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Young Stock for Sale
Foaling time is the best time of year as far as we are concerned. The actual birthing usually takes surprisingly little time - only minutes - once the mare lies down. The waiting is 11 months!
We have been privileged to be there for the arrival of all three babies this year, thanks to the new video camera, installed for us by Larry McNamara of HyTech Solutions in each foaling pen. We have been delighted with the ability to monitor 'the girls' in the maternity wing, and are much more at ease now that the foals have been born with our ability to keep an eye on them at all hours. We used to wonder how often they eat and sleep. The answer is they do both -- at very frequent intervals!
We have three foals for sale this year, all by FELIX (Haugjo 1.pr 1.avk.pr x Ella 2 pr.). Ranked 2nd at the 3 year-old Stallion Evaluation in Nordfjordeid, Felix has an outstanding record for passing on his superior qualities, and those of his highly regarded sire, to his offspring, with 6 sons approved as breeding stallions in Norway. In 2001, he was Gr. Champion at the NEFHA show in Woodstock, VT. Wake-Robin Farm is proud to be part of the group formed to keep this wonderful stallion breeding in Canada.
All our 2003 Felix fillies are quite different. This is the biggest batch we've 'hatched' so far and it's been a rush, in every sense! ZINNIA, ZAHRA and ZEBRINA arrived with the space of 2 weeks and it's been a constant round of catering to the enormous appetites of three nursing mares, handling babies, moving horses from one paddock to another, stall cleaning (which I liken now to changing diapers) and constant attentiveness to those three growing furry bundles of energy, some of whom exhibit teenage tendencies within the first week!
ZINNIA (Felix X MVF Soleia) was the first of year to arrive, five days early, on June 5, 2003. She has been amazingly friendly and fearless from the start. The proverbial "first to greet you" foal. Her eyes have perfect little brown circles around them - not just eyebrows, which give her a slightly comical air . She's very light in colour , and, in keeping with what we've come to expect from Soleia and Felix, very upheaded and moves like a gazelle.
Very easy to handle, Zinnia was introduced to a halter in her first week, picks up her feet and follows us in and out to the field on autopilot. She has obviously decided that everyone loves her (which is true). She also picks up her feet for us at the slightest touch and is without question the friendliest and most affectionate foal we have produced so far. And comes with an impeccable pedigree. If she is anything like her full sisters, Veronica and Wenche, she will make a good driving or dressage prospect. $ 5, 500. US.
Click here to see Zinnia's Pedigree and Pictures
ZAHRA (Swahili for "flower") is really quite regal, taking after her elegant mother, Bragda, in every way. Still not sure about her colour. She's very light. Possibly white? Zahra is out of our wonderful mare, Bragda. I chose an African name for her, because Bragda was Julie Will's favourite mare, and I spent 3 weeks trekking through game parks in South Africa with Julie and Darryl before Julie died. Zahra is really big, compared to the other two, despite being born over 3 weeks early. She is going to be a tall and powerful mare, with her mother's style and father's fluid way of moving. At just over two weeks of age, she already has a lot of presence. She is absolutely beautiful. We aren't sure we're going to sell her, but if we do, the price is $ 6,000 US.
Click here to see Zahra's Pedigree and Pictures
ZEBRINA (Felix X Tunica) is the smallest and last addition to the herd this year. But also the perkiest! Tunica foaled with no warning and it was only chance that we woke at 4 am and noticed her circling in her stall. We arrived at the barn just as Zebrina was emerging. This was critical timing as this was Tunica's first foal and it's important to be there with a maiden mare, to reassure her about the process and make sure that all is proceeding as it should. We will be very interested to see how Zebrina develops because of her links to not only Felix bur two great Dutch stallions, BRUSVEIN and SOLAR. Her mother, Tunica, was given an A-Premium ranking before she was sold to the United States as a yearling. What Zebrina lacked in stature at birth is more than made up for by her energy and courage. She has a very pretty head on a compact, balanced body that carries her around the fields at breakneck speed. Her mother, Tunica, has a very strong work ethic and is extremely trustworthy under harness and saddle. We are hoping she communicates this to Zebrina, who looks like she's going to need to work off that energy big time! $ 5,000 US.
Click here to see Zebrina's Pedigree and Pictures
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