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From the Equine Journal , written by Liia Becker
I came in from the barn one day a few weeks ago, turned on the TV and there was the Oprah show touring Windsor Castle in England.They were giving us a glimpse into the life of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. I immediately thought, will they talk about her horses? Indeed they did do a tour of the barn and there I saw the handsome, unmistakable Cleveland Bay horse.
They are still the horses that are used for the 50 annual credential runs - when high commissioners and ambassadors are drawn by coach to the Palace for the ceremony of presenting their 'credentials' to the Queen. Prince Phillip used Cleveland Bays when he was competing in international driving events. I was hoping they would mention the breed in this wonderful human interest story, but alas they did not.
It is hard to imagine this amazing breed of horse is critically endangered with less than 700 in the world. Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II is the patron of the breed and rightly so as she brought the Cleveland Bay back from the brink of extinction in the 1960's when she bought a stallion and started breeding them for ceremonial purposes. The amazing presence, wonderful movement and uniform bay color made them perfect for the job. For this reason, they are also the horse of choice at the Imperial Palace in Japan. For years the Emperor's stud has been breeding the Cleveland Bay, returning to the UK every few years to buy another mare or stallion to keep improving their breeding herd. I have been told that pop star Madonna spent many hours in the saddle on a pure Cleveland Bay mare boarded by her friend Sting.
I ponder all this history and the part Cleveland Bays play in the world today, not only as a horse of royalty, but as a versatile sport horse that can event, hunt and stand out in the dressage ring and I'm still left wondering, how to tell people about the Cleveland Bay. The lucky ones that get to meet, or see these bay beauties do understand the passion of those people that have gotten to know the Cleveland Bay and are working to preserve the breed. The mission statement on the Cleveland Bay Society of North America's (CBHSNA) website reads," The Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America is dedicated to promoting the Cleveland Bay Horse by fostering a forum for involvement and education while working with affiliates, organizations and individuals to preserve and increase the Cleveland Bay population worldwide. While preserving the breed's history, it is paramount that we ensure the Cleveland Bay's future by increasing knowledge to the public and breed enthusiasts through shows, expositions, publications, and research"
If you decide you want to support the Cleveland Bay, you can join the CBHSNA. You will receive the BayWatch, the society newsletter full of history and current news, access to the member's only section of the website, Equine Journal subscription and many other benefits. Maybe even more important, you are helping to keep the Cleveland Bay growing in numbers and recognition. You might even find yourself a proud owner of one in the future. Membership in the CBHSNA is not reserved for simply owners of the breed, but for all those who love and support the Cleveland Bay. |
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