So where did these good horses come from? 

When you think of the word stud-farm you see in your mind’s eye miles of white railings , smart boxes, busy grooms leading shining horses about, stallions with glossy coats wearing smart paddock-sheets with their names on them.
Well, Stormhill Stud is not quite like that... We do have a very smart paddock sheet from our racing days but, somehow it is never used any more. The one and only resident stallion, Kremlin, is aged 22 years and normally very muddy. He is a happy horse. He has his mares, his family of youngsters and a view from his paddock.   He has had a busy life. Kremlin was born in Russia, trained in Wales, competed in England, Wales and Italy. He has travelled with us to all our various homes, in Shropshire, Devon, France and Spain and back to Devon again. Apart from loving his wives he really did enjoy his hunting, most of it done with the United Pack on the Welsh Borders.
Our visitors are probably a little disappointed when they arrive and see nothing but three muddy broodmares and their offspring, who are also muddy. These are tended by a muddy, middle-aged woman, with occassional help from her at times, slightly reluctant, but very patient, husband. The photo below show Kremlin, aged 22, enjoying the recent hard weather. No problem to a Russian- bred! Due to the Planning Restrictions which allow me to be a Private Breeder only we cannot use Kremlin at Public Stud. But, if you’re interested in putting your mare to him, please get in touch. If we get a sufficent number of people interested, we will stand him at as friend’s stud this year.We have decided not to appeal against the restriction due to the recession and horses loosing value at the moment. It is likely that studs are in for a hard time as expensies are going up all the time but the value of the output is sinking. 
And at last the yonger horses are out to grass, what a relief! We can only hope for a less traumatic year than 2008                                                 

Stormhill Stud is a small stud in Devon, situated near Tiverton.
 We specialize in breeding top-class event-horses.   For the last few years we have been very successful, particularily with the offsping of Kremlin. It is amazing to think that a small Devon stud has produced horses that are representing Australia and New Zealand in World-class 3-day events.
Some of the stallions I have bred and sold on are also doing very well, see their own sections, particularily Stormhill Miller, a thoroughbred, in Ireland and Stormhill Mink, a coloured horse, in England. For further information about these, see the Stallion pages, or the Section about the Best Horses I have bred. For those interested there is a short history explaining the background to the stud.
 In 2008, we had a run of problems, disorders, diseases and injuries.
Well, such is life with animals. But it was a very hard year with so much bad weather and so many problems. Seldom has a breeder felt less motivated than I did , going in to the Spring of 2009.
Many of my readers will be familiar with my problems with the planners and the anti-horse neighbours, an ongoing saga that is trying my patience to the outmost.After objecting even to me keeping head-collars in an agricultuural shed, they have asked to have first refusal when we sell up!   We have been given planning permission for a storage building for our bedding and to keep the tractor under cover and for a small rest-room where we will be able to sit down and have a cup of coffee, as well as somewhere to prepare materials for medical treatments etc. and keep things dry. Not to mention being able to change in comfort.. the hard winter really made us feel the problems more than ever. Naturally, the neighbours,who are half a mile away and cannot see the Shed, which is the other side of a hill, objected to me having a rest-room. They also notified the council that as I’m trying to sell a brood-mare I must be expanding, a rather novel take on stock reduction! 
In the meantime, after having had our nice Ifor Williams horse trailer stolen and a further break-in attempt, which left a smashed front gate, we have got a new face on the yard:

This is Eastcheldon Black as Coal, a young black German Shepherd, who we hope will help to look after the place. At the moment he needs a lot of training, he is very tough and a career in the Police would have suited him down to the ground, he could control any mob with his large, muddy feet... Maybe, one day, we’ll .breed some more. Or not! He’s a lot of work. Wolfie writes his own diary. Wolfie’s Voice, on www.countrytalk.co.uk where he is currently lamenting his misfortune in injuring himself so he could not chase the horses at Badminton, an event he had trained a long time for. I have no daubt, that had he been fit, he could have comleted a clear round inside the time with ease.

We also have a stable-cat, Rosie, but he rather prefers the cosiness of the airing-cupboard in our house. Having travelled with us, he misses the Spanish sunshine a bit!

2008 Summary:
Stormhill Michael was placed 7th in the Saumur 3* International 3-day event in a very competitive field, ridden by Paul Tapner for Australia. We think he was the best placed British bred horse. He has now been officially named as a horse with Olympic Potential for 2012, a great honour!

Stormhill Kossack, below on the left, has finished 11th in the Advanced at Chatham, ridden by Andrew Nicholson for N. Zealand. He has also achieved several places in Open Intermediate classes.Kossack now has just under 150 BE points.He is getting a new rider for 2009, it will be interesting.

On the right is Stormhill Firestar, a full sister to Stormhill Kossack, at Powderham, ridden by Terry Boon for her owner Kirsty Kerslake.

Amongst the show-jumpers, Stormhill Barndance, ridden by Lo Oliviera, went very well . Stormhill Storytime, ridden by Sammy Jo Coffin, jumped consistently well and achieved many wins and placings.

nother one who deserves a mention is Stormhill Gazelle, by Mountain Storm, and yet again a daughter of the fantastic mare, Sweet Sirenia. Gazelle was a a great favourite of mine. She was sold, when we lived in France, and she competes very successfully there in show-jumping classes.
Gazelle is also the dam of Stormhill Antelope, see Kremlin Stallion page, whom she bred before being broken, in England, and she has another offspring in France, Quinou Play, also by Kremlin, bred during our time in France. Both Gazelle and Quinou Play are owned by Elodie Bottelin. Quinou Play has just been placed 2nd in his first 2 events in France, at 5 yers old.. Well done. To find out more about Gazelle and Quinou Play, look at

http://www.la-goudalie.fr:80/

Another one we have high hopes for, and wish really well, is Stormhill Comrade, below, a full brother to Kossack, Firestar and Storytime . See Latest News! Comrade is a winner on his very first appearance in BE eventing and qualified for the 4-year old Finals at Tweseldown!

Stormhill Russian an intermediate eventer, seen above and below, now turned dressage horse, has won Elementary dressage classes and has also been placed several times and looks a prospect for Prix St. George classes.We’ re delighted for her owner, Kate Lucas, apparently she has produced a splendid colt by Stravinsky! We’re so pleased for her, a lovely mare..

One to look out for in Scotland is Stormhill Riverdance, by Kremlin out of Farmer’s Fun. This is a half-sister to the successful show-jumper, Stormhill Barndance.
Riverdance has won several times in pre-novice dressage classes and has won afiliated classes when competing on day-tickets. We look forward to hearing more about her. She is now the Riding Club Champion of her area.
Her owner/rider Rosie O’Halloran, contibutes to the fun web-site www.countrytalk.co.uk where it will be possible to read more about her adventurers with this young mare in her own column, Rosie’s Ribbons, who is now an AUNT, with her full sister, Final Fling giving birth to a filly foal recently. see right!

This family has moved on a step, the next generation has arrived, Farmer’s Fun’s daughter, Final Fling, a full sister to Riverdance, by Kremlin, has given birth to a daughter by Downe Right Rebel, see Latest News Page.