United States Eventing Association

Sam Barr (1920-2011)

Sam Barr, founder of the Welton Stud and famous for all the Welton event horses he bred died in Gloucester Hospital on Saturday April 30th, his health having deteriorated over the last three months.

About Sam Barr

Born in 1920 into a dairy farming family, Sam took care of the family farm through the war. He loves hunting and in 1961 bought a yearling colt which he raised amongst the heifers. He started breeding with the colt, Welton Gameful and the progeny became very successful, so much so that in 1978 Sam decided to sell the dairy herd and concentrate on breeding event horses with Gameful as his foundation stallion. They named it the Welton Stud.

Since its small beginnings Sam, with his wife Linda always by his side, developed the stud to the internationally renowned status it now enjoys. Dozens of eventing horses with the prefix Welton have competed and still compete at international level, plus Sam has bred numerous other successful horses that do not bear the Welton name.

At the 1995 European Champions in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, three horses bred by Sam competed, including the European Champion, Welton Romance. Welton Chit Chat (by Welton Louis) won Bramham in 1991 with Ginny Leng and Santiago Centenera was placed at the 1993 European Championships in Achselschwang, Germany. In 2000, Welton Envoy ridden by Bythe Tait, won the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* star event on Sam’s 80th birthday.

Welton Louis and Welton Crackerjack (both by Welton Gameful) are both top sires in their own right, with more than 20 event horses sired by Welton Louis competing in international three-day events. Welton Crackerjack’s offspring include Welton Houdini, winner at Badminton in 1993 with Ginny Leng, Just A Cracker, Welton Comedian and Welton Greylag, winner of the 1991 Burghley Horse Trials with Mark Todd.

Sam started eventing himself at the age of 50 and Welton Gameful sired his ride, Welton Friday, at the 1984 Burghley Horse Trials, where he made his debut at the age of 64.

Always very keen to promote British breeding and the best that Britain can produce, in 2002 Sam co-founded the BE Breeding committee with Jane Holderness-Roddam, Patrick Rolfe and Vincent Jones. This committee instigated the BE Breeding Championships which were rechristened the Young Event Horse Championships in 2007. This series has grown in stature and prestige year on year and Sam personally offers a substantial prize for the Best British Bred mare, with the intention that the winner uses this prize towards a stallion fee or other breeding purpose