A century-old celebration unfolded at the Food Museum located at Abbot’s Hall in Stowmarket, Suffolk. Nestled within its walls are a precious few Suffolk Punch horses, a breed teetering on the brink of extinction, as declared by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
The recent arrival of a female foal, born on a Saturday, has cast a radiant light upon the museum’s halls. Christened Abbots Juno, she pays homage to the last horse born on the museum’s grounds in 1924. Emma Lodge, the museum’s esteemed growing officer, joyfully reported that both Juno and her mother, Faith, are thriving. “We feel incredibly fortunate to steward such a rare breed within our museum and contribute to the ongoing preservation of the Suffolk Punch,” she expressed with heartfelt gratitude.
Juno’s birth marks a significant addition to the breed’s population, with only 12 fillies welcomed into the world across the country this year. Her potential to contribute to future generations of Suffolk Punch horses is a beacon of hope for conservation efforts.
Joining Juno and Faith are the estate’s other noble steeds, Zippo and Faith, who graced the grounds in 2019 and 2022 respectively. This historical estate, spanning 84 acres, once served as the cradle of Suffolk Punch breeding from 1909 to 1924 under the stewardship of its owner, Captain H.D. Longe.
The naming of Juno carries a poignant link to the past. In Roman mythology, Juno is the sister of the goddess Vesta, connecting the new foal’s name to the last foal bred on the estate, Combs Vesta 4th.
Lisa Harris, the Food Museum’s dedicated collections and interpretation manager, expressed the team’s enthusiasm for perpetuating Captain Longe’s legacy by championing the cause of this rare breed. “The Suffolk horse holds immense significance in the annals of food history and serves as a vital storyteller in the narrative of food production,” she remarked with pride.