Hardendale Henry (left) and
Hardendale Joe - yearlings
at the Breed Show, 2002
Committed to breeding hardy, healthy versatile Fell ponies of the traditional Northern English type
Hardendale Henry (left) and Hardendale Joe - yearlings at the Breed Show, 2002 |
Hardendale Henry is the first brown (mahogany bay) FPS licensed Fell pony stallion in North America. He stands 13.3hh and has 8.75 inches of flat bone. I purchased him as a yearling after seeing him at the 2002 Fell Pony Society Breed Show in Cumbria. In the North of England, "bay" generally indicates a bright bay colour and "brown" is used for Fell ponies that vary in colour between black with a brown nose (seal brown) and the darker shades of bay. Genetically, bay and brown colours are governed by the same "Agouti" gene which restricts black pigmentation to the mane, tail and points. Early in the history of the Fell pony breed, brown is believed to have been the predominant colour. Many Cumbrian breeders still believe that brown ponies are hardier and more traditional in type.
Hardendale Henry (wet and in winter coat)
with his breeder Barry Mallinson, March 2003
Henry was examined for his stallion license in Cumbria prior to export and imported to the USA in 2003. His first foals were born in 2004. He appears to be able to hand on his neat pony head, excellent conformation, correct movement and calm temperament to his offspring. So far, he has produced black, brown and bay foals.
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The Garrighyll foundation mares were imported from Cumbria and County Durham in the North of England in 2003 and 2004. With the help of my mentors, I personally selected mares that would provide genetic diversity and compliment my stallion's bloodlines and conformation. Because of our geographical isolation from other Fell pony breeders, it is important to have different bloodlines represented to maintain a viable long term breeding program.
FP3349, *Ludworth Misty Melody
Misty is our foundation grey mare. At age 6, she is just starting to dapple. She is a striking looking mare whose movement is quite spectacular. We are hoping for some beautiful foals from Misty in the future. She is a maternal half sister to our other Ludworth mare "Secret".
Summer 2004
In Durham. March 2003.
It is striking how she has become lighter and more dappled in the past 2 years!
In Cumbria. March 2004.
Before export.FP3520, *Ralfland Dainty
Dainty is a very classical black Cumbrian bred Fell pony mare. She combines considerable bulk and substance with graceful movement and has a sweet, laid back temperament. She is our only black mare with a small star - which makes it easy to pick her out - except when her heavy forelock hides it! She was raised on the fells near Shap and imported to Minnesota in 2004.
Dainty and dam. Cumbria. 2004
Grazing in Minnesota. 2004FP3571, *Drybarrows Brownie
Brownie is a big substantial brown mare - probably the biggest of our foundation mares. She was born and bred on the Cumbrian fells and retains a lot of primitive survival instincts. We bred her to Townend Huey of the Kerbeck Fell pony Stud in 2003 prior to export. We are very pleased with her 2004 filly foal Clover who will be staying here to join our breeding herd in the future and we look forward to future offspring.
with clover on her birthday
with newborn, Clover
with her foal, Clover
in Cumbria before export, 2004
Brownie with Townend Huey
2003. Photo by Christine Robinson.
in Cumbria before export, 2004FP3619, Townend Envy
Half sister to Maydawn, Envy has enviable conformation and temperament. She has a little more bulk than her sister and is maturing to be a very promising young mare. In the future we intend to drive this matched team of half sisters!
FP3622, Townend Maydawn
Maydawn is a very pretty, well made Fell mare. As a newly imported 2 year old, she represented the Fell pony breed at the ALBC British Horse and Pony breed exhibition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2003. Like many Fell ponies, she has a mind of her own. She clearly felt it was crazy to trot in the show ring in the midday heat in Lexington and she went on strike! With her long silky mane and tail, sweet expression and friendly temperament, she is a universal favorite with visitors and an excellent ambassador for the breed.
FP3593, Ludworth Secret Melody
Secret is by the well known Fell pony sire Heltondale Bonzo Boy who is now at the Townend Fell pony stud in Cumbria. Many of his offspring have done very well in the show ring. Like most of our mares, Secret was born during the travel restrictions imposed after Foot and Mouth disease devastated the North of England and in consequence was never shown. She is maturing slowly but her exceptional temperament and movement were obvious from the start. An excellent mother, her first foal "Pearl" has already excited a lot of interest.
FP3688, Drybarrows Hazel II
There is something about Hazel. It has been obvious since I first saw her when she was a yearling on the Cumbrian fells below Knock. There is something about her that draws the eye. Paternal half sister to my largest mare, Hazel is the smallest mature mare at Bellwood Farm. She is compact and well constructed and has the classical ground covering Fell pony gait. With her brown colouring and heavy mane and tail, she probably closely reassembles the ancestral Fell pony of years gone by. When we first brought her over, she was very wild but has now discovered an affinity with humans - particularly children.
Hazel with Emma in the background.
See what a primitive looking pony Hazel is!
She could pass for a large hairy Exmoor!!
This category includes both our youngest imported stock and our first domestic bred ponies.
FP3746, Castlehill Emma
Emma is a character! She is almost always the first to come over and see what is going on. She is by the well known Fell stallion Towerview Spirit of Joy and thus a granddaughter of Tebay Campbellton Victor. A real beauty, she shows signs of becoming an alpha mare. She has an unusual habit of pulling faces as she approaches people. Although there is not an ounce of vice in her, Emma has an independent streak and a mind of her own. She will require slow and careful training when we come to work with her more seriously as she matures. At the moment, she is still growing up and it is a joy to watch her move!
FP3706, Inglegarth Inka Maree
On her mother's side, Inkie goes back to some of the oldest and most traditional of existing Fell pony bloodlines. Her father also carries some unique bloodlines. Her mother Sleddale Rosette XI was 23 years old when Inkie was born. She is only just starting to mature and is staring to develop into a nice old fashioned looking Fell pony. She will probably join the breeding herd next year. She has an unusually calm and tractable temperament and remarkably lush silky feathering.
FP3965, BroughHill Rebecca
Rebecca promises to become a lovely mare. She is domestic bred and has lived at Bellwood Farm since she was 7 days old, arriving with her mother and older full sister who stayed with us for a while. A non fading, solid black filly, she will probably join our breeding herd in the future. Her older full sister Rhiannon has been bred to Henry with promising results. We look forward to watching Rebecca's development in the future.
In Minnesota. 2004FP4135, Garrighyll Lucky Clover
Just about only thing wrong with Brownie's daughter Clover is that she was born a filly and not a colt. If we had a colt of this quality, I would not have to look any further for my next Fell pony stallion! Clover is by Townend Huey and was imported in utero. She has been an outstanding youngster right from the start and will remain at Bellwood Farm to join our breeding herd in the future. Like many black Fell ponies, Clover was born with a curious smoky grey colored foal coat which fades to shades of fawn.
FP4136, Garrighyll Black Pearl
A black filly that draws all eyes! She has enormous presence for one so young and has inherited her father's neat pony head and her mother's color and movement. Whenever I see her in action, I regret that I am not in the North of England. I would love to have the opportunity to show her in competition with her English contemporaries!
© 2005, Bellwood Farm, Garrighyll Fell Pony Stud and Naked
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