Senior Stallion Marcus Aurelius (2001)
Marcus Aurelius is predominantly Crabbet Arabian with Davenport
lines through his grandsire Ben Rabba, a horse who features
prominently in performance
arabian breeding in the USA. Through Ben Rabba he is also in
direct male descent from Nasik - an important Crabbet line
that was lost in the UK until the lease of
Ben Rabba by Beatrice Paine for the 1979 and 1980 breeding
seasons. Marcus bears a strong resemblance to his sire Aurelian
and particularly to Ben Rabba.
Marcus' dam Fiesta Magica is a product of the successful performance
arabian breeding programme at the Coed y Foel stud of Dianna
Whittome and was herself
dam to 5 Advanced endurance horses.
Marcus has been with me from the age of 18 months and lives
cheerfully with and alongside mares, colts and geldings. His
easy relaxed temperament has made him a joy to have around
and he has passed this on to all the youngsters I have by
him.
Marcus' ridden career started in earnest in 2008 when he was
prepared and presented for the NaStA
performance test over 2 days in August. Marcus was successful
in this, showing his abilities in
Novice level dressage, pre-novice level cross country (now
BE 100) and showjumping in addition
to loosejumping, in hand presentation, vettings and assessor’s
ride. His cross country round drew
particular compliments from all three assessors and his results
allowed him to be graded as an Arab
Horse Society Premium Performance stallion with the resulting
benefits from the AHS to the
owners of performance mares through the scheme. His preparations
included 3 outings under
saddle at AHS “C” shows where he won 2 classes and a championship
at Novice level and gained a
2nd place at his first attempt at Restricted level which took
place in top company at the Arab Horse
Society National show that year.
2009 saw Marcus consolidate his ridden performance across the
disciplines adding low-level
eventing (80 – 90cm) and low-level endurance (20 miles) alongside
his dressage and showjumping.
Unfortunately the ill-health of his rider limited what could
be achieved and, in 2010, Marcus
concentrated on his ridden showing in the very capable hands
of Kirsty Brown.
During 2010, he gained many accolades with numerous wins and
high placings and also
championships during the season, mainly under saddle but also
in Crabbet classes in-hand where he
stood National Crabbet Reserve Champion Stallion at the AHS
National Summer Show. He was
also named Leading Sire at the Welsh Crabbet Show through his
part-bred sons Avonbrook Silver Eagle
and Avonbrook Silver Augury. His main achievement during the
year, however, was to qualify for the
Hutchinson Staff Ridden Arabian Stallions at the Horse of the
Year Show – and to be placed 4th on
his first appearance at HOYS in what remains his only full
showing season.
Marcus commenced his endurance career with his novice season
in 2011. He progressed through
the levels in the subsequent years with the ride being taken
over by Becky and Katherine Bertram as
they became old enough to be accepted as being in charge of
a stallion out on the trail. In 2014 his
efforts earned him 8th place in the overall National Young
Rider endurance ratings together with
trophies from the Heart of England EGB Group and also from
the Crabbet Organisation. In 2015,
her last season before leaving for University, Becky partnered
him to wins at FEI YR1* (80km) and
CER 100km level. As Katherine took the ride back, his activities
returned more towards
showjumping and ridden showing.
Marcus continued to compete with my daughters in occasional
showing classes while also
competing in endurance with a high proportions of wins and
championships - starting with winning
the Overall Ridden Championship at the 2011 Welsh Crabbet Show
with 12 year old Katherine in
the saddle. He was also Reserve Male Champion in hand at that
show with 14 year old Becky
handling. He was also winning at unaffiliated elementary dressage
with an adult rider and
showjumping at 90-100cm level with her and also in smaller
classes with Katherine. He qualified
with her for various of the Cricklands league finals from 2013
and thoroughly enjoyed attending on
several occasions, behaving perfectly as the only stallion
in the midst of several hundred horses and
ponies and travelling with one of our pony mares ridden by
Becky.
Other highlights have included the 2013 World Crabbet Convention
at Addington where, in addition
to appearing with Avonbrook Odin and Annia Aurelia in hand
as part of the Ben Rabba group,
Marcus was also shown to the delegates under saddle on the
flat as part of a ridden stallions group
and over fences as part of the finale with Katherine riding.
He was also shown by her on two of the
three occasions on which he appeared at the BBSH stallion parade
at Hartpury College.
Marcus' performance achievements and, more recently those of
his progeny, have made them
regulars in the AHS Performance Horse Awards. In 2014 Marcus
was not only the winner of the
pure-bred Arabian section but was also the overall winner beating
the winners of the Anglo and
Part-bred sections. His points also contributed to Katherine
winning total to take the Junior title in
2016.
In 2017, Katherine's last year at school and her school's first
year in the competition, Marcus
qualified as part of the team from Prince Henry's High School
for the NSEA championship plate (to
be held in December 2017) in showjumping. He competed for the
school as an individual at the
NSEA Hickstead meeting in May 2017, again being the only stallion
among several hundred
competitors. His sons Avonbrook Odin and Avonbrook Silver Augury
have qualified in the 110cm
showjumping class for the NSEA Championships (Oct 2017) and
the NSEA Championship Plate
(Dec 2017) respectively. Another son, Avonbrook Silver Eagle,
qualified as part of the school team
in the 80cm jumping with style class for the NSEA Championship
Plate, as did Avonbrook Odin in
the 110cm class as an individual. The NSEA competitions have
formed the main competitive focus
for the year but Marcus has also had a few outings showjumping
in BS affiliated classes at 90cm
British Novice, 95cm Amateur and 100cm Discovery heights.
He continues to shine at whatever is asked of him, the latest
being at stick and ball practice for
Katherine's most recent interest in polo which he finds nearly
as much fun as mounted games!
Marcus Aurelius is tested CA and SCID clear, LFS carrier and
will stand in the UK during 2018 by natural covering and frozen
AI. Frozen semen stored in the UK
is also available for export to Europe. Frozen semen for use
in Australia and New Zealand is held in Australia. Mares with
Arabian bloodlines must have been tested clear of the LFS
(Lavender Foal Syndrome) gene. This can be carried out for
around £30 on samples of mane/tail hair with root bulbs and
the cost may be offset against the stud fee.
Stud fees are £800 purebred Arabian mares,
£600 others. 50% non-refundable deposit, 50% 48 hour live foal.
Fees for packaging and transport are payable
directly to Stallionai.com (UK and Eur frozen) or Genemovers
(Aus and NZ frozen).
Premium awards are available from the Arab Horse Society on
registration of progeny from mares approved within the scheme
(open to all breeds and free to apply). The nature and
quantum of the awards are under review by the AHS Council. Please
refer to the Premium Performance Scheme website at www.ahs-premium.org.uk.
for the current levels.
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