Taraco Rioja 

(photo of new baby at 2 weeks old)

Rioja - distinctive red wine with a vanilla flavour named after the La Rioja (the region in which it is produced)

This filly, is another exquisite full sister to Royal of England winner Taraco Renegade and the prizewinning filly Taraco Razzmatazz. Like her two siblings she has loads of character and a good dose of cheeky welsh attitude and within hours was bouncing round with her tail over her back! Both sire, dam, brother and sister are massive movers and from day one this foal has shown every indication of following in their footsteps - she is a big effortless mover, exquisite to look at and a pleasure to watch!

She is a very exciting prospect as she is one of only three 100% Vervale bred ponies – out of the wonderful Vervale Rara and by the smashing young stallion, Vervale Grenade. Despite only breeding one foal a year, Vervale Stud has an excellent reputation throughout the world for breeding top class welsh mountain ponies and it is no surprise that crossing two such lovely ponies has produced yet another exquisite foal.

This delightful filly has a superb pedigree, combining back-to-back champions and stock-getters in her immediate pedigree, which include some of the best: Springbourne Caraway (Supreme Champion, RWAS winner and sire-ratings topper); Pendock Legend (Supreme Champion, RWAS winner and sire-ratings topper); Springbourne Boy Blue (Exported to Canada where is has won Supreme Championships); Knodishall Beaufort (Supreme Champion, Glanusk and Lampeter winner and exported to Argentina). Her full brother Renegade has an excellent show record with some massive wins (including Royal of England 2005) and although only lightly shown last year her full sister Razzmatazz followed in the family tradition winning a big medal show in excellent company.

She is very reluctantly being offered for sale as I only breed for a hobby and cannot keep them all - I would adore to keep her and probably won`t take much persuading so I thought if I advertise her quickly then the option of retaining her may be taken away from me! I have already kept her full sister (now 2 years old) so this is a rare opportunity to get a filly of this breeding.

At the moment she is bay - there is a chance that she may go a true bay roan - four very flashy socks/ stockings and a perfect blaze. Priced to reflect her breeding and quality but open to offers from experienced and knowledgeable show home as it would be great to see her produced and shown like her siblings. A deposit will secure until weaning. I do not like to rush weaning but as she is an April foal I expect I could have her weaned and ready for the foal shows if that is what someone wanted to do with her.  

Taraco Stud, Canterbury, Kent

A small stud specialising in breeding quality palomino and buckskin welsh ponies and cobs