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| As serious breeders, we don't let sentiment interfere with our goals. Culling means eliminating ponies who do not meet our high standards in attitude or aptitude. For example, Annie Mae (the gray mare shown below) is a welsh-cross out of Chelsea by GlanNant Cadence who didn't make our "cut" as a producer of sportponies, but did turn into a very good children's and short-stirrup pony hunter, earning ribbons in the USAEq's highly competitive Zone 2 and also at prestigious indoor competitions. |
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| Broodmares Goal-oriented & conscientious linebreeding. |
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| "Culling" |
| Melody 1/2 TB by Honest Turn |
| Crystal Cremello Welsh |
| Christian 1/2 TB by Theodore |
| The broodmares at Sportponies Unlimited represent a very special breeding program designed to concentrate talent and competitiveness. It is based on the breeding techniques used to produce the Hackney pony: narrow the genotype to more consistently reproduce the phenotype. That translates to close linebreeding, some inbreeding and the introduction of outside blood only if it adheres strictly to the desired phenotype. Our foundation mare, Chelsea, is the source of our stock's smaller size, in spite of our 16.2h foundation sire, Theodore. (Moreover, line- and inbreeding have been found to result in smaller sizes.) What to read more about the value of inbreeding in a serious program? Go HERE. Meanwhile, a closer look at our broodmares will find one full sibling (Chelsea's Christian) from our most proven cross, the one that produced AHSA/USEq National Champion "I Don't Know." The half-Thoroughbred, |
| one-quarter Shetland, one-quarter Arabian breeding that some of our mares have represented has also been quite successful in producing upper level event horses in Europe (that is, by using any pony blood in the 1/8th or a 1/16th proportion), and the popular Selle Francais breed from France illustrates the utility of Anglo-Arab (Thoroughbred crossed with Arabian) blood. Lastly, we have Melody , the 13.1h, half-Thoroughbred dam of our 3/4 Thoroughbred ponies, including our junior stallion, Theodore II and, of course, Theodore O'Connor. Breathtakingly quick to respond, Melody traces back to Bold Ruler, as does Theodore. Indeed, her stakes-producing sire, Honest Turn, was very similar to Theodore in phenotype, except he was smaller. Curious about the temperament angle? Go HERE to the Eventers Blog for more on this perspective. |
| Our Current Broodmares: |
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| A Fond Fairwell to CHELSEA: Chelsea has been "officially" retired. She will live out the rest of her days in Michigan in the tender care of Dori Bilik. Thank you, Dori ...and thank you, Chelsea, for so many years and so many memories. |
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| Americans are starting to agree "The reason the really big warmbloods are in the US is that the Europeans got rid of them," said Laurie Campoy of the American Warmblood Registry in Davis, CA. "The really big warmbloods never get breeding licenses in Europe. They're not as suitable. The Europeans shoot for a target range of 16.2 to 17 hands. A warmblood that's much larger than that really has to be special to get a breeding license." Europeans have been breeding sport ponies-larger, athletic, horse-like ponies-for years, producing breeds like German, Australian, and British Riding Ponies. "In Europe sport ponies compete at the highest levels both against other sport ponies and in open divisions," Campoy said. "They compete in jumper classes up to four feet six inches, and at the top levels of combined driving and dressage." Americans have been breeding sport ponies as well, with one difference--until April, 1999, when the American Warmblood Registry created the American Sport Pony Division, there was no registry to record their bloodlines and recognize their success. "Some were eligible for 'half' registry, but those registries don't keep records on the other half. We are equally concerned with both sides," Campoy said. "We document parentage as far back as possible to give breeders the information to develop an organized breeding program." The International Sport Horse Registry followed, developing a Sport Pony Division last year. Sport ponies are bred to excel at all the Olympic disciplines and combined driving, Campoy said. "Some Americans bred them because they happened to be more suitable for what they were doing. But there was no registry to support it or association to validate it." Demand For Sportponies Was There The demand for sport ponies for both children and smaller women and for the registry was there, Campoy said. "Smaller horses are actually more suitable for children and smaller women. A f5'2" woman on a 17-hand warmblood is less balanced. And you can't give the proper aid to the right body part if the horse isn't a suitable size." |
| Sport Ponies Are America's Hot New Item The Europeans know: Bigger is not always better. |
| Once registered, ponies go through an inspection, held in the fall, that's exactly like a warmblood inspection. They're judged in-hand for conformation and type, on the triangle, and at liberty. Adults are free jumped, as raw jumping style is very heritable, and if no show record exists, inspected under saddle. Scores are added up and averaged, and the ponies are put into premium levels. The information is recorded on their registration certificates and becomes part of their permanent record. Stallions must earn an overall score of at least seven out of a possible ten to be eligible for a breeding license, which makes their offspring registrable. The registry also sponsors breed classes-Dressage at Devon offers one-and awards for the highest placing registered pony at shows and combined driving competitions across the country. The Suitability Issue It was the suitability issue that led Lesley Feakins of Trevelyan Farm in Lancaster County to look for a sport pony for her daughter, Jessica, who was ready to move on from the 13.2 hand grade pony she'd taken to training level dressage. "I wanted to find a large pony with the feeling of a warmblood, and I couldn't find anything in the US," Feakins said. After searching for a year, she asked trainer Steve Wolgemuth to look for something in Europe. He found a 15.1 Dutch warmblood trained to second level that Jessica, age 15, currently shows. Women Appreciate A Smaller Horse When Feakins nationally advertised a sport pony for sale, most calls she received were from women looking for a smaller horse, not for a child but for themselves. "The bulk of our response has been from women looking to downsize," Feakins said. "Many people feel, the older I get, the shorter distance I want to fall," Campoy said. "Both people who have ridden all their lives and want to keep going as long as possible and people starting at a later age find sport ponies attractive. They're easier to get on and off, they're easier to work around, and they can be tremendous confidence builders. Once they realize they don't have to compromise athleticism or ability, they really enjoy it." "And for children or shorter women, a smaller mount just fits. If you want to improve their confidence or skill level, you give them a mount that's the right size. If you ask them to do something they can do it." |
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| Reprinted with permission from Stephanie Lawson & Pennsylvania Equestrian (paequest@aol.com). |