British Breeder Magazine May 2020

Feature - BREEDER ARTICLE
“Both the stallions are enjoying the new
set up at home - we are blessed with the
stallions Silvester and his son, Carthago
Chicago - their easy temperament and
exceptional fertility has made the instant
switch over very easy.”
To assist with this Hazel has a strong
team of longstanding staff who she is
very proud of, “Many of my staff have
been here for over 20 years and are
highly skilled in all aspects of stud work
and so we always have a trained team
on hand – very useful if a customer’s
mare suddenly needs our stallions’
services!”
The latest BEVA guidance has been a
lifeline for the stud allowing them to
continue collecting and shipping semen
at this crucial time for breeders. The new
collection facility includes an onsite
laboratory for semen evaluation to
ensure quality before the chilled semen is
packaged and sent by next day special
delivery or courier to arrive ready for
insemination.
Hazel is confident that this new
in-house facility will streamline their
operation - with readily available semen
supply keeping life easy for both mare
owners and for the stud’s own breeding
program.
Hazel had previously bred her own
horses but with the arrival of Silvester
in 2006, WG Stud became a more
dynamic venture. “I was not actively
looking for a stallion at the time, but we
just happened to be visiting the yard
where he was for sale and immediately
fell for him. It was fate that we got to see
him, and the rest is history!”, says Hazel.
By 2009 he was champion show
jumping sire in the Futurity rankings,
and the following year he was reserve
champion eventing sire. “He is quite
unique in that he has achieved this
success across a range of disciplines,
proving his versatility”, adds Hazel, who
rode him herself in show jumping and
dressage before she paused to have her
own famiSilvester’s progeny are now out
competing successfully in showjumping
and eventing, with is first offspring now
at FEI 4* level.
Having established Silvester as a sire,
Hazel wanted to improve the line and
kept his son, Carthago Chicago, out of
Call Girl by Chicago. Out of Broadstone
Stud’s Daytona, a RIHS champion ridden
by Jo Bates, Call Girl was one of Hazel’s
foundation mares and is the dam of 4
Futurity Elite foals. Cathago Chicago
is now producing successful progeny,
including the champion showjumping
foal at both the 2017 and 2018 Futurity
Elite Foal Championships.
His offspring are now winning
consistently in county sport horse classes.
The stallions at WG Stud have superb
temperaments and are treated like
normal horses. “I finish my day sorting
out the stallions – it is a good way to
finish the day as they are such good
company. Under normal circumstances,
visitors are surprised that they are just
normal horses – but they have to be to
be part of our busy set up”, explains
Hazel.
Total Belief at Blenheim - William Carey Photography
New lab Kit
As well as the stallions, there are over
40 horses on site at WG Stud, 18 of
which are used in Hazel’s busy training
establishment, plus the competition
liveries, mares and youngstock and a
busy saddlery shop.
The stud is currently home to 4 brood
mares, including one by Darco that has
showjumped to Foxhunter level and
produced 3 Futurity elite champion foals,