Jane Holderness-Roddam, director and co-founder of West Kington Stud, has announced her decision to step down, leading to the stud’s closure after 30 years of significant contributions to equestrian breeding. Established in the mid-1990s, West Kington Stud played a vital role in advancing breeding for rare and native breeds, riding ponies, Arabs, and sport horses in Britain and worldwide. The stud was notable for embracing artificial insemination (AI) technology, which revolutionized breeding by enabling the global distribution of stallion semen and supporting genetic diversity and quality control in British breeding.

The stud’s success was driven by a passionate team, including long-time stud manager Tessa Clarke, who emphasized the importance of stallion welfare and meticulous breeding practices. West Kington’s work helped preserve rare breeds and improve sport horse bloodlines, earning widespread respect in the equestrian community. Industry peers praised Jane’s dedication and the stud’s professionalism, highlighting its lasting legacy in the sport horse industry and breeding innovation.