Double Delight as we Welcome Two Suffolk Punch Foals

We can now lift the lid on this one…

There’s double delight as Annie and Annabelle have both had their foals at the Suffolk Punch Trust!

Annabelle was up first and had her foal, a colt, on 9th May. He was shortly followed by Annie’s filly on 14th May who is called Spearman Bellatrix. The safe arrival of a filly foal is cause for particular celebration because when a breed’s population is so low, the birth of new females is vitally important to guard against inbreeding and to enable new births in the future.

Both heavy horses live at the farm however have moved to the Suffolk Punch Trust temporarily to have their foals. Tracey Pettitt from the Suffolk Punch Trust and Colony Stud led the team working around the clock to check on the horses in the lead up to the births.

Tracey said: “I feel privileged to see the foals be born and honoured that Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park trusted us to do the job. The mares are both healthy and have taken to motherhood like ducks to the water. This is the first time we’ve had two mares foal side by side. Annie and Annabelle were born on the same day and have spent every day together since, they’re practically sisters.”

We can’t wait to have not two, but four Suffolk Punches return to the farm! We will keep you updated when they are expected to return.

Jimmy Doherty said: “I’m delighted at the arrival of both foals. When the Suffolk Horse Society asked if we would be able to contribute to this breeding project by hosting the two mares, we were over the moon and jumped at the chance. We are elated with these two beautiful foals; the result of two successful pregnancies. The Suffolk Horse is an irreplaceable feature of our local heritage here in Suffolk and these foals will help strengthen the population.”

The 14th May was an exciting night for Stevie Sheppard, General Manager of Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, who said: “Just as we came second on Eurovision, I got the call that the second Suffolk Punch foal was being born, Although we didn’t claim the Eurovision title, we still won that night with this rare foal.”

We’re going to need your help on Facebook tomorrow to name the colt so keep an eye out for the post!