BEST OF BRITISH
Ambitions are high at Carron Nicol’s Rumer Stud as all eyes turn to the next generation. Jennifer Donald learns more about the business
INa picturesque corner of rural Warwickshire, Carron Nicol has built the blocks of a thriving business with a reputation for breeding, producing, competing and dealing in quality showjumpers. World-class horses such as championship hero Vistogrand, Fantasia and Mr Visto are just some of the flagships of her European Sports Horses, based at Rumer Stud.
Two of this country’s most exciting youngsters, the blue-blooded eight-yearold Gmail (Cornet Obolensky x Diamant De Semilly) and seven-year-old Chrysler Key SR (Comme Il Faut 5 x Calido I) are among the current crop of stars making waves with Carron’s son Leo Lamb.
Through decades of hard graft, both her and Leo’s success in the ring is proving an excellent shop window for their horses. Sales are always reluctant, but they keep the financial cogs turning.
“It’s hard combining your hobby and your job,” says Carron.
We join her on a brisk January morning and dozens of youngsters are the first of the 50 or so horses to greet us, munching contentedly on their hay and thriving under their woolly coats – a mix of adored home-breds and shrewd auction purchases from the Continent.
A good damline is key to Carron’s investments. “If you find a good horse, try to buy from the same motherline,” she says.
Carron insightfully relays each of their bloodlines, ranging from Chacco-Blue and Comme Il Faut, to home stallions Damian (Vleut x Indoctro) and Chrysler. She keeps them all until they are at least three or four, partly to help recoup her costs, but also to allow her time to assess their ability.
“You can improve the front end, but a good back end is what I’m looking for,” she says. “We never rush them, but we’ ll take them to a few shows as a four-year-old, a bit more at five. They have to be brave and careful. If they have a short canter and are a bit short in the leg, they won’t go to the top. You also need speed – it’s no good if they hover in the air and canter away slowly. You need a superstar for these big grands prix and if I’m bringing on a horse who won’t go to the top, we’ ll sell them.
“My aim for each foal is to be an Olympic showjumper,” she adds.
Both Carron and Leo campaign their youngsters through the young horse channels, and last year “ horse of a lifetime” Gmail claimed the seven-year-old title at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). Carron welcomed a recent show at Aintree hosting age classes: “If there were more it would help people’s production – and people would then buy a horse to do the age classes.
