Sad loss of top mare First Love marks end of an era

Mrs Cope has had to put down her well-known brood mare, Culross First Love, at the age of 27. Known as Totty, she was a prolific winner and had survived a major operation four years ago for a strangulating tumour.

Mrs Cope bought First Love as a three-year-old from breeder Lady Gilbey. First Love became Beckside’s top brood mare and won over 40 championships in her career, including being a double champion at the Northern Horse Show.

First Love produced 15 champion progeny, including two stallions, Beckside Little Toff and Top Notch.

Four of the mare’s progeny are now based in the United States and two years ago, Beckside Super Trouper was champion 12.2hh pony in America. First Love’s fillies to become brood mares include: Love Me Do (a first ridden champion on many occasions with Jemma Kirk); Love Me Tender and Lady Love (now in America); Love Affair (Scotland); Love Story (Wales) and True Love (Ireland).

First Love is survived by Beckside Last Love. The four-year-old was a champion as a foal and also a winner as a yearling in 14.2hh sections. She has been lightly backed and is now for sale, ready to start a ridden career.

First Love will be much missed by Mrs Cope, who said: “ Totty won and was champion at the last show she went to with her foal, after she recovered from her operation. We couldn’t let her have any more foals but she was good at nannying some of the others.”