About The Cleveland Bay Horse Society
About Cleveland Bay Horses
Links and Supporting Cleveland Bay Organizations
ABOUT
The Cleveland Bay Horse Society (CBHS) is a Registered Charity (293872) that regulates, promotes and protects Pure and Part Bred Cleveland Bay Horse.
The CBHS is a Defra recognised Passport Issuing Organisation.
The Council of the CBHS
- The CBHS is governed by a Council that is elected from and by its members.
- The Council has a Chair and a Vice Chair and 13 other members. It meets 3 to 4 times per year to conduct the formal business of the breed.
- The Council comprises three committees that conduct the day to day business of the breed together with a Chief Officer and an Administrative assistant.
The three Committees are as follows
- The Breed Committee
- The Show Committee
- The Promotions and Publications Committee
If you would like to know more about the three Committees click here.
- Breed
- Show
- P and P
Basic Society Information
Breed societies are usually formed to develop and establish a young breed but when this society was formed in 1884 it's aim was the preservation of an old established breed. The objectives of the Society remain to this day "the preservation and improvement of the standard of horses in general and of the Cleveland Bay horse in particular by improving the standard of breed of Cleveland blood into horse breeding". In pursuance of these objectives the Society is concerned in a wide range of activities.
Breeding
It not only compiles and publishes the Stud Book the Society maintains a Register of part-bred horses and operates a Grading Register system, annexed within the Stud Book, for males and females whose breeding does not comply with the rules of the Stud Book. As the authority responsible for the licensing of colts and stallions it endeavors to encourage the breeding of both pure and part-bred stock from approved animals. Thanks to the generosity of the Horserace Betting Levy Board the Society operates grant schemes to promote the breeding of pure-bred horses as without such foundation stock there can be no part-breds. Grants are payable only to fully paid up Members of the Cleveland Bay Horse Society and in respect of UK based Cleveland Bay Horses.
Sales and Promotion
The Society is keen to promote and assist it's members in the sale of both pure and part-bred horses. Many breeders prefer to sell their animals privately. Here the Society is able to help both vendor and purchaser by providing a list of breeders of pure-bred horses.
Adverts for Cleveland Bays, for sale and for loan, can also be found on the society website.
The publication of an annual magazine and regular newsletters containing a variety of articles on subjects connected with the breed further facilities the exchange of information and promotion of Cleveland horses in general.
The Cleveland Bay Horse Society also runs an very active Facebook page for Society members. Many members post pictures and information about their Cleveland Bays so why not have a look and 'like' our page.
The Cleveland Bay Challenge is a scheme to promote our wonderful breed and owners. The object is to enjoy dedicated time to strengthen skills and partnership with your horse whilst helping an endangered breed. There is a dedicated Facebook page for this effort.
The Society is constantly striving to meet the demands of it's members and promote and expand the Cleveland Bay.
The Cleveland Bay is our heritage. It must be protected for future generations of horse lovers whether they be breeders or admirers of the breed.
By joining the Society you will be contributing to the preservation and promotion of the Cleveland Bay - The British Horse with a History and a Future.
Registration
If you already own a pure-bred Cleveland Bay please make sure it is registered with this Society. A Cleveland is a valuable horse and it is important the Society is aware of it's existence.
The Society also maintains a register for part-bred horses. To be eligible a horse must have at least one great, grandparent entered in the stud book.
If you have an unregistered pure or part-bred the Society will be pleased to help you in the registering of your horse. This will enable you to enter classes at shows throughout the country and to compete with your horse in the Society's show and performance horse competition.
Registration with other bodies should not replace registration with this Society. If registration with other organisation is necessary for you to compete in certain disciplines, this can be arranged through this Society by the over stamping of Society registration documents.
Our Role
The CBHS was formed in 1884 to promote and protect the Cleveland Bay Horse.
MISSION STATEMENT
To promote all that is best in the Cleveland Bay horse. To preserve, develop and strengthen the breed for future generations to enjoy.
This is still the role of the Society today and it has charitable status in this regard (Charity number 293872) For details of the Charity Commission records on the Society please visit: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk.
The Society maintains a worldwide stud book for Pure Bred Cleveland Bays as it has since 1884 and since the mid 1970’s a worldwide Register for Part Bred Cleveland Bays for those horses with at least 12.5% Cleveland Bay blood.
The CBHS is a Passport Issuing Organisation recognised by Defra in the UK whereby it issues Horse Passports for both Pure and Part Bred Cleveland Bay Horses but also Horse Passports for Non Cleveland Bay Horses under the banner of the “British Horse Passport”.
In order to comply with Commission Decision 92/353/EEC the Cleveland Bay Horse Society declares that there will be no discrimination between members of the Society.
Part Breds
The CBHS is not just about pure bred horses.
There are hundreds of part bred Cleveland bays participating in all manner of equine disciplines and the Society has in place Performance Schemes to support those horses and riders at all levels of ability both in hand and under saddle.
If you have a part bred Cleveland Bay we would love to hear from you.
In the 1970’s the CBHS created a register to recognise the influence of the part bred on the breed and this has now become the basis for the Passports that are issued in accordance with UK Legislation.
The CBHS also inspects and licences all Part Bred Cleveland Bay Stallions that are listed by the Society on its current stallion list.
Part Bred Cleveland Bays have risen to the highest levels in Show jumping and in Dressage notably the International Grand Prix Dressage Arun Tor who was ridden by Ferdi Eilberg.
Part Breds also in the news include rising dressage star Spring Pascal, ridden by Samantha Thurman Baker and the prolific show hunter winner Oathill Take The Biscuit (Hovis) bred by Julia & Doug Anderson, owned by Sally Iggulden and produced & ridden by Danielle Heath.
The Society also provides rosettes at many shows for the highest placed Cleveland Bays in non Cleveland specific classes.
If you would like details of the CBHS Performance Scheme please contact us.
Pure Bred Cleveland Bays
The CBHS was originally created in 1884 to preserve and protect the pure Cleveland Bay horse. The breed has a history that goes back to beyond the time when records were kept and is the oldest pure breed of horse known in the United Kingdom.
It is a versatile horse ideally suited to modern equestrian disciplines from Driving though to Dressage as well as being an increasingly popular choice for leisure riders.
The Society currently supports the pure breed in the following ways:
- Maintaining, through a registration process, a worldwide Pure Stud book
- Licencing Pure CB Stallions for use on Cleveland and non Cleveland mares
- Maintaining a Stallion Quality Approved Scheme in partnership with the Horserace Betting Levy Board
- Developing schemes to support the breeding of pure CB horses such as the current foal premium which currently stands at £300 per pure bred live foal registered, with a further £50 payment for a Sparks Compliant Live Foal Birth.
- Collecting and maintaining DNA records of the breed
If you currently own or have a pure bred Cleveland bay and require further information about the breed or you are interested in becoming involved in the breed then please contact us
Breed Standards
The following Standard of Points have been suggested by the Cleveland Bay Council for the guidance of persons interested in the breed and Judges of the breed.
HEIGHT
16.0 h.h. to 16.2 h.h. but height should not disqualify an otherwise good sort.
COLOUR
Cleveland Bays must be bay with black points, i.e. black legs, black mane and black tail. Grey hairs in mane and tail do not disqualify. These have been long recognised as a feature in certain strains of pure Cleveland blood. White, beyond a very small star is not permitted * Legs which are bay or red below the knees and hocks do not disqualify, but are faulty as to colour.
BODY
The body should be wide and deep. The back should not be too long, and should be strong with muscular loins. The shoulders should be sloping, deep and muscular. The quarters should be level, powerful, long and oval, the tail springing well from the quarters.
HEAD AND NECK
The head characteristic of the breed should be bold and not too small. It should be well carried on a long lean neck
EYES
Eyes should be large, well set and kindly in expression.
EARS
Tend to be large and fine.
THE LIMBS
Arms and thighs and second thighs should be muscular. The knees and hocks should be large and well closed. There should be 9" upwards of good flat bone below the knee measured at the narrowest point on a tight tape. The pasterns should be strong, sloping and not too long. The legs should be clear of superfluous hair and as clean and hard as possible.
THE FEET
One of the most important features of the breed; the feet must be of the best and blue in colour. Feet that are shallow or narrow are undesirable.
"NO FOOT - NO HORSE".
ACTION
Action must be true, straight and free. High action is not characteristic of the breed. The Cleveland which moves well and which is full of courage will move freely from the shoulder and will flex his knees and hocks sufficiently. The action required is free all round, gets over the ground, and fits the wear-and-tear qualities of the breed.
* - White exceeding a small star or any other significant mismarking such as chesnut is outside Breed standards but as from January 2005 mismarked horses can still be registered as pure to protect their genetic value to the breed however Breed Committee comments are noted on the passport and in the Stud Book.
