TWO young horses have been identified as potential stars of the future at an event in Richmond.

The horses were awarded elite premiums – which indicate the horse could one day perform at an international level – at the Baileys Horse Feeds, British Breeding and British Equestrian Federation Futurity at Richmond Equestrian Centre.

The BEF Futurity evaluation series aims to find British bred young sport horses and ponies destined for careers in dressage, eventing, showjumping or endurance – and could even mark out the stars of the future who will go on to become Olympic champions.

At the event on Tuesday, August 16, Nicola Hazlett from Bishop Thornton near Harrogate and her three-year-old filly, Angelic Proposition, came home with the highest score of the day - an elite premium of 9.07 in the eventing section.

She said: “I am thrilled with this result. Angelic Proposition has all the right credentials and it is great to have people such as evaluator Chris Hunnable firmly agreeing.”

The other elite premium at Richmond went to John Dodson’s yearling filly, JD All That Jazz, with a score of 9.00 in the eventing section.

Mr Dodson said: “It is great that the futurity now requires all sires of youngstock to be graded. This is filtering down and riders are now increasingly looking for horses bred from graded stock that they know have been assessed and are sound. This will help British breeders in the long-term.”

For more information, visit www.britishbreeding.org.