Discover the stud
Since 1994 we have bred, born & raised the winners of over 1350 races inc. 50+ Gr.1, Gr2, Gr.3 & Listed winners of 150+ black-type races. Discover what goes into the recipe for success...
Success
Bearstone Stud has enjoyed considerable success over the years, the highlight being our home-bred triple Gr.1 winning sprinter Glass Slippers.
In addition, Bradsell, 2024 winner of the Gr.1 Flying Five Stakes and Gr.1 Nunthorpe Stakes as well as the Gr.1 King’s Stand Stakes last year, was born and raised at Bearstone Stud, as was Mattmu, a Gr.2 two-year-old and joint Champion three-year-old sprinter.
Other Group winners bred, born or raised by the stud include Queen Jo Jo, Lullaby Moon, etc, and two-year-old Gr.2 performers Malc and Eddie's Boy.
The stud is also a regular consignor at the yearling, foal and mares sales at Tattersalls and Goffs UK, offering our own bloodstock and consigning on behalf of our clients.
Turnout facilities & daily routine
Over 400 acres at Bearstone Stud offer safe and comfortable surroundings for mares and their followers.
Hedges 3 metres high separate all paddocks with post and rail fencing on either side. Mares with foals at foot graze together in groups; the numbers turned out together depends on individual paddock size.
Weaned foals, yearlings and older youngstock are separated into age groups, and by sex.
Each Stallion box is situated in an individual paddock, which enables free access throughout the day.
Both grass and soil are tested regularly to ensure the best foundation for growing racehorses.
Feed, bedding, hay & water
All resident and visiting animals are fed on the highest quality feeds, and we grow all of our own hay. They are all bedded on straw.
Bearstone Stud has its own supply of natural mineral water from a subterranean spring on the land. This water has been tested fit for human consumption, and the quality is regularly monitored.
Our pumping station provides us with 90% of the stud's water and irrigation requirements, pumping top quality mineral water to all the field troughs.
Veterinary care & farriery
Our purpose built veterinary examination rooms provide safe and secure surroundings for the routine clinical inspections and procedures that all mares visiting Bearstone Stud undergo.
Our vets include R. Gunstone B VetMed, M.R.C.V.S. who for the last few years has been attending to the mares at Bearstone Stud. He has specialised in brood mare work for 25 years including 5 years "shuttling" between stud farms in the UK and Zimbabwe, a stint in Queensland and 7 years for Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Azizon on his large TB breeding farm just outside Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. There are highly experienced equine veterinary surgeons from our local practice, who provide a 24-hour call-out service.
We use farriers well experienced in shoeing racing and breeding stock. All mares have their feet trimmed every four weeks, with youngstock attended to as and when required.
Stabling
Our purpose built stabling is arranged over six sites including the House Yard, The Paddocks, the Racecourse Yard (on the site of the now defunct Woore racecourse) and the Rock House Yard.
Brick built in the Dutch barn style all loose boxes are large and of the highest specification. The walkways running up the centre and across the depth of the barns are wide enough for horses to be turned around.
All boxes have double bolted doors and automatic waterers, with solid brick walls between them, the front grills have openings to allow horses to put their heads out.
Foaling
Stud manager Mark Pennell heads up our team, who have 75 years' experience of foaling between them.
In addition to this we use state of the art digital foaling alarms and we have 10 foaling boxes, all monitored by CCTV.
Pictures are relayed into the sitting up room and the Stud Manager's house, which is on-site.