Thoroughbred Eventing Stallions are an essential genetic improver bringing quality, stamina and toughness along with a quick thinking will go attitude.

Breed in Power and Influence with the Event Horse Stallion Power Blade standing at Harthill Stud

This years Badminton Horse Trials commentators hot topic of conversation was the stamina of the horses and their ability to keep up their performance towards the end of the course. Thomas Reed Ph.D.has has written many papers on breeding and the influence of the warmblood and has, recently turned his attention to the need to the quality injection needed and provided by the Thoroughbred for the event horse.
Nina Barbour and Oliver Townends Stud, Harthill, offers all this quality and power in their stallion, Power Blade differs from other thoroughbred stallions in that he has a jumping pedigree. His father, Fine Blade, sire of 4* The Wexford Lady, was a top showjumper. Fine Blade also sired The Demon Barber, winner of 10 National Hunt races. His dam’s sire, Forties Field is an influential sire of competition horses. His full sister, Fine Fields, evented internationally in the USA. As a young horse, Power Blade showjumped to 1.30m level before retiring to stud. In 2005 he was crowned Croker Cup Champion, a prestigious class for stallions, at the Royal Dublin Horse Show. Power Blade’s quality and versatility as a thoroughbred stallion are proven by the success of his progeny, he has progeny competing internationally in the disciplines of eventing, show jumping and winning in the show ring.
However its not just jumping that must, according to Tom Reeds paper on the influence of the Thoroughbred in the event field, be chosen as a prerequisite when breeding for the event market. Tom Reed believes we have a problem: showjumping and dressage breeders are not selecting on certain other traits associated with Thoroughbred stallions that are required for medium and upper level eventing horses: great stamina, courage, efficient jumping style, and gaits that are not overly elastic or “round”. These are the very thing that true “blood” breeding will bring to the progeny and a stallions like Power Blade are what are needed to bring theses traits to the top echelon of the eventing field.
This classic bay thoroughbred, Power Blade, stands at 16.2hh and is already has Proven Progeny in Eventing:
“Power Line” 2* event horse coming up the grades in the UK, previously campaigned with Antoinette McKeowen. Already clocked some great results at international level. Now ridden by Martyn Johnson to Advanced level.
“Power Drive” In 2014 he was the champion at the Novice Final, and has been consistent to 1* level under Oliver Townend.
“BGS Juicy Fruit” 2* Event mare, selected in Ireland for the World Championships for young horses at Le Lions d’Angers in 2014.
“Wind Power” Eventing in the USA
Tom Reeds criteria is straight forward “I expect the stallion to possess the same athletic traits and riding horse qualities I demand in warmblood stallions. Success on the race track is of no significance. If the stallion has been used in breeding, I want to see empirical evidence that he is producing promising
progeny; if the stallion is young or has not been used in breeding because he has been in sport, I want to see empirical evidence that he has the riding horse qualities required for an eventing horse. ( Source: A Critical Shortage Of Blood-Tom Reed published in Horse International, 2015 Volume 3, pp 56 – 57.)
In which case Power Blade fulfills this and offers more through his pedigree which you can find on www.horsescout.co.uk on his profile