Welsh Cobs in Sport Newsletter

Welsh Cobs in Sport 2023

Welcome to the September 2023 edition of the Welsh Cob in Sport Newsletter!

Covering the latest news in dressage, combined driving, eventing, stadium jumping, and breeding for Welsh Cob and Welsh Pony of Cob Type.

I hope you enjoy this newsletter and stay with us for the Welsh Cobs in Sport newsletter every month and watch it grow. Feel free to forward this newsletter to your cob loving equestrian friends.

Dressage

Amy Hutnak and MHS Durango Express Photo: Spotted Vision Photography

The USEF / USDF recognized show, Life’s a Ride Dressage, held in Biddeford ME saw Amy Hutnak and the Welsh Section D Cob MHS Durango Express competing at fourth level.

Amy and Durango’s partnership began when he arrived at Freeport Equestrian Center, from his breeder MHS Welsh Cobs, in the spring of 2020 to be developed for sale. Amy, who works at Freeport Equestrian Center, fell in love with Durango’s shy personality and his eagerness to please. By December 2020, Amy had purchased him for herself and has been developing his talent ever since! Amy reports that "Durango has particularly good talent in lateral work and that he is an absolute joy to train and ride”

His talent was shown to success at this competition with a score of 69% at Fourth level test 3! But, Durango is no stranger to winning. With his breeders Bonnie and Todd Barbey at MHS Welsh Cobs, Durango was shown in English pleasure, Western Pleasure, and in hand. In 2017 Durango was awarded WPCSA American Supreme Champion Gelding and Reserve Champion English Pleasure.

In the short time since Amy recognized, and then developed, Durango’s dressage talent, they have earned considerable accolades including placing 4th Nationally at Third level and 5th Nationally at Fourth level in the Small Horse Division of National Pony Cup in 2022. Currently this pair is standing 3^rd at Fourth Level in the Small Horse Division of NDPC!

Next up for this black 14.3 hand gelding is the USDF regional championships for which this pair is already qualified. As for the future, Amy states “I am hoping to pull out my shad belly and go down the centerline with Durango at Prix St. George’s in 2024.” “I had no knowledge about Cobs in Dressage until Durango came to my barn. I now can’t imagine having another breed. I know that Bonnie and Todd have bred other Cobs that are related to Durango in their breeding program and I am keeping my eye on them!”

Pedigree

Jenny Knight and Taraco Mourinho

Welsh Cobs in Sport Newsletter checked in with Jenny Knight and her two Section D Welsh Cob stallions.

“I started showing a little late in this show year and so I’ve been chasing scores for USDF All Breeds/ National Pony Cup, (sm horse division)/WPCSA. Two more shows to go before the year ends! Fingers crossed.”

With her young stallion, Quillane Accolade “Ritz”, Jenny has been showing in the Materiale 4 and 5 year old stallions/geldings and Training Level Test 3.

Jenny says “the Materiale is mostly for fun. I obviously realize he is not going to pull crazy scores like the huge moving warmbloods but he has been getting good scores and very encouraging remarks from the judges. At the August Gold Coast Dressage Association (GCDA) ‘Made in the Shade’ show in the Material he scored a 69.90% with the highlight being his canter and in the overall impression which is: temperament, trainability, ridability, development for age etc.” Only a few weeks later, Jenny and Ritz had their best showing to date with a 73.2% in his materiale class at White Fences!

Ritz has also been getting nice scores and positive feedback in the Training Level Tests as well. Scoring a 68.60% and a 65.80% which was combined to 67.20% and Ritz and Jenny came in third in Saturday’s class. On Sunday the pair ended up with 67.00% to earn a second place finish. Great scores for this young cob!

Jenny’s other cob stallion, Taraco Mourinho “Mario” has just made his debut at Prix St.George. “I showed him a few weeks ago for the first time at this level and to say we both were green is an understatement. We had lots of homework and our progress showed this past weekend. We managed to pull a 63.82% and won the class. I am over the moon happy that he and I are ‘here’ at this level!”

Being great breed ambassadors are part of the Welsh Cob pair’s job. Jenny reports that her Welsh cob boys always bring the question, “what are they?” Welsh Cobs of course!

Quillane Accolade pedigree

Tacaco Mourinho pedigree

Lindsey Swardz and Lethal Weapon of Spring Song

The five year old Welsh Cob, Lethal Weapon of Spring Song, is starting off his dressage career in style! Showing at the August USEF recognized Summervale Equestrian Center Dressage Show, “Sniper” and his owner / rider Lindsey Swardz won both their Training Level Opportunity Classes with a 66.15% and a 68.46%.

When Sniper is not trail riding or running with his favorite dogs, he is ridden by both Lindsey and her 14 year old daughter. Both riders take lessons from Rachel Marie at Maiari Sporthorse Stables in Tumwater, WA.

Since purchasing Sniper in the fall of 2022, this 14 hand bay cob has made a big impression with the Swardz family. Linsey says “This pony is such a lovable goofball that my daughter has created an Instagram account that features him called 'thehorseandhisgurl.’ She posts videos and pictures of him being crazy, funny and just plain adorable!

On this duo’s bucket list is competing at the National Dressage Pony Cup which should be a straightforward path for this Spring Song bred gelding.

Sport Pony in-hand at the Northwest Pony Festival

Cardod Welsh's Section D colt *Seiont Arthur was the Junior reserve champion.

Welsh Couture by Spring Song, Welsh Section C, was Reserve Champion Mature Pony and Reserve Grand Champion overall

Inspection News

Breeders of our Welsh Section C and Section D can present foals, youngstock, mares, and stallions to various sport pony organizations for evaluation. One of the most valuable outcomes of presenting a pony at a sport pony inspection is getting the feedback on conformation and movement from the experienced evaluators that see hundreds of sport ponies each year. Quality young cobs can usually score well due to their longer leg to body ratio when they are young. As mature cobs, their greater body to leg ratio can be a disadvantage when being scored as a sport pony for the European type registries. Cob and Pony Cob breeders should anticipate this bias in mature cobs. Nevertheless, the evaluation of movement and correct conformation is a valuable tool for breeders to pursue. Here are some inspection results.

Vaquera’s Hope Ffloats (Castleberrys Echo x Castleberrys Ffrangipani) is a two year old Welsh Cob filly owned by Amanda Frazier. Even though it was her first time out, she handled the the inspection like a pro and earned an Elite score of 88 which ended up being the highest scoring Belgian Riding Pony (BRp) Mare in North America for 2023! "I always knew she broke the mold on my reining cob dreams. She has sport pony written all over her. The inspector had wonderful things to say and asked if I had repeated this cross." conveys Amanda. "Echo passed on his great mind and movement."

Castleberry's Aiden (Castleberry's Red Dragon x Castleberry's Aeres x Castleberry's Ffame Ap Culhwch) Welsh Section D colt earned an Elite score of 80 points at the BRp inspection. Owned and bred by Lisa Brezina

Castleberry's Ffor The Record (Castleberry's Red Dragon x Castleberry's Ffion x Nebo Daniel) awarded First Premium score of 79 at the BRp inspection. This Welsh Section D colt is owned and bred by Lisa Brezina.

Castleberry's Arabella (Castleberry's Reno x Castleberry's Athanasia x Gwynfaes Culhwch)awarded and Elite score of 82 at the BRp inspection. This filly is owned and bred by Lisa Brezina.

Castleberry's Rhiannon (Castleberry's Ffame Ap Culhwch x North Star Rebecca x Jireh Justice) earned a First Premium score of 79 at the BRp inspection. This Welsh Cob filly is owned and bred by Lisa Brezina

Castleberry's Ffantastique (Castleberry's Red Dragon x Castleberry's Ffair Lady x Castleberry's Cadance) awarded a First Premium score of 77 at the BRp inspection. The Welsh Cob filly is owned and bred by Lisa Brezina.

The Welsh Cob Stallion RWC Atreyu (Gallod Auryn x Madoc Belle x Kentchurch Chime) who is owned by Claire Philpott and ridden by Tracey Rowe became a fully liscensed German Riding Pony breeding stallion after his presentation at the September Westfalen inspection tour. This is an addition to "Trey's" ISR / Old license.

Wintercreek Citrine (North Forks Brenin Cardi x Stagecoach Queen Melba x Tuscani Aramis) scored an 8.4 at her Westfalen inspection. This Welsh Cob is owned by Claire Philpott and was bred by Kristin Peterson.

welshcna@yahoo.com