Heniarth, Ferryside, Carmarthenshire, Wales

SA17 5YW

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The Welsh Pony and Cob Society,                           15^th November 2008

6, Chalybeate Street,

Aberystwyth,

Ceredigion.

Re: The Welsh Pony and Cob Gelding Incentive Scheme  (6 pages)

Dear Members of Council,

I write, once again, on behalf of Mrs. Maggie Carter (Millcroft) and myself to lay clear for Council, both new and long-term members, the foundations of what we termed the,  “Gelding Incentive Scheme,” back in 2003, in the hope that we may secure further Society support to encourage the position of young geldings within our breed

The idea of raising the profile of geldings came about following a thorough presentation to Council in 2002/2003 by Mrs Carter who was most concerned at the live export of mainly low priced colt foals to Ireland and then on to the Continent and beyond. This was acknowledged by the then ILPH, now the World Horse Welfare charity. Sadly the current WPCS Council at that time chose not to take any action.

We, personally, felt that this was indeed a welfare issue and something should be done. So the Millcroft Special Rosette Scheme was devised, (fully sponsored through the generosity of Mr and Mrs John Carter), and the Junior National High Point Championship ran alongside it. Full details of this can be read on www.Heniarth.com/geldings.htm Collectively these we termed the Gelding Incentives. These we organised ourselves for the first four years and then the Society did indeed pick up the running of these two schemes from the Aberystwyth office.

During this year we have witnessed pitifully small amounts paid at auction for colt foals and if we are led to believe the media predictions this situation isn’t going to improve much next sale season either – though I imagine the majority of those same dams are back in foal for 2009. This coupled with the extra cost of micro chipping on top of the passport fee will make the plight of next years colt foals incredibly vulnerable. Surely it is time to encourage the purchase of a colt foal, to make a good gelding and a viable opportunity as an in-hand showing prospect until it reaches the age that it can be broken to ride or drive?

The argument that “producers prefer their young ponies to be unshown” is a weak one as many often shown fillies are able to have good ridden careers. Obviously we don’t endorse the over showing of any stock.

Like it or not, the showing fraternity is the life line for our breed, so why not make the purchase of a colt foal that can be shown as a gelding in it’s young stock days as appealing as buying a filly? We all breed colt foals, not all are or should be kept entire. Not everybody wants an entire colt but a young gelding is almost considered a burden by many breeders; a second rate animal until it reaches an age when it can perform then suddenly it becomes viable as there is a market place as a Horse of the Year Show or Olympia prospect! Just read the descriptions of this years entries at Fayre Oaks and at the Cob sales for this evidence.

Given the numbers of mountain pony foals bred each year, it is incredible to note that in its thirty-year history not one Mountain Pony has won the prestigious Ridden Mountain and Moorland Olympia championship. Could nurturing the colt foal/gelding issue help rectify this affair?

I feel I should point out here that at the same time as the original Gelding proposals were brought to Council back in 2003 that I muted the idea of a National Championship. This too fell on less than accepting ears within council but look at this event today promoted by an enthusiastic committee? Firstly the “New London Gold”, then the “Rhydspence” and now I gather, the “Brightwell National Championship”. The showing public has grasped this concept and it is now a highlight of the season and a title to behold. So why is the Society not getting behind the geldings? I note this year that the Shrewsbury overall gelding championship was judged in a side ring with no results or photos included in the report on the Society website. This is not a comment meant to criticise the work of that committee rather to illustrate that the WPCS must lead by example and give the Gelding equal parity to it’s Colts and Fillies.

The Shrewsbury committee has been written to (September 2008) in the hope they might stage a “National” title for geldings but no decision has yet been made. Once again, I understand the Millcroft Stud has offered to sponsor such an award.

The Memorandum of Association of the Welsh Pony & Cob Society states as an objective of the society that aims;

1.(iv) to prevent cruelty to horses and ponies

 and

2.(vi) to encourage the formation of Pony Improvement Societies which are to be established for exclusively charitable purposes in order to improve the Welsh Breeds and to demonstrate the value of using Premium Stallions  and of selective breeding by eliminating inferior colts and stallions from stud use.

What of these inferior colts ? How are they to be eliminated? Both hill and lowland breeders are annually faced with the dilemma of unwanted males. People are quick to lament the sale of colt foals that; 1.Don’t cover the cost of entry at an Official auction or 2. Are sold for little more than a “bag of chips” at a regional market.

So, once again I ask if Council would seriously consider the original proposal of Mrs Carter and myself as re-iterated in January 2006; and by so doing inroads could be made to address the above aims.

“In order to enhance the future for colt foals, therefore giving junior geldings a greater chance of a performance future; will Council direct that all Bronze Medal affiliated shows must offer a class for Geldings, 3 years old or under, on top of the stipulation of four classes per medal section, therefore creating a network and incentive for individuals to run on colt foals and geldings?”

We welcomed the inclusion of the Gelding Incentive Scheme on page 27 of the Society’s2008 Judging and Showing Handbook, with the description taken from the original outline. However no background or regulations were stated as outlined on www.Heniarth/geldings.htm  A link to this site from the Society had been asked for on more than one occasion but did not appear. Now that the Society has taken on the scheme, ideally a devoted “Gelding” page on the WPCS website would provide status and enhance their profile

The purpose of the Millcroft Gelding Rosettes were to be given as a “reward” one could say if a show decided that they would offer a class for “Gelding’s, three years old or under” as part of their classification. A red rosette and a win is surely more appealing and encouraging than a lower place “special” rosette amidst a sea of fillies. Sadly we still see Panel Judges that will not consider the gelding in a mixed class. The winners of these classes would compete for an Overall title together with the highest placed “Barren mare or Gelding” class on offer, the winner receiving a Millcroft rosette. These rosettes were not to just be handed out to anyone that asked for no return. Nor were they on offer to Overseas Society’s as we have had reports that they have been awarded in America and Australia. The Americans always have a complete “Gelding Division” at their rated shows and the Australian’s are now staging shows solely for geldings! So I think they are well ahead of us on the gelding promotion stakes! Furthermore it is not helping the UK welfare situation which was the catalyst and original starting point for this scheme. It was felt that Part-Breds are generally well catered for as geldings within the Riding Pony, Hunter Pony and Sport Horse divisions.

If Council directed that all Bronze Medal shows should have a fifth specific class for junior geldings then all Bronze medal shows could have Millcroft rosettes for free – simple! Initially these classes might well be lightly filled but if people know that they are available as a matter or course throughout the UK it would encourage them to consider selecting a gelding to show in deference to a colt or a filly rather than the current “hit and miss” offer in a combined class with either the colts or the fillies where history testifies that the gelding is at a disadvantage.

The second initiative along with the Rosette Scheme was The National High Point Junior Gelding of the Year ;organised to enable exhibited young geldings to gather points at their outings (to a limit of fifteen shows), up to the age of three and secure “National” recognition. For no entry fee rosettes and prize-money were given in each Section and a trophy was donated by Mr and Mrs Guy Clardy from America. The prize money was gathered from willing UK sponsors at the time and it was felt that this might defer some of the costs of the initial veterinary gelding operation.

We note that the prize money appears to have ceased. Is there a reason for this? The prize giving for this takes place and indeed compliments the Performance Awards that are also held annually. The 2007 did secure great coverage on the Society’s website for 2007 which was encouraging, more so that what appeared in the Green Journal of that year.

So to re-cap what we are asking the current Council of the W.P.C.S. to discuss and act upon;

A)   In order to enhance the future for colt foals, therefore giving junior geldings a greater chance of a performance future; will Council direct that all Bronze Medal affiliated shows must offer a class for Geldings, 3 years old or under, on top of the stipulation of four classes per medal section, therefore creating a network and incentive for individuals to run on colt foals as geldings?

B)   To create a “devoted” Gelding page on the Society website outlining the possibility’s within our Society for geldings. Detailing:

·       How to re-register from colts to geldings

·       The Millcroft Rosette Scheme

·        The National High Point Gelding Awards

This as well as highlight potential avenues for them to achieve in later life – ie; The Performance Awards, The Royal Welsh Silver Spoons in the ridden classes, Part-Bred Pony and Horse Groups, ever mindful that the likelihood is that the new gelding owner may not at present be a WPCS member or familiar with the workings of our Breed Society.

C)   Appreciate the Millcroft Rosettes are based upon a UK welfare issue and as such should only be given to shows that are prepared to offer junior gelding classes within Sections A, B, C and D, preferably within the confines of the UK or otherwise by discussion with the sponsor, Mrs. Maggie Carter.

D)    Endeavour to re-instate monetary sponsorship that was on offer for the National High Point Award.

In the adoption of these proposals we can foresee no cost to the Society, only benefit.

I thank you for your time in reading this letter and we both hope you will seriously consider the proposals on offer. We all owe it to the stock we breed to exploit every avenue that will ensure each animal bred has the best possible chance in life.

Many of you council members will have foals due in the spring – some of which will be colts. Please ask yourselves how you can help ensure a quality of life for those colts that like hundreds of other breeders colts that are not potential stallions.

Yours sincerely,

Maggie Carter & Richard Miller

 oooOOOooo

Background to the Welsh Gelding Incentive Scheme for new Council Members

                                                                                                January 1^st 2006

Some three years ago or more, when I was a Council Member, a paper was addressed to council by Mrs Maggie Carter, Millcroft Stud, regarding the welfare of foals in the sales. In this very thorough paper Mrs Carter outlined the live trade in foals from the Welsh sales, being exported via Ireland and abroad. Despite many charities, auctioneers and breeders turning a blind eye to the matter it has since been acknowledged that this was indeed happening and is now being policed by the ILPH. Council took no course of action on the paper as far as I recall.

The next step

Rather than do nothing to try and alleviate the situation both Mrs Carter and I decided to offer some kind of incentive to individuals to purchase colt foals, or retain the ones that they had bred. The idea was to encourage them to show them and therefore have a saleable product at the end of its three-year-old year to go off and compete and fly the flag for the Welsh breeds. Following along the lines of enthusiasts in the United States and particularly Australia it was put to Council that all bronze medal shows should be required to stage a junior in hand gelding class for each Section, therefore creating a countrywide network of gelding classes that people knew they could show at and win rather than just a highest placed gelding rosette in a class dominated by colts or fillies. In doing so Council would have been encouraging the growth of potential performance animals, giving people greater options to geld second rate entire colts, encourage a whole new sector of the membership to show in-hand, whilst hopefully giving some hope to the market situation.

Sadly the silent majority were overruled by the loud voices and this initiative was thrown out – so what did we do……?

Millcroft Rosette Scheme

Mrs Carter was prepared to sponsor the now sought after Millcroft rosettes. These are given free of charge to affiliated WPCS shows on the understanding that they stage a junior gelding class for each Section with an overall gelding championship from those four divisions that they can compete in, together with any highest placed gelding from any senior classes on offer. These have proved very popular. Many more shows have invested in the geldings, some adding money to an overall title. Distribution numbers should be available from the Office.

They have been ordered by myself from Rheidol Rosettes, paid for by Mrs Carter and distributed with the traditional gold/green rosettes from the office. Mrs. Carter is prepared to continue with these rosettes if the Society so wishes, if the office is prepared to order and distribute them.

National Junior Gelding of the Year.

We have emphasized the junior gelding aspect of our breed in an attempt to give them some status until they are of an age to break and ride/drive on. We considered part-breds to be generally gelded and competing in Part-Bred, Riding Pony and Hunter Pony classes if the owner so wished. Continuing my successful concept of the “National” pure bred awards now so sought after at Shrewsbury, a points competition was arranged for junior led geldings to collect points at any show they were successful at culminating in the title of National Junior Led Gelding of the Year. I said I would give the competition three years to establish itself before returning back to the Society. The competition is free to enter with a maximum fifteen shows, geldings being at no more risk of over showing than fillies are now prior to a career. The printing, postage, rosettes etc have been paid for by myself; the winner is eligible for a training course with the Julie Templeton Show Team in Cheshire and most importantly in 2004 and 2005 we were offered some £400 in prize-money from fellow breeders and enthusiasts that goes to the top three placed animals in each section. A smart trophy for the supreme was donated by the Clarwood Stud in America.

Results and pictures are available on www.Heniarth.com/geldings.htm  I have twice asked this to be linked to the WPCS website but it hasn’t happened.

I have sent out in the region of forty points cards last year with approximately twenty-five being returned. This has increased slowly in the last three years and the participants are very enthusiastic.

I am now unable to continue running this scheme – however three years on I would like to ask Council again –

Just one final thought – despite the number being bred, the grants and the rare breed status, the Welsh Mountain Pony is still the only British Native Breed never to have won the National Pony Society/Baileys Ridden Mountain and Moorland Championship at Olympia, London, in it’s twenty seven year history. Perhaps it would help the breed and the Society’s status if they were to back an initiative to nurture our potential performance animals?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Richard L. Miller,Heniarth,Ferryside,Carmarthenshire.SA17 5YW.

The Clarwood Trophy for the Supreme Champion,
kindly donated by Helen and Guy Clardy.