AUSTRALIAN PONY MAGAZINE

Transcription

1 AUSTRALIAN PONY MAGAZINE Newsletter Issue 2 April 2014 Welcome to the second issue of our newsletter. We thank everybody for their continued support and patience while we work on setting a launch date. The articles for the first issue are coming along nicely and we will be opening up the opportunity for advertising in the near future. We aim to keep our rates affordable and reasonable. Don t forget that we also offer advertising in the newsletter, at very reasonable prices. Please feel free to send us an if you are after more information. With a number of high prestige shows being held lately we are sure that many of you are very busy with preparing ponies. Feel free to send in news, results and photos for inclusion in the newsletter. For more information and to keep up to date with what is happening you can visit us on Facebook, (just click on the little icon to the left). We run a competition each month for our cover pony star, see this edition of the newsletter for a profile on our March Cover Pony Star, Weston Park Chamberlain. This month we are also running a photo competition, see page 5 for details. You can find our website at:

2 Facebook Page March Cover Pony Star Each month on our Facebook page ( we run a competition for our cover pony star. The winner is determined by the photo with the most likes and our winner for March was the lovely Weston Park Chamberlain. Weston Park Chamberlain WESTON PARK CHAMBERLAIN (aka Chuck ) hh Grey Welsh Pony Stallion Chuck is by the stunning imported stallion Eyarth Sama out of the well producing mare Weston Charmaine. He was successfully shown as a youngster by Geoffrey Mark of Lavuka Stud and we were fortunate enough to purchase him 12 months ago from Geoffrey. At arrival to Lavuka Stud, Chuck was a very impressive animal who had not only won some big awards but had also sired some lovely foals. He was purchased that day and we have enjoyed every day with him since. After a break from the show ring and a few foals on the ground, Chuck has found his groove again in the ring. He is now a multi-supreme winner in both APSB & WPCS classes, not to mention his numerous Supreme of Show wins. Chuck is a great stallion to be around; he is very easy going and a bit of a dag. Chuck will be at public stud this year. Stacey Renton Shanamon Stud

3 Bwlch Valentino His Early Australian Influence BLOODLINES Bwlch Valentino is the undisputed father of the British Riding Pony. From the 1950s onwards his influence was etched into the show world. He produced winner after winner, champion after champion, and his presence is still felt today. The Australian Riding Pony was based on the British Riding Pony and so his bloodlines are found strongly in our stock, along with the qualities they possess. Bwlch Valentino was bred by Mrs. Nell Pennell, who purchased his dam Bwlch Goldflake in 1931 (back then it was common for purchasers of ponies to add their own stud prefixes). Goldflake was by the Thoroughbred stallion Meteoric and from a mare named Cigarette, who was a famed racing pony in South Wales, reputably unbeated. Cigarette s dam was said to be a Thoroughbred cross Welsh pony. Bwlch Goldflake was Champion at the Royal Show and also won the Belvoir Cup at the Horse of the Year Show. Bwlch Valentine s sire was a grey named Valentine (he was born on Valentine s Day 1934), who was by the Thoroughbred Malice and from an Anglo Arabian called Silver Spray. As a four year old, Mrs. Pennell sold Bwlch Valentino, as she did not want the hassle of a stallion. The purchaser was Mr. Vivian Eckley of the famed Cusop Stud and here Valentine s career began. Mrs. Pennell must have thought well of Bwlch Valentino however, as she sent her mare Miss Minnette to him on a number of occasions. Miss Minnette was by an Anglo Arabian named Malinin, whom shared the same sire as Bwlch Valentino s sire Valentine, in Malice. Miss Minnette was from Kavora Kismet, a Champion Pony at Richmond in Miss Minnette s main claim to fame was as the dam of the infamous Bwlch Zephyr, said to have been Bwlch Valentino s best son. She also produced a number of full siblings to Bwlch Zephyr, amongst these Bwlch Zip, Zigaree, Sigi, Zest and Minuet. While not as influential as Zephyr, these ponies also had an important impact on the British Riding Pony. THE AUSTRALIAN ANGLE The first British Riding Pony to be imported to Australia was the Bwlch Zephyr son Aristocrat of Flawfortth in He went to Helen Clift and was awarded Champion Led and Ridden Galloway at Melbourne Royal. While Aristocrat of Flawforth s life and stud career were cut short by lightening (he left just a few foals on the ground), this was just the beginning of an influx of quality Riding Pony blood being imported to our shores. Aristocrat s full brother Carolina s Cats Whiskers was also later imported here. The second British Riding Pony to be imported to Australia was the lovely Treharne Talisman, by Bwlch Valentino and from a full sister to Solway Master Bronze (grandsire of Keston Royal Occasion) in Solway Summertime. Treharne Talisman was shown for only two and a half seasons and amassed 45 Championship awards. He sired a parade of lovely stock at the Chippenham Stud, putting

4 this stud on the map and earning it a reputation for breeding top show ponies. His influential sons include Silkwood Maximillian and Chippenham Jaguar. His daughters were also good producers. Willowcroft Stud imported another Bwlch Valentino son in The Laird, from the half Thoroughbred Easter Star. The Laird proved to be an exceptional sire, producing for them the stallions Willowcroft Vagabond, Willowcroft Explorer and Willowcroft Hill Cottage and some lovely mares. Bwlch Valentino had an extended influence in Australia via Bwlch Zephyr, considered by many to be his best son. The Bwlch Zephyr son Sun Puff went to Marena Stud and was a Champion in both Britain and Australia. Sun Puff was known for his extravagant movement and made his presence felt via such stallions as Weston Sun and Marena Legende, and such daughters as Marena Wildflower and Marena Cadence. Rosevean Gale Force (by Bwlch Zephyr) was imported by Peter Barry of Mirinda Stud as a two year old and then sold on and sired a small number of foals for Smithfields Stud. The Kirreway Stud of Eric Dudley was instrumental in the 1980s and 1990s in its production of show ponies in Australia, the Kirreway prefix becoming synonimous with quality. The Solway North Wind (by Bwlch Zephyr) son Rotherwood Acrobat (from Rotherwood Peep Show) produced many fine ponies for Kirreway during his stud career. His full brother Rotherwood Windswept was also imported to Australia and had quite an influence. Another stallion to come from the infamous Rotherwood Stud was Rotherwood Footlight, a three-quarter brother to the abovementioned stallions, being by Twylands Troubadour and from Rotherwood Peep Show. Rotherwood Footlight s exquisite son Urubula Regal Promise headed the stallion line up at Willowcroft Stud for a number of years and was succeeded by a son, Willowcroft Regal Emblem. Valentino influence here in Australia. As one can see, his influence in Australia is as strong as in his homeland. Bwlch Valentino s story will be covered more in depth in a future edition of the magazine. APM. COMING SOON! We are pleased to announce that we will soon be stocking the licensed Thelwell Merchandise range. These include caps, polo shirts, towels, facewashers and gift cards. Please stay tuned for more details. This is just a very brief look at some of the Bwlch

5 Charlie s Story Two years ago this little guy was spotted by Marie de Jong at the Rathdowny knackery, skin and bones and the smallest pony there. She couldn t help but feel for the little boy and after a few phone calls she had secured herself a pony. He was completely unhandled and took quite a bit to earn their trust but Marie says he inspired her to learn natural horsemanship methods. Within four months, with a full belly and condition, her son Brody was riding him around the yard and he was a part of the family, He wasn t a pony, he was like another child. He just wanted to be loved, and he got plenty of that here, says Marie. Marie and her children spent a lot of time with little Charlie, earning his trust and he grew very close to her daughter Racheal (pictured to the left). With small, regular feeds, rugging and lots of love and affection Charlie became a member of the family. He was the de Jong s first rescue pony, which Marie describes as a very big challenge but well worth it in the end. This month we are running a photo competition, there are three categories to enter, and you can enter as many times as you like! The categories are as follows: *FUNNIEST PONY PHOTO *BEST PRESENTED PONY *MOST IMAGINATIVE DRESS UP To enter simply send your photo to Entries close 24th of April and winners will be announced on the Facebook page and published in the next newsletter. Ribbons will be awarded to 4th place!