LOCAL horse breeder Sue Jaggar could have international stars on her hands in three-year-colts Millfield Counterfeit and Millfield Safari.

Sue runs the Millfield Stud in Settle, and Millfield Counterfeit gained an elite premium in the Baileys Horse Feeds/British Breeding/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity at Myerscough College in Lancashire.

Millfield Counterfeit, bred by Sue and owned by Sue and Simon Buckley, scored 9.25 in the jumping section, the elite premium indicating that the horse has the potential and outlook to perform at international level.

Millfield Safari, bred by Sue and owned by Simon, scored a higher first premium of 8.92.

The BEF Futurity Evaluation series aims to identify young British-bred sports horses and ponies destined for careers in dressage, eventing, showjumping or endurance, with the ultimate aim being to compete at World Championships or Olympic Games.

Sue said: “Millfield Counterfeit is super – he is a real athlete and looks the part.

"He won the loose jumping competitions for three-year-olds at both the Harthill Stud and Northcote Stud. We just have to hope he does the job under saddle.”

This was a first visit to the Futurity for Simon, who said: “We are really excited about these young horses. Both have all the attributes needed to get to the top.”

Simon added: "Sue and Brian Jaggar are passionate about breeding horses, and they have done so much for British breeding. I want to support them and am looking forward to competing these exciting young horses.”

In 2013 the Futurity Equine Bridge was introduced, which is now being run as an extension of the Futurity evaluations.

It provides top Futurity graduates with the direction and support they will need as four-year-olds so that they begin their early years under saddle in a way that allows for sustained physical and mental development.

In order to be eligible for the Futurity Equine Bridge, all horses must obtain a Futurity score of 8.5 or above and a high enough vet score in their three-year-old year.

Jan Rogers, the BEF’s head of equine development, said: “We are increasingly noticing that breeders, buyers and riders of British-bred horses are finding that a Futurity premium is a very useful aid in helping assess these horses."

The 2016 Futurity evaluations are running until August 31, covering 11 venues nationwide in 12 days of evaluations.