by Mike Ashmore

I have known all 3 generations of the Lowe family for as long as I can remember.

The first generation being Mrs. Joan Ratcliff, a past President of the AHS, an International and National judge and breeder of top class Arabian show horses, many of them achieving National and International honors. Mrs. Ratcliff was also the leading breeder of Arabian Racehorses for seven years when the industry was in its infancy.Co coordinating events along with her mother, Joanne Lowe  soon began to carve her own name in the Arabian Horse industry following in her mothers footsteps becoming a National judge in Halter, and also ridden, and a very well respected International judge having accepted judging appointments all over the world.

Watching all of these exciting times was the youngest of 3 siblings Chris. Chris showed a maturity beyond his young years when it came to being around horses and the barn. At every visit to The Claverdon Stud, I would find myself sitting on a large straw bale talking to a very young Chris, whose enthusiasm about the breed knew no bounds. From that young age he could recite you pedigrees going back several generations and to hear such a young person talk about pheno type and genetic type was a joy to listen too.

Chris could have rested on the success achieved by his mother and grand mother,  but knowing Chris as I do, I knew that would not happen.

You would find Chris around all the shows in the UK,  hanging around the barns of the big studs watching and picking up all the information his young brain could carry. I remember telling him that the greatest show in Europe was the All Nations Cup in Aachen, and one day when he was older, he should come along to it. Imagine my surprise when at 15, he appeared in Aachen.

That’s when it all started to happen. Chris was soon working for the most successful show barn in Europe;  Frank Sponle Show Training in Germany.

At the age of 17 Chris purchased a little known colt called FL Sayawan; this raised a few eye brows. But undeterred, Chris successfully promoted and marketed him and the icing on the cake was FL Sayawan winning his class at the All Nations Cup in Aachen and going on to achieve championships in the UK as well as becoming a top class breeding stallion.

Chris knew the importance of getting a good sound education, not only in the management of running a top class facility, but also how to market and promote top class show and breeding stock. Chris applied his new skills in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordon.

Another avenue to explore was the USA, and yes you guessed it soon he was winging his way on a working trip to Scottsdale where he worked for one of the finest trainers in the States Michael Byatt.

Of course, through all of these adventures Chris knew that he needed to put all this new knowledge into action so he successfully applied to attend the Royal Agricultural College to study for a degree in International Equine and Agricultural Business Management.

A good horseman is a good horseman, whatever breed he is involved with. Chris has also worked in the thoroughbred racing industry with Kern Lillingston Bloodstock, attending sales and also dealing with clients at the high end of the market.

With every generation of Claverdon Stud, the bar has been raised higher and now with Chris Lowe Bloodstock, the bar is at an all time high.

Is it too high?

No, not if you know Chris!!!