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Blackington Stud is based on part of the Walker family's arable and dairy farm in Oxfordshire. Francesca runs the stud, competes and trains the horses and ponies, chooses the stallions for each mare, and will break and produce each youngster when the time comes. Juliet deals with the marketing of the stud and is the UK agent for the semen of Hilken's Black Delight and Casino Royale K.

We started breeding ponies in 2006 after putting our FEI dressage pony mare, Naturell, in foal to Hilken's Black Delight. Francesca developed an interest in pony breeding and German pony bloodlines - which has since developed into a passion - after buying Naturell late in 2001 and researching her pedigree and German competition record.

About the Stud

To breed consistently, the quality of the mare is of utmost importance. This is something for which British hobby breeding has been rightly criticised in the past. Many mare owners believe that a good stallion can make up for any number of faults in a mare. Looking at the top ponies in Europe, this is patently not the case, unless it is as a result of a fluke. The mare is a template upon which to build, and we carefully select the most suitable stallion to complement her strengths and improve any weaknesses. In this way, by breeding from the highest quality mares and selecting the best stallions for them, we hope to produce ponies of a consistently high standard.

Our aim is to breed top quality German riding ponies for both sport and breeding, selecting for conformation, temperament, rideability and movement. These ponies should have the necessary quality to contest German stallion licensings and mare gradings. Our dream is to contest the Bundeschampionate, and ultimately to breed a potential FEI European Team pony. These ponies must also be suitable to be ridden by children. We believe that a pony with correct conformation and a solid temperament will be much easier for a child to ride successfully - the purpose for which the German riding pony was bred.

BKS Chain Reaction

(Casino Royale K x Batman)

This attention to detail, coupled with our knowledge of the FEI scene and the competitive national dressage scene, allows us to be exceptionally well placed to advise and help any would-be sports pony owner, whether hobby rider, small adult, competitive child or ambitious parent!

In addition to breeding and producing our own youngsters, we are now able to offer a search service for breeders or riders wishing to source a good quality pony broodmare, ridden pony or foal from Germany. We are also able to offer limited places for ponies for dressage schooling, competing or sale on behalf of the owners.  Ponies placed in livery with us receive professional, experienced care from BHS qualified staff.

Francesca also offers dressage coaching on ponies and horses, either at your own premises or here at Blackington Stud.

If you would like more information about any of our services, or would simply like an informal chat about how we may be able to help you, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Francesca with 2 -year-old colts (in their winter woollies!)
Balzac (left of picture) and Grand Design

Francesca competing her Dutch-bred gelding, Pavarotti

Photo courtesy of Caroline Finch

We regularly visit studs in Germany and have established some wonderful contacts over the past few years. We make a yearly trip to the Bundeschampionate to  see Germany's newest  youngsters competing, in order to see for ourselves what different bloodlines have produced, and we try to take in a few stallion shows in the early spring.