EQUESTRIAN
by Laura Hitchcock
Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore win the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, 16th March 2021. Image: Steve Davies/Racingfotos.com
More Silverware for Local Girl Honeysuckle Honeysuckle, the historymaking champion mare bred here in the Blackmore Vale, broke new records at the Thoroughbread Breeder’s Association (TBA) annual Awards evening on 4th August when she won a pair of trophies. Honeysuckle, who ended the season the highest rated hurdler on either side of the Irish Sea, retained her ‘Leading Hurdler Mare’ title (Mickley Stud Trophy), whilst also making history as the first mare ever to be crowned ‘Leading Hurdler’ (Highflyer Bloodstock Trophy). A thrilled Doug Procter of 42
the Glanvilles Stud picked up the award. Seven-year-old Honeysuckle is from Glanvilles Wootton, just outside Sherborne, bred by Dr Geoffrey Guy and Guy’s coowners and managers of The Glanvilles Stud, Doug and Lucy Procter. She ended the 2020-21 season unbeaten.
on the studs, in the middle of winter when there’s very little daylight... you know, it’s bloody hard work. But everyone who works at our stud can walk into a pub and say ‘we bred Honeysuckle’. It means a lot.”
Doug and Lucy Procter attended the award ceremony and Doug - representing Dr Geoffrey Guy - accepted the Highflyer Bloodstock Trophy. In a warm acceptance speech for the Mickley Stud Trophy, Doug explained that the award was recognition for the whole stud team. “For people working Always free - subscribe here
