News from SUMA

DECEMBER 2003

News was a bit slow in December.

NOVEMBER 2003

Some hellos and goodbyes this month. Firstly we welcome Mari to Ireland from the Ukraine.   She is a super rider and will bring on some of the horses like TALOUBET, Sanne, Little Mo and Blueprint who was not covered this year.   We have a major language barrier at present but Mari is studying hard and is a very quick learner.   Catriona our head girl for the past 3 years has taken a sort of sabbatical and is now in Germany for a while.   She has been great and we miss her but wish her well.

Good luck Catriona

 Our other most recent export, VDL ARKANSAS has landed on the Dutch scene with a bang!   Now with Wout Jan van der Schans he has won 2 classes in the past couple of weeks and the second of these was the prestigious KWPN/KNHS Stallion class at Z level.   (See KWPN News)   We eagerly await the next outing and are thrilled that he is proving to be the horse we know he is.

His followers at Suma, RICOCHET and TALOUBET are improving by the day.   Tal’s father, BALOUBET DU ROUET is just hitting form now on the World Cup circuit and we are continually reminded of both his brilliance and his quirks by his son.   We have to nurture his talent while still allowing him to develop physically and mentally.

Ricochet in Cavan Classic

RICOCHET is really pleasing Andrew Lyons and while his Dutch upbringing in fields bordered by dikes has made him grossly suspicious of shiny water trays, he is now consistently jumping clears with rhythm and technique.   He has always had incredible scope but now as a mature 5 yr.old he is coming into his power too.                                                                                                                      

OCTOBER 2003

This has been a mixed time for us.   Good news for the father and son REBELS, both GLENAGYLE and HUNTINGFIELD. Our young mare Victoria, (now Tori) is getting on great with her new owner, Kate Freeman, in the UK. She is being broken slowly before having her next foal.   Also Colin Armstrong in N. Ireland who bought a lovely prospect to hunt first then breed.    Another two Irish Draught converts!   (See Dream horses)   Also congratulations go to Sarah Ennis who recently rode her Killossery Kobra to 11 th place in the World Young Horse Breeding Champs. for Eventing.   He is only 6 and will go on to much better things.   And Sarah Hambleton in the UK also writes that her Glenagyle Rebel son Glenwoody (a purebred ID gelding) is regularly placing in Hunter and jumping classes and she says “He really is such a beautiful horse to own and gives 110% all the time.”  

Glenwoody

But we got a real slap in the face when we re-presented RICOCHET doing Dressage for his Stallion Approval last week.   Poor Rico is fated it seems!   While jumping at the Cavan Indoor Championships in the 5 y.o qualifier (and going extremely well!) his rider, Andrew dislocated his right little finger and that was the end of our hopes for the Finals.   In great pain, Andrew was not able to ride for a week and with the Inspections only another week on, our super-sub, Richard Wright, took Rico to the new Ard Cherrymount set-up and reminded him of the difference between Dressage and jumping   They put up a super show with Rico displaying his fantastic rhythm and paces and he went really well for the international judge too.   However, although he increased his marks from the Spring 2002 selection, to 73.1% the Panel decided they needed to see him at Elementary standard before approving him.   We cannot understand how the goalposts have been moved when he had the required points and had done all that in only 5 outings!   (See earlier News) As a 5 year old Novice standard is all he should be expected to do, and starting some Elementary work. Since the Inspectors told us that they thought he had the talent to go all the way we are at a loss to know why he didn’t get full approval now.   We are in consultation with the IHB at this time and hope something may come of it in the future. This includes looking at some of the foals which are surely what stallions are all about.

We managed to get 9 horses to Cavan and 8 of these found new homes.  Good luck to two buyers from over the water who bought 3 Arkansas foals between them to make stallions there in due course. RICOCHET’S daughter Erica made quite an impression and bidding was keen for her.   She has gone to Liam McKee in Northern Ireland who is a great judge of a store foal.

Finally our baby, TALOUBET, is now broken and riding sweetly and has grown up considerably in his attitude to life.   He will do a little more before a rest during the winter.   

SEPTEMBER 2003

VDL RICOCHET has his first Champion!   Hapi’s foal, ERICA was the Champion foal at the Royal Meath Show, beating the colt winner.   Hapi also won her class, both looked really well and of course they move outstandingly.   RICO himself jumped superbly at the Cavan 3 day show held on their grass Derby arena.   Now he has to get used to the indoors again for the big Indoor Show at the end of the month. That could be harder!

Marily had a great time in the USA judging with David Cosby at the IDHSNA Breed Show in Morven Park, Leesburg, Va.   Both judges agreed that the quality is of an excellent standard particularly in the Sport horse section.   They have written a brief report for the Blarney.

 Meanwhile Susie brought our own ID 2 y.o for her Inspection and we were delighted she passed well.   She has an excellent pedigree being by Huntingfield Rebel out of Pride of Kildalton by Prospect Pride, a previous Supreme Champion of the National Show owned by Deborah Gibson, who is now in New Zealand. She, named Here for the Beer,(SOLD) is entered in Cavan I.D.. sales along with Blueprint and her yearling by Classic Vision, Classic Blue(SOLD). See pedigree detials, Horses for Sale.

 Also entered in the Breeding Stock Sale on 3rd Oct.are 6 foals by ARKANSAS and one, Erica(SOLD), by RICOCHET.   They are The Artist(SOLD), Dazzle(SOLD), Brutus, Flash Harry, Distant Drums(SOLD) and Pippa’s Pipsqueak(SOLD).   Also

entered are Dannielle(SOLD) and Luxury, two beautiful 2 y.os. , Silhouettte, a 4 y.o mare and Pippa (Chimera)(SOLD) both in foal to the now exported VDL Arkansas.

This contingent represents the start of a major reduction of our stock as we begin to think of retirement. Full details of the entries by email or telephone.

Dannielle                              Luxury

Going home shortly is Molly, the coloured cob who reared Whippy’s foal after she died in May. She has been brilliant with him and he is now as big as her!   More sadness for us that we had to put down our beautiful Arkansas yearling   Lynnie who never recovered from the lymphangitis that started as a month old foal.   It is her in the photo entitled meeting my sister.   We tried everything but periodically it would balloon and she was in pain with it then.   She was still a sweetheart to handle and loved people which made it all the harder.

AUGUST 2003

Enjoy a few photos of this years foal crop, Foals 2003

After a brilliant Dublin Horse Show attended with us by Wiepke and Jannie van de Lageweg and their friends the Nieboers we said a fond farewell to ARCHIE .   It’s now time for him to go full time on the circuit.   For the past two years he has been as busy in the stud yard as out jumping and it makes it harder to excel when short of match practice.

We have been privileged to have a jumper with such fantastic technique and ability and, as those who have given their Arkansas youngsters a pop already know, it looks like a good bit has passed on to them.   Frozen semen (and occasionally fresh) will still be available from him and we congratulate all those who had the good sense to use this star while he was here and wish them luck with their offspring.

Jumping photos of VDL Ricochet...

RICOCHET fulfilled his recent promise at the 3 day Cavan show, qualifying for the Five year old Finals there and also the Cavan Classic at the end of September.   After a brief rest he is back with Andrew. The next aim is the Stallion Inspections in October where he will be presented in both Dressage and Jumping.   He has such talent in both disciplines that the inspectors need to look at him as an all rounder.

TALOUBET goes off tomorrow to be broken and we are looking forward to seeing him under saddle. He has had a lovely easy introduction to stud life and now its “worktime”!  

JULY 2003

VDL Ricochet is our star this month.   With his new rider Andrew Lyons,who has really clicked with him he is now out on the jumping circuit showing all the potential he displayed loose jumping at the KWPN stallion selection.   The combination of dressage schooling and time doing nothing has enabled this very overgrown 5 yr. old to start showing his true ability. We will still take him slowly however as he has a lot of catching up to do. The 3 day show at Cavan this weekend will give him some good mileage and maybe a qualification for the Cavan Classic in September, won so brilliantly in 2001 by Archie.

Also in the headlines is HUNTINGFIELD REBEL.   In the latest issue of the Irish Farmers Journal two of his progeny are pictured.   One is of the Cork Champion Ridden Hunter, the other is of a newly recruited police horse!   The Hunter, now called Ozier Hill, was bred by us and started life called Suma’s Achilles.   His mother Vixen’s Frolic, by Horos traces back to Susie’s top horse Foxes Frolic.   She broke 3 bones in her foot just when she was about to compete but her granddaughter, On a Frolic, is one of the top five year olds jumping at present.   It could be two Champions for Vixen in Dublin, one showing, one jumping!

Meanwhile VDL Arkansas stays stable bound while his rider, Clem, is doing great things on the Continent with his Grand Prix horses.   Consistently the best of the Irish in Nations Cups in Scandinavia he is now heading for Hickstead.   Clem returned twice to jump his novices and Archie was going really well, but he missed the N.I. Champs. in Balmoral and may not get an outing before Dublin.

JUNE 2003

We've had our last foal of the 2003 season, a filly by VDL Arkansas out of Pippa, read more in our Horses for Sale pages.

Archies rider, Clem McMahon, has had a great time in Finland. He won the HAMINA GRAND PRIX, another speed class and was in the winning Irish Nations Cup team. He's over the moon as its the first time he has represented Ireland!

VDL Arkansas has qualified for the fourth year in succession for the RDS, this time for the 7 & 8 year olds (1.35). This follows a very good weekend at the Stepaside show held at Barnadown Stud where he finished 5th in the 1.30 class. He will now have an easy life for a few weeks as rider Clem McMahon has taken his Grand Prix horses to the Continent for some Scandinavian shows.

MAY 2003

TALOUBET has his first mare scanned in foal. She is a multi-prize winning Glenagyle Rebel mare who already has a lovely yearling filly by Archie.

ARKANSAS is in smashing form, has been out 3 times, and won a Cavan Classic qualifer last Wednesday, came 4th in a qualifier yesterday and 3rd in the Final. Next stop the RDS regionals qualifiers. He has bookings from all over the country and also in the U.K.

New foal arrivals 2003, see our horses for sale page. Very sad news for us, we've lost our lovely broodmare Whippy, 24 hrs after foaling a colt foal by Archie.

April 2003

We've got a Unique antique vehicle in excellent condition. 100 yrs old, suitable for a 14hh to 16.hh.

Horse for Sale Sam, Irish Draught gelding, 1999.
Also for sale, Silhouette. 1999.
See more info. in our Horses for sale pages.

Richard Wright rode VDL Ricochet in the National Dressage Finals, went really well but alas two errors of course in that company put him down to 7th place. Poor Richard was mortified! Rico got very favourable comments from both British judges and I think he now has 60 points. Good going for a not yet five year old. He will shortly start jumping again but with the current dry spell will not be out every week. All the owners of his first foals are back again to him which is an excellent sign.

Two more foals for us, one from Hapi - VDL Ricochet’s first for us, lovely chestnut filly, his gorgeous head and on springs and one from Surreale - As usual she gives us a colt, by Huntingfield Rebel, bay but (obviously) going grey!

MARCH 2003

Great excitement as Richard Wright rides VDL Ricochet to win both the Novice Dressage Tests at the 4th and final day of the Leinster region winter League. He also took part in his first Elementary scoring a very good 61%. The wins meant that Rico had won 4 tests with 3 different riders and therefore won the Cup for the Best Novice horse. Considering that between events Rico might only get ridden once or twice it shows what a fantastic temperament and rideability the horse has. Richard and Rico reunite for the National Winter Finals in 2 weeks time.

The next good news is that both VDL Douglas (who is at Ard Cherrymount Stud) and Taloubet VDL, our three year old Baloubet du Rouet colt, have been accepted for Performance testing by the Irish Horse Board. This is excellent for all parties concerned, as, although both are currently Licensed with the A.E.S. it means that Irish foals can have Irish papers. Also that they have the advantage of being more likely to pass the Performance phase as 5 yr olds. Both Douglas and Ricochet will be re-presented this year. They also have their first foals on the ground.

Finally we now have our 2nd foal, a fabulous model by VDL Arkansas from the Silvio II mare Netlena who is a granddaughter of an own sister to the dam of Emilion and Lord.

We have just made an incredible decision! Murphy has gone to England, never having left the yard before for even a single night. Why? Because we are not giving him the life he deserves and Natalie Smith, a new breeder in Essex, will try to do just that. She headhunted Murphy as she has 5 mares and no good stallion within reach of her. But more important for us, she HUNTS! Since we both gave up (a combination of old age and infirmity) he has missed it terribly and he gets extremely bored in the sand arena. This decision is not irrevocable as if he does not settle he comes back without delay but this was heartbreaking for us. However, he has arrived safely and taken over the yard immediately so it looks good for us all. He is our last real link with Pride of Shaunlara and we look forward to his last foal for us, from our Huntingfield Rebel mare, Cordogan Victoria, due in May. We wish them all the best of luck.

Meanwhile Wiepke van de Lageweg persuaded us to take another talented young colt, the 3 yr. old TALOUBET who, as his name suggests is by the World Champion BALOUBET DU ROUET and out of a Silvio II daughter of an own sister to AHORN. This lovely youngster injured himself during the summer (isn’t it always the good ones?) so was not presented for the KWPN inspections. This may prove to be a blessing in disguise as he is very raw and still growing. He has the typical fantastic movement of his grandsire and jumps loose with all the panache of his dad, showing style and scope. Already approved as a stallion by the A.E.S, we will be presenting him to the I.H.R. at the end of March with a view to covering a few mares this year while he is being broken.

At last, after 363 days, Colourpaint foaled, a smashing bay colt by Archie. Fortunately with a change for the better in the weather he can get out and enjoy the sun. But Argentina has let us down, no foal in her now. Such a disappointment as her 2 y.o. colt Arizona is really pleasing the VDL, although he was such a late foal.

FEBRUARY 2003

February ended on a high note for us. VDL ARKANSAS acquitted himself extremely well in the Promising Stallion class at the Zwolle Stallion Show. Out of 47 of the top younger jumping stallions he finished 3rd of his agegroup and 13th overall with many of the consistently highly placed European stallions trailing in his wake. He is now back in Ireland to compete again with Clem McMahon and cover as many mares as possible before he has to return to his owner/breeders to take up where his half brother Glennridge, left off. Reports from the Lab. at the VDL stud are that his frozen semen is now excellent. First reappearance in Ireland is at the N.I. Stallion Parade in Necarne on 8th March in the afternoon where he will be seen jumping.

Meanwhile VDL Ricochet, with an even younger jockey who had only ridden him twice, continued his successful Dressage debut, this time winning a Novice class and 3rd in the two Prelims. Robert Glynn (aged 17) substituted for older brother Ciaran who had hurt his arm the previous day. Rico is now back at Suma as he had been away 3 months and people were looking for him at stud. Today he joined up with Ciaran again and again he sparkled in the Tests, winning the Novice 33 and coming 3rd in the Novice 32. He was also 3rd and 5th in the Prelims, in spite of being first to run out of 40 entries. He is a joy to have at a show with impeccable manners and he loves the admiration.

JANUARY 2003

"Great news for our youngest stallion! VDL Ricochet has won his first Dressage class, and in addition placed 2nd twice and 4th in his very first Test. Although a little tense at times during the day, he scored an excellent 73% in the Novice 32 to win by a substantial amount over older horses. He never got less than 62.5% in any of his Tests so full marks to Ciaran Glynn."

Foaling Service

Owing to a huge demand Suma Stud has agreed to take in a limited number of mares to foal. The service will be on a basis of the mare to come one week before her 340 days and to include everything (except any Vets. fees) until one week after foaling. Terms are Euro1,000 of which half is payable on arrival at the stud. Balance payable on collection. Our facilities are second to none with large foaling units, closed circuit cameras and well fenced paddocks plus our many years experience of foaling. However, this is an appreciable sum and we would urge breeders to foal their mares themselves. We can be contacted at 046 9024161 or 086 2695787.

We wish all our friends a Very Happy New Year. We start 2003 with only our two Irish boys at home, Rob and Murphy.

ARCHIE is still in Holland, placing in every show he attends. He is not racing against the clock but enjoying endless clears, now in the 1.35 m. classes. RICOCHET is nicely settled in the super new Killossery Equitation Centre being ridden by Ciaran Glynn and Adrian Griffin, two talented young riders. Rico is about to start competitive work in both Dressage and jumping, now that he is growing into himself. He took part in the opening ceremony at the Centre, thoroughly enjoying the admiration of the guests who were seriously impressed by his fantastic free movement and his lovely temperament.

ARKANSAS will finish his Dutch holiday after Zwolle Stallion Show where Denis van Tilburg will be competing him in the Promising Stallion classes. We hope to be there to support him. Hopefully our first mare to foal, Colourpaint, will keep her legs crossed until we return!

We had the pleasure of a visit from Wiepke and Wiebe Yde van der Lageweg for a hasty 2 days during which time they looked at many of the Arkansas progeny. They were delighted with what they saw, even in the winter woollies, and two more foals will shortly be arriving in Holland. They also took the time to visit their two younger horses, Ard VDL Douglas and Ricochet and pronounced themselves extremely happy how we in Ireland are producing their stallions. Richard Wright has done wonders with Douglas who was a big raw talent when he took charge of him at the end of 2001. To win three major championships as a four year old was a huge achievement and we are proud to have arranged for him to come and be available for Irish mares.

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