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Ganton's Story

Sometimes you buy horses for unusal reasons and sometimes you find them when you are not really looking. Let me share with you the story behind Ganton Beltaine, a story which starts with an old mans dream.

George Coombe is probably a legend in his own life time especially in Leicestershire where he was a highly thought of dealer, hard man to hounds and winning Point to Point Jockey.

I bought Ganton Beltaine one rainy afternoon in Leicestershire drinking tea with George Coombe who must be the most kindest gentleman you could ever wish to meet. His dream to breed a TB Eventing Stallion began in 1939, when war was raging, he was offered two mares, one was free the other was for sale at £15 he looked at both, paid his £15 for the mare Princess Charming, 'would've needed paying to have the other one' he told me. The mare was Thoroughbred but due to the war her pedigree was unrecorded though she was by Princethorpe by Deerscap so she was unfairly given a non Thorougbred passport. He put this mare in foal to Alarm Bell who in return in 1941 produced a chestnut Colt' Belltane II' he won many point to points for George, but being a horse dealer he had to sell the horse on. He actually still had a rather dog eared copy of that advert from The Horse and Hound which was over 50 years old I felt very humble as I held that small piece of paper in the palm of my hand.

George was 87 last summer, when he showed me the small dark brown colt with huge eyes and a comical white stripe down his face. He also treated me to his recollection of one of his best race wins on Belltane, he remembered every detail, the swish of his whip, the wind in his face, the horses up alongside him, the thrill, the adrenalin rush,even the names of the other jockeys when he'd finished his tale his handsome old face was flushed as he relived the excitment.

George used his knowledge over the next sixty years to put his mares in foal to the best Thoroughbred bloodlines he was able to use, daughters, grand daughters and great grand daughters of his original favourite Princess Charming, the mare that bred him his beloved Belltane. The result is before you 'Ganton Beltaine' a little horse with a big future, who will hopefully make an old mans dream come true .we feel honoured to have met George, honoured to be able to buy his beautiful colt and honoured to be chosen to be part of that dream.!!

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