Foals & Planned Matings
A mating should be explainable before the foal exists. For every pairing, we set out what we hope to preserve or strengthen, why we believe the mare and stallion complement one another, and the evidence behind that judgement.
We also acknowledge the risks, uncertainties and questions that only the foal’s development can begin to answer. Each pairing profile takes you through that thinking, from the horses’ individual qualities and close family performance to the traits that will help us assess our original reasoning over time.
These are considered choices, with clear intentions and room for the unexpected. Explore each pairing below to meet the horses, understand the thinking behind the match and see what we hope it could bring.
Expected 2027: Finlay CMF x Diarado
​Finlay is a big, powerful mare and also quite a sensitive one, so with her we wanted to keep the power but add a little more refinement, carefulness and ease. Diarado appealed because, alongside his exceptional jumping ability, he is known for producing balance, intelligence and rideability.
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We are hoping this foal will have Finlay’s strength and athleticism, but in a slightly more compact and modern package, with the technique and composure to make us think seriously about a future in showjumping.
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THE QUESTION: Can we retain Finlay's power and Irish jumping influence while adding the consistency of a sire whose progeny evidence spans both jumping and eventing?
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EVIDENCE FOR: Finlay has an established broodmare history and a strong performance pedigree. Diarado has a very large international progeny record and is a leading current eventing sire as well as an influential jumping sire.
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PRESERVE: Power, scope and athletic capacity.
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IMPROVE / REINFORCE: Modern type, balance, quality of canter and versatility.
Expected 2027: Future Diamond Cruise x Grafenstolz
Frankie is a confident, bold mare, with plenty of presence and a lovely eventing family behind her, that we wanted to choose a stallion who would complement that rather than change it completely.
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Grafenstolz brings refinement, movement, athleticism and proven eventing ability, while still being a horse with plenty of character himself. We are hoping for a foal that keeps Frankie’s courage and toughness but is a little lighter and more modern in type, with the movement, balance and jump to make a really exciting eventing prospect.
THE QUESTION: Can we strengthen the eventing evidence already present in Future Diamond Cruise's close family and progeny while retaining movement, athleticism and jump?
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EVIDENCE FOR: Future Diamond Cruise combines a close CCI5* family with independently assessed offspring. Grafenstolz combines his own eventing performance with a long record as an eventing sire.
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PRESERVE: Athleticism, blood, gallop, jumping aptitude and the mare family's proven eventing context.
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IMPROVE / REINFORCE: Canter, balance, movement and a modern event-horse model.
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LUCK: The foal's discipline, size, temperament and ultimate level of sport cannot be predicted from pedigree alone.