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Ben Kauffman (2).png   Ben Kauffman.png
 
Interview with Ben Kauffman of Christiana, Pennsylvania. Photo credit: Howard Schatzberg

 

How many mares a year do you typically breed?

Four to six. I hope to pursue ICSI with my good producing older mare, September Gold.

 

Which of your foal crop do you consider the most successful you’ve raised to date, and why?

I have to say WC Dancing in September, because, well, he’s a world champion! He’s just a cool horse and of high quality. His half-brother “Adamant About It” is turning out to be quite exciting, and another successful colt I raised was Destined For Memphis, who was sold as a weanling and is now impressing his current owner/trainer team as a super nice 2 year-old. I think we will hear more of him in the future!

 

On which phenotypical traits of a broodmare will you never compromise?

I’m still relatively new to breeding, and none of my mares are perfect, but I’m a stickler for a big bright well-placed eye with a clean-boned chiseled face. I don’t care for a sunken or smaller eye on a horse. As I grow as a breeder, I’d like to have mares with good slope of shoulder, correct head carriage and hinge, along with good length of leg. It’s always more fun for me to feed mares with pretty heads than those with big clunky heads!

 

How do you select a stallion for your mares?

There isn’t a single answer on this for me; probably more of a gut feeling. Sometimes I select a mating based on pedigree and past successes of similar crosses, and sometimes I mate based on phenotype. I do try to breed for improvement of the mare’s faults.

 

Is there a breeder that has inspired you, and if so, how?

Many breeders have been a part of my journey in the Saddlebred industry. I wouldn’t want to miss anyone as there’ve been many, but a few that have truly inspired me and still do include Wade and Felicia Fairy, Jen Corcoran and Julie Behrends-Jones, among others. They are inspiring because they’ve been selfless in sharing information advice, and they have small but successful programs, which is my goal.

 

How if anything do you prepare your young horses before training?

I try to have them halter broke and manageable so they aren’t difficult to catch, load, or handle for a vet.

 

How do you choose a trainer for your prospects?

We haven’t raised a large number of youngsters yet but I try to let the trainers be involved in choosing who will start or work which horses. A few examples of factors are: Geographic location of trainers, or if they’ve worded with siblings of the colt I’m sending to training.

 

What advice do you have for new breeders?

Try to know what traits you want to breed for before buying lots of mares. Chat with a few mentors if you can, and learn their preferences. You may not get great advice from someone who breeds only for gaited horses if you are aiming for a Walk Trot horse. Learn from as many people as you can, but remember that their opinion could be biased based on their relationship with a horse or person in question.

If you could pick one famous mare, past or present, and make her yours, which mare would you choose?

I will pick an old favorite from before my days as a breeder: CH Supreme Airs! She was a WGC and more; mother to Supreme Heir, Foxfire’s Prophet, Putting on Heirs, among others.

 

September 15, 2025