Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research InsightsJanuary 2019 January 2019 Eventing Sires That Shaped Team GBR Ben Faerie Gemini Stud Bloodline Review Archives Series Stallions | Breeding | Research Bloodline Review Archives Series 1 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 The stallion Ben Faerie The little legend who made championship level medal winning horses including both the most enormous impact on the European Championship gold medal winners Priceless Team GBR eventing: Ben Faerie and Nightcap II ridden by Ginny Leng. It is key to point out The full Thoroughbred Ben Faerie was foaled that at this time the European in 1968 having been bred in the UK by William Championships were 4-star Hatton. He was bought at Ascot Sales by Diana three day events, rather than in the 3-star format they are Scott for the sum of £250 to stand at her stud to today. In 1985 Priceless and breed hunters initially and then sports horses. Night Cap II were first and third respectively at Burghley. Ben Fairie was small and stood he then made his name as a at just 15.3hh. His size was sire of eventers. By the end Ben Faerie had the ability to considered useful for a variety of his career as a stallion at pass on not only speed, but of mares and many sports stud he had sired over 800 courage, good jumping ability horse breeders as producers offspring. Unlike most sires of and a wonderful temperament; believe smaller horses are more Championship level horses key traits for eventers at any intelligent and agile than their today he never actually level of the sport. larger counterparts. competed himself. Seventeen years after his death His first progeny were seen Ben Faerie sired several of he was still rated the fifth best regularly on the hunting field, Great Britain’s most cherished event sire of all time. Bloodline Review Archives Series 2 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng at the European Championships at Burghley in 1985. She was 1stBloodline on Priceless Review whom Archives is on Seriesthe left and 3rd on Night Cap II on the right 3 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and Priceless after winning the European Championships on home ground at Burghley in 1985 Ben Faerie’s history makers for Denmark in 1981 and then to the World Championships at Team GB Eventing Luhmulen in Germany in 1982. Priceless thing” as a foal. Later in his life Priceless won eight medals at he was known simply as “P” at International Championships: By Fen Faerie and out of the home by his Olympic partner four team golds (1981 and 1985 mare Reckless; Priceless was Ginny Leng. Ginny’s mother European Championships born in Somerset at the same bought him directly from Diana and the 1982 and 1986 World stud where his sire was based. his breeder. Championships), one team Priceless never had a stop in silver (1984 Olympic Games the whole of his career and was Priceless’ early eventing in Los Angeles), two individual never out of the top twelve in career clearly set him up for golds (1985 European any of his three-day events. championship level in the Championships and 1986 sport. He won Bramham as a World Championships in The 16hh gelding was bred 6-year old and was sixth at his Gawler) and one individual by Diana Scott and named first Burghley age 7. He took bronze (1984 Olympic Games Priceless by Diana’s sister who Ginny to her first European in Los Angeles). said he was a “Priceless little Championship at Horsens in Bloodline Review Archives Series 4 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and Priceless at The European Championships at HorsensBloodline (Denmark) Review Archives on the Series Steeplechase phase in 1985 5 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and Priceless at Burghley in 1980. This photo shows how braveBloodline Priceless Review was Archives as he stands Series off at this enormous table on the XC 6 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Priceless’ international eventing record Speed and Endurance Show Dressage Place Jumping Time Jumping 1980 Burghley 44.2 0 27.2 0.5 6th 1981 Badmington 53.2 0 34.8 5.25 8th 1981 Horsens European 84.6 0 16.8 0 6th (Team 1st) 1982 Badmington 45.4 0 0 5 4th 1982 Lumhuhlen World 51.6 0 8.8 0 7th (Team 1st) 1983 Burghley 25.6 0 0 0 1st 1984 Los Angeles 56.4 0 0.8 0 3rd (Team 2nd) Olympics 1985 Badmington 59.75 0 0 0 1st 1985 Burghley 49.0 0 0 0 1st (Team 1st) European 1986 Gawler World 53.8 0 17.6 0 1st (Team 1st) • Jumped clear across country in every three-day event in which he competed • Never had a stop in the whole of his career • Held both World and European team and individual titles concurrently • Was never out of the first 12 in any three-day event Bloodline Review Archives Series 7 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng an Priceless in the Show Jumping Phase at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Ginny Leng an Priceless in the Show Jumping Phase at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. This photo Bloodlineshows how Review naturally Archives balanced Series Priceless was and what a great canter he had to come to a fence on 8 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and Priceless after winningBloodline Badminton Review Archives in 1985 Series 9 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 different experience and meant a horribly long nervous wait”. Ginny described Priceless as “brave, genuine as the day is long, and incredibly intelligent”. In the book she co-wrote with Genevieve Murphy she said: “Priceless is the most intelligent horse that has ever looked through a bridle”. Ginny referred to him as “bossy at times” later in his career and At Gawler in the World Championships where he won team Gold he famously bucked both before and during the dressage, and banked the first fence on the XC almost unseating Ginny, but still went on to win the team gold medal. His temperament was in fact so good that when he was at a three-day event and it was quiet in the stabling area, he would lie down and have a rest. He retired from eventing after the World Championships at Gawler to go hunting with the Duke of Beaufort’s Hounds Ginny Leng with her gold and silver medals from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with Ginny and then moved to Louise Bates’s to enjoy hunting with The Pytchley. He is one of the rare horses to Gold Medal win aboard have held both European and Priceless “My first individual Both Priceless and Nightcap World team and individual titles gold medal was special, appeared in numerous books concurrently. particularly because it was on about eventing and were home ground. It was also the considered to be the epitome of Said Ginny of her 1985 first time I’d been last to go for eventing royalty in their time. European Championship the team, which was a totally Bloodline Review Archives Series 10 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and Priceless after winning the EuropeanBloodline ReviewChampionships Archives Seriesat Burghley in 1985 11 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and Priceless after winning the European Championships at Burghley in 1985 Ginny Leng after winning the European ChampionshipsBloodline Review at Archives Burghley Series in 1985 12 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and her fellow Team GB members Ian Stark, Lucinda Green and Tiny Clapham celebrating their team silver win at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Ginny and Priceless were also individual bronze medal winners Ginny Leng and Priceless during their Dressage Test at theBloodline European Review Championships Archives Series at Burghley in 1985 13 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Ginny Leng and Priceless celebrating their individual bronze andBloodline team silverReview at Archives the 1984 Series Los Angeles Olympics 14 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Priceless and Ginny Leng on their way to winning Badminton in 1985 Ginny Leng and Priceless after havingBloodline won Review Badminton Archives in 1985Series 15 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Nightcap II Nightcap took individual He had an astonishing 13 gold in the European outright BE advanced wins at Ben Faerie’s second most Eventing Championships in at Gatcombe, Brigstock (twice), famous son was the 16.2½hh Luhmuhlen in 1987 with Ginny. Weston Park, Brockenhurst Nightcap II. He was bred Park, Tetbury, Thirlestane by Sir Edward Mallett out of Nightcap’s career highlights Castle, Locko Park, Holker Hall, a mare called Gemini. Like include, Winning Burghley Rushall, Thirlestane Castle, Priceless he was also ridden CCI4* (having previously Castle Ashby and Dauntsey. by Ginny Leng, but the two come 3rd and 5th at Burghley), horses were extremely different. winning Luhmulen CCI03*, Nightcap II appears in the Ginny described him as the “the winning Bialy Bor CCI03*. British eventing super league perfect gentlemen who was He was also 3rd and 11th at of horses with 1,000 points or eager to please”. Badminton. more and ranks #75 in the list with a total of 1163 points. Ginny Leng and Night Cap II jumping outBloodline of the lakeReview at ArchivesBadminton Series 16 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Night Cap II and Ginny jumping intoBloodline the water Review at BadmintonArchives Series 17 Gemini Stud Insights Stallions | Breeding | Research January 2019 Night Cap II and Ginny Leng on the steeplechase at Badminton.