The BHS Scotland/Balcormo Stud Mark Todd Selects Masterclass was an intimate and frank event attended by an audience of 900 people where Mark compared himself to a woman shopping for clothes and confessed that he loves buying horses.

In spite of a Whistler style snow dump in the previous week the efforts of Gleneagles EC in clearing the car parks allowed this popular event to continue at its original venue and the day took the format of a show class with 11 horses trotted up in hand, shown under saddle then ridden by Mark.

Mark Todd pearls of wisdom on the buying horses included: “Always look a horse in the eye, you can tell loads about them from their heads and always make sure their feet are a pair and avoid bad, flat feet at all costs. If you are an amateur take a knowledgeable person with you, some one whose judgement you respect and who knows your capabilities and knows what you want to do with your horse. Never be in a hurry, take your time and horses don’t have to be beautiful as long as they do the job you wish them to do.”

The parade of sports horses put forward by team Low Mitchell of Balcormo stud were of a very high quality beautifully turned out, varied and offered a wide selection of type and education.

The event was enhanced by 16 valuable prizes being given away during and after courtesy of sponsors; Westgate Mark Todd Range, Jump for Joy, Scottish Field, Silver Lining Herbs, Lincoln Products, Rugwash and Lyn Crawford who donated a valuable free stud fee with either Euro or Corraghoe Storm. Four of these valuable prizes will be given away on two websites www.horsefirst.net and www.sandralowmitchell.com on April Fools day (April 1), so people need to keep their lucky programmes and keep checking these websites.

The programme included two extraordinary moments, one of the Balcormo horses arrived unexpectedly in the ring with full winter coat, a tail full of sheep’s wool and ridden fast by as New Zealand drover – Mark took over the reins and put the horse through its paces over some challenging jumps. Scotland’s highest earning show jumper Hopes are High also put in a cameo birthday performance exhibiting his close blood lines to many of the sports horses for sale.

Mark’s insightful commentary was interspersed with reminiscences from his glittering career including showjumping a 15.3hh half bred trotter at the Olympics and going to see Charisma for the first time. Mark is a firm believer that a person’s next horse finds them!