On 29 August 2005, the Shire breed’s longest-lived Super Premium stallion, Hillmoor Prince Charles, was laid to rest at Arclid where he spent virtually all his working life. Foaled in 1981, Prince Charles’s achievements cover two full decades, many of them mirroring the success of Tony and Sandra Bull’s noted Cheshirebased stud

Their decision to try and buy top quality Shires coincided with the heyday of Tom Moss’s renowned stallion, Hillmoor Enterprise, twice Shire Horse Show champion 1975-76 and probably the greatest breeding stallion of the last quarter century.

A son of such a sire became a top priority and Tony, encouraged by the late Tom Moss, set his heart on a handreared bay colt that displayed immense quality and style. The rare inclusion of Snelson Supreme should not be overlooked for he was a black, show-winning son of Polworth Spellbinder, a well-respected sire of the 1950s.

Supreme’s dam was Snelson Duchess, a wonderful brood mare and founder of several good lines in the Williamson family’s Snelson stud. Blessed with such a pedigree, there was considerable interest in Hillmoor Prince Charles and Tony managed to purchase him as a rising four-year-old. Prince Charles, however, still had to be registered and this proved difficult as, although present at the 1985 Shire Horse Show, he was barred from competing as he had no studbook number. Soon after, his parentage authenticated, Prince Charles was duly registered. Returning to the Shire Horse Show in 1986, he stood second to the legendary four-times champion, Cubley Charlie, and narrowly lost the reserve championship. The following year, as a six-year-old, Prince Charles proved that a 17.2hh stallion was ‘big enough’ and he lifted the coveted Shire Horse Show championship.

From then on, his genes were in constant demand and he soon attained Super Premium status. Although he always stood ‘at home’, serving up to 53 mares in his best season, Prince Charles retained his Super Premium status until 2004. He sired two foals in 2005 and there is also some frozen semen in store.

Time has proven Hillmoor Prince Charles as the greatest breeding son of Hillmoor Enterprise. Many of his progeny have proved outstanding – to name just three living sons – Ray Williams’s Moorfield Edward the current J W Hiles progeny cup holder; Moorfield Joseph and Treehouse Prince Charles, many times champion gelding for Richard Borsey. Another fine son that recently died in Germany was Arclid Danny Boy.

Probably his most famous daughter is Arclid Rose Marie, the 1996 Shire Horse of the Year champion and 1993 Royal Show champion.

Her younger full sister is Arclid Cassandra, while Hainton Amy was reserve best mare at this year’s Shire Horse of the Year Show and has a full brother born this year, Hillmoor Prince Charles’s farewell son in the UK. Another noted daughter is Blackden Queen of the Shires, dam of the 2005 Midland Shire Foal Show champion, Blackden Royal Emperor.

Among his grandsons are Moorfield Ted, reserve champion at this year’s Shire Horse of the Year Show; Moorfield Charles of Cotebrook fame, leading sire at the same Shire Horse of the Year Show, and Timberhill Sir James, Germany’s most celebrated showring stallion, still winning at 10-years-old. The influence of

Hillmoor Prince Charles lives on at Arclid through Minshull Monty, just entering service as a three-year-old and the much-awaited son of Arclid Rose Marie.