Diamond In The Rough can be polished performer

Breeder Maddy Gardner was invited to bring her three-year-old colt FHS Diamond In The Rough to the eventing finals after he achieved a top score at the BEF Futurity Evaluations in August.

Held as part of the Lycetts British Eventing Young Horse Championships, the evaluations aim to identify young British-bred potential sport horses and ponies destined for careers in dressage, eventing, show-jumping or endurance, and may even find Olympic champions of the future.

FHS Diamond In The Rough is the second youngster Gardner, who runs the Fishers Hill Stud, has bred from thoroughbred Strong Gale mare Whatacarryon, who raced in her youth.

Gardner said: “I am really pleased with Diamond In The Rough. I hope to sell him to an eventing home where he can go out and do well and combine competing and stud duties.

“I am very keen to raise the profile of the stud and quality horses such as Diamond In The Rough will help me to do this. He is such a lovely horse.”