.” As well as the Eilberg family, trainer Ferdi, organiser Geri and riders Maria and Michael, another significant part of the Woodlander partnership are long-time friends Alison and John Walton, onto whose small estate in Sulby the stud has moved, renting land, buildings and, eventually, a house. “We were open-minded about where we went and renting was always an option. In fact, we have gone full circle, as Sulby is where I bred my first foal 30 years ago – a Thoroughbred – and met John and Alison,” explains Lynne. The Waltons’ former drainage business left a legacy of buildings that now house the horses – mares on one side and a 2ı-box stallion unit with indoor and outdoor turnout and small laboratory on the other, close to the house that Lynne and Dave will move into. The aim for this year is to stand around ı6 stallions. “They will mostly be with dressage in mind, with one or two event stallions and possibly a pony stallion – showjumping is Indian territory for me,” says Lynne, who is enjoying the novelty of seeing horses in attractive level pastures surrounded by trees. Seemingly one of the motivations for concentrating more on the stallions is associated problems she has encountered. “Breeding is a precise business and what we aim to do is make all stallions available seven days a week – service and choice for breeders and clients is critical,” says Lynne, whose obvious business acumen means that the words ‘service’ ‘choice’ and ‘clients’ are regularly put together in the same sentence. “For example, when buying chilled semen, from the continent particularly, quality can be compromised, the cost of delivery is wayward, but more frustratingly there is no delivery over the weekend meaning more intensive management of the mare. For us, providing a full service is part of the business.” While in principle the increase in stallions will be counteracted by a reduction in the number of their own mares, there will still be 22 to foal.
For us, providing a full service is part of the business ABOVE: Woodlander Stud’s German trainer Carsten Sandrock presents Welsh pony Drysiog Helen and her colt Wales by Wavavoom
“We also have some clients’ mares. Breeding is not just about getting mares in foal. We like to offer a service that sees through the whole process, from advice on stallion selection for our clients’ mares, foaling and then later assisting in promotion and marketing of their foals or young horses, so that throughout clients are offered the best choices.” There are, however, still around 80 Woodlander-bred horses on the farm, including several young aspiring dressage horses that will eventually be produced by the other part of the Woodlander partnership, the Eilbergs, whom for the past five years have been successfully training and competing the Woodlander horses. It is anticipated that this year the home-bred breeding stallion Woodlander Rockstar and the mare Dornroschen, dam of Farouche, and currently on the World Class programme with Michael Eilberg, will be the first of the Woodlander horses to compete in big tour and hopefully grand prix.
Major achievements
2002 Waltzing Matilda is the first British-bred Hanoverian mare to gain German State Premium status 2006 Initiated working partnership with the Eilberg family 2009 The stallion Wavavoom is the second
home-bred stallion to be graded with Hanoverian Verband: “To have one graded is good; to have two means you are becoming a serious breeder” 2011 Farouche becomes the first British-bred World Young Horse Champion 2011 Leave Goblaen House in Powys to move to Sulby with the aim of focusing on stallions
BR ITISH DR ESSAGE | ISSUE 1 2012 |
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