Stallion
Colour: Chesnut, white blaze and hind socks
Breed: Unknown
Type: Polo-bred
Foaled: 1900
Height: 14.2 hands
Sire: Rosewater
Dam: 84 Flirt (Registered at Hurlingham (113))
COMBINATION a chestnut colt, with a white blaze and hind socks, foaled on the 19th May, 1900. Bred by Sir H. F. de Trafford, Baronet, of Hill Crest, Market Harborough and entered in the Polo and Riding Pony Society Stud Book Volume 9 (1905-1906) page 21, as stallion 175. He was 14.2 hands high when measured on January 8th, 1904.
Flirt his dam, was originally owned by Sir Humphrey and was ridden by Captain E.D. Miller. In a comment from the London Spring Show of 1905, (Reports on Riding Classes 16-22) Captain Miller says . . . “It was very satisfactory to see . . . dams . . . all brilliant polo ponies in their day. I never rode a much better polo pony than Flirt, . . . . Ponies bred from such mares as these are in all probability very easy to train to polo.”
Flirt was bay, foaled in 1887, 14-1 1/2 hands high, and Registered at Hurlingham (113), she played in the County Cup at Hurlingham in 1895 and was entered in the Polo Pony Stud Book, as Mare number 84, in Volumes 1 and 6.
Sometime during 1901 Flirt and her foal born on the 19th May, 1900 passed into the hands of the Reverend D.B. Montefiore, of Mursley Hall, Winslow, Bucks.
This foal named Combination was given the number 175, on initial registration, by Sir Humphrey, in 1901 and appeared in the London Spring Show of 1902, where he was Highly Commended in the class for two year old, colts and fillies.
The report by Sir Richard D. Green Price, Baronet, states, “In Classes 27, 28, and 29 for one, two and three year old Colts and Fillies respectively. I feel sure that since the institution of the Society’s Shows never had so many or such good young animals been brought together as this year, and what is particularly noticeable about these classes is that they are the produce for the most part of mares in the Stud Book, . . . . they have not overgrown the height laid down for three year olds, thus showing that the science of pony-breeding is not liable to so many accidents of over-size as many would lead us to suppose, and it also shows that nearly all the best animals bred on Stud Book lines will themselves find admittance from the Supplement into the Stud Book at four years old, as not exceeding 14.2 in height.”
During 1902 Captain Joseph Oscar Muntz, acquired Combination and in 1903 at the London Spring Show, in Class 25, (Polo-Bred Stallions, by a Registered Polo Pony Sire, or out of a Registered Polo Pony Dam), Combination was placed second, and Reserve for, the Silver Cup offered by Sir H.F. de Trafford, for the best Polo Bred Stallion in Class 25.
The judges’ were pleased, as was reflected in their reports. The majority of the classes were in the opinion of the judges, very good, all the Stallion classes and two of the Brood Mare classes securing their special encomium. . . . . further comment. If the class for Young Brood Mares evoked a satisfactory response, still more gratifying must be reckoned the success achieved by the class for Polo-bred Stallions. The initial class in 1902, with its four entries, is, upon its repetition in 1903, increased to eleven entries ; and this increase is most significant . . . . Registered parent on one side is optional, and analysis of the class shows seven entries, with both sire and dam in the Stud Book, and four with only one registered. . . from every point of view the introduction of this class has met with the success anticipated. . . . It is a direct encouragement to breeders in the Young Stock classes to keep their promising colts entire, and so perpetuate the line-breeding of the Stud Book. . . . .
Combination continued his prize winning career:-
1903:
– Bath and West and Southern Counties Show at Bristol, May 27, 28, 29 &30 and June 1
Third Prize (Pony Stallion, above 13.2 and not exceeding 14.2, suitable to get Polo or Riding Ponies) and First Prize in an, “Open” Class for 3 year olds
– Ranelagh Polo Club Show, June 20t
– Silver Cup, best Polo Pony Stallion, any age
– Tring Agricultural Show, August 6th
– First (Colts Geldings or Fillies; Yearlings, two and three year olds, likely to make Polo Ponies, 15 Entries), and the Silver Medal of the Polo and Riding Pony Society for the best Polo Pony Stallion or Entire Colt
– North East Somerset Farmers Club Show, August 26th
– First (two and three year old Colts, Geldings, or Fillies, likely to make Polo or Riding Ponies)
– Knighton Horse Show, August 28th
1904:
– First (Entire Colts, two or three years old, open) and Mr. Norman F. Well’s Five Guinuea Cup, for the best Entire Colt under 4 years and Reserve for Shy Boy Challenge Cup (Shy Boy 105 by Rosewater) offered by the Radnorshire Polo and Riding Pony Co., Ltd, for the best Stallion or Entire ColtLondon Spring Show 1904 Class 10 Polo Bred Stallions 11 Entries
– First Prize 10 also Silver Cup, offered by Colonel E.N. Henriques for the Stallion selected as Reserve for Gold Challenge Cup, (An illustration of Combination appears in Volume 8 of the Polo and Riding Pony Society. The background for this illustration was painted by Miss Imogen Collier), also Reserve for Society’s Gold Medal for the best Stallion in classes 10 to 13.
– In the joint Report on Breeding Classes 1-15 from Mr. John Hill and Mr. Maxwell Angas :-
. . . . . . The excellent class of Polo-bred Stallions was a most satisfactory incident of the Show, as by the use of sires bred on these lines, it is evident that a distinct breed of ponies is being established. . . . .
– Bath and West and Southern Counties Show at Swansea May 19, 20, 21 & 24
– Third (Pony Stallion, above 13.2, and not exceeding 14.2)
– Third (Polo Pony Stallions), Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Park Royal
– First (Cob Stallions) Devon County Show at Totnes
Combination sired two prize winning ponies John O’Dreams (dam Dream bred by Miss Imogen Collier) and a polo pony called Red Spider, who won a “commended” from Roe Hampton in 1912.
He was also sire of:
– Lovely Lucinda (Foaled 7th June 1903). Property of Joseph Oscar Muntz
– Highland Blend (Foaled 2nd April 1904). Property of Joseph Oscar Muntz
– Malvolio (Foaled June 1904) Property of Joseph Oscar Muntz
– Highland Fling (Foaled 2nd April 1905) Property of Joseph Oscar Muntz
– Symmetry (Foaled May 1905) Property of Joseph Oscar Muntz
– Beauty V (Approved Mare Register p.75), Captain J.D. Gouldsmith
– Heather Mixture (not the Dartmoor) Property of Joseph Oscar Muntz
– Rosecombe property of Joseph Oscar Muntz
But after such a promising beginning he is not mentioned again, perhaps he was sold in late 1904 or early 1905, possibly abroad.
Notes:
Beauty V was dam of 4467 Zinnia whose sire was Feysul.
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