|
|
 |
WELSH MOUNTAIN PONIES HISTORY |
|
|||||||
|
The History of the Frongoch Stud
It is not surprising that there is a deep love of ponies in our family. My great-great grandfather, L O Williams, joined the Welsh Pony and Cob Society back in 1906. He lived at the family farm 'Frongoch' (where my grandparents now live), and had a large stud of Hackneys, Welsh Ponies, Cobs and Shires. Showing is also in the blood, since L O Williams was reserve for the Prince of Wales Cup at both the 1934 and 1936 Royal Welsh Shows with a Cob mare named Sian Gwalia (see picture P.51 of "The Welsh Cob" by Dr Wynne Davies). My earliest memories include showing and riding ponies in local shows with my mother, Ann and sister, Karen. Our first riding pony was a Welsh part-bred called W.P.B.R.302 Babycham of Creden, who safely taught me, and later Karen, to ride. We had some great fun showing our home produced ponies, and as we grew older, we graduated to larger ponies. My sister had a beautiful Thoroughbred mare Catherston Night Cap (who was by the famous dressage horse Catherston Night Safe) that she competed in 14.2 h.h. showing classes, whilst I had a 4-year old Welsh Cob gelding G.12110 Deytheur Dai (by Geler Sambo 25471 out of 53168 Ross Derwena), who had a successful showing career in Wales before being exported to Laurence Flaska in Canada, where he was Breed Champion at the Toronto State Fair within weeks of arriving!
My mother has been breeding under the 'Frongoch' prefix since 1969. The foundation for today's stud started when mum witnessed Ann Bale-Williams' Baledon Jubilation win at Aberystwyth show. Later that year we visited the Baledon Stud and were lucky enough to purchase a grey filly foal 66659 Baledon Chelsea Model (by Revel Chelsea Cracker 15832 out of 19464 Coed Coch Dunos, by Coed Coch Salsbri 2749) a half sister to Jubilation. Baledon Chelsea Model turned out to be a wise investment. Her first foal 76054 Frongoch Megan (by the famous stallion Revel Janus 9284) who died last year aged 22 after having had a successful showing career and having bred prize winning foals, including 119138 Frongoch Branwen (by Scrafton Pepe 32149) and 13160 Frongoch Briallen (by Revel Jack) who are retained at the stud to carry out the line.
The grey stallion Revel Jack in the forefront of the photograph, with Frongoch Swyn and foal Carwyn in the background, 2002 Chelsea Model bred a number of other top-class foals including Frongoch Meical 28082, Frongoch Moonlight Magic 30707, and 84195 Frongoch Marybella, all by Revel Janus. Meical was purchased by Mr & Mrs John Parry-Jones (Bronllwyn Stud) and was always in the ribbons as a youngster, before being retained for use as their stud stallion. He was then owned by Wendy Merryman of the Staines stud and produced some top class progeny including the lovely filly, 116156 Staines Melody (who won her class at the Royal Agricultural Show of England in 2000).
Frongoch Moonlight Magic was sold to David Morgan (Clarmore stud) as a yearling in 1988, and won extensively at major shows around the country, not forgetting the red rosette at the 1989 Royal Welsh Agricultural Show in the two-year-old colt class. Marybella however, followed a different path. After being lightly (but successfully) shown as a youngster, she was broken to harness, and took the British Novice Scurrying Champion some years later - being shown as one of a pair of greys under the competition name of 'Witch and Tich!'
Scurrying Champion Frongoch Marybella, one of a pair of greys known as "Witch & Titch" The second mare to influence the current bloodlines at Frongoch arrived as a foal in 1982. Dr. Wynne Davies, Ceulan had been in contact, knowing mum was searching for another filly, saying he had two lovely foals to sell, and after some discussion, Wynne agreed to meet us in a lay-by near Carmarthen. I remember going down with my mother and sister with the trailer in tow and meeting Wynne at what must have been the coldest lay-by in Wales! Inside the Ceulan trailer were two fillies, one chestnut and one bay, both with white legs and a white blaze. Although similar - the chestnut one pony stood out, and she was the one that returned with us that day. Her name was 71005 Ceulan Pheasant - a striking chestnut filly, who made her mark by winning the yearling filly class at Lampeter Stallion Show the following year from a class of 39. Her show-ring success was tremendous - a real 'show-off' which caught the eye of a number of judges. She was in the rosettes at many shows over the years, including at Aberystwyth, United Counties, Glanusk etc. Her sire was the well-known Twyford Sprig 4927 (who was stud stallion at Ceulan at the time) and her dam was 21781 Talachddu Pansy (by Belvoir Aster 3134). Pheasant's grand-daughter, Frongoch Tegan, is retained at the stud and Tegan's half brother Trysor has been a big winner for Jo Hampton this season, winning the NCPA Championship.
Ann Jones with Ceulan Pheasant A recent addition to our breeding mares was 89163 Carregcennen Swynol. 'Swyn', her stable name, is a daughter of Springbourne Herian 20660 out of 60771 Cefnfedw Swyn, who is by the lovely Cefnfedw Golden Glory 15653. Swyn, who has a great personality, gifted us with super colts. Swyn was bought at the end of 1997 in foal to Llwynan Flash 29948 (Flash had always been admired by my mother, who had placed him champion at various shows as a youngster), and Frongoch Carlos 52472 was born the following year.
Ann and Carregcennen Swynol being presented to Princess Anne on winning the Cheshire County Show 1999. Princess Anne is attended by Mike Daley Carlos has a superb show record. As a foal he was 4th at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show (his dam was placed 5th), and was Ceredigion Welsh Pony and Cob Association Section 'A' points Champion. The winning continued during his yearling year with 1st, Young-stock Champion & Reserve Sectional Champion at Llyn Show; 1st, Young-stock Champion & Overall Sectional Champion (taking the WPCS Medal) at Gwynedd WPCA Show; 2nd Lampeter Stallion Show; 1st, Young-stock Champion and Overall Welsh Young-stock Champion at Aberystwyth Show; 1st Cheshire County etc. Carlos unfortunately, passed away at the end of 1999, having given us all so much pleasure.
Frongoch Carlos winning at Cheshire County Show 1999 with Colin Tibey Swyn's second foal, Frongoch Cardi 546044, was sired by the legendary Scrafton Pepe 32149. Cardi, like his half brother Carlos, has had a super showing history to date. Then followed Frongoch Carwyn, Frongoch Cariad and Frongoch Camilla. Article written by Emma Jones |
|||||||||
