April 2010

2010 has got off to a good start for Milford ponies with Milford Grand Marnier achieving first in the 153cm riding pony, Lee Smith Champion Riding Pony and Champion Open Riding Pony at the Ponies UK Northern Winter Championships. He was also second in the 148cm part bred class, Lee Smith Champion Partbred and second in the 148cm competition/ dressage pony.

Milford Funtime has also made a good start to the 2010 season, winning the Heritage Mini WHP Championship at BSPS Winter Championships.

Izzy (Milford Fair Kizmet: FOR SALE (pictured)) is on loan this season and will be for sale at the end of the season. She jumped clear in her first ever WHP class and then went to the NECWPCA Youngstock and Ridden Show where she won the novice M&M first ridden, was second in the open M&M ridden and won the novice small breeds ridden classes. On the 11/04/10 Izzy jumped two fantastic clearrounds around testing courses to come fourth in the open M&M WHP and second in the style and performance.

Two of this years foals by Rhoden Sensation have arrived - a bay colt out of Whalton Careless Wispa and a tobiano filly out of Milford Cassis. See foal pages for pictures!

July 2009

Izzy (Milford Fair Kizmet: FOR SALE) has returned home after 6 weeks schooling with Jennifer and is going beautifully and jumping everything put in front of her - ugly fillers aren't an issue! She really is the most sensible, straight-forward pony you could wish for and will make a lucky child very happy.

Ben (Tymor Benitez (Sec D) FOR SALE) is also home after being backed by Eleanor Mercer and is absolutely fabulous. He is really kind, calm and sensible and is now schooling really well. He is just getting the hang of cantering which has not come easy as he has a mega cob trot but he really tries and is getting there by cantering in the woods. He is a fabulous hack and sensible beyond his years. He will go out with others or on his own and when meeting others will happily pass and go on his own way with no fuss - he is a pleasure to ride.

We have entered Izzy and Ben for Equifest and both will be for sale there; we have managed to borrow a young jockey for Izzy but Ben is only entered for in hand - we will enter him for ridden at the show if the cantering comes on. Sadly I do not have the time to invest in him to get this going at the moment but I have nearly 3 weeks so don't write us off yet!!

Showing wise it has been a good month - Debra Wilson took her yearling Milford Fair Honeydew (Honeybee's sister) for her first outing to Lanchester (silver medal show) and won her class. Sparky (Dearne Valley Spartacus) and Abbie Macmillan-Jones went to NPS area 29 and had a fab day winning the Welsh Ridden Champ and WPCA performance medal, Bob Templeton Large Breeds and Res Champ Bob Templeton Qualifier. A huge well done to both owners. We attended the Royal and due to me not noticing that the timetable had been changed we unfortunately missed Breeze's class (we were not the only ones to miss it I might add!) but Honeybee (FOR SALE) was 3rd. We then we went to Border Union in Kelso and had a very good day with Breeze and Honeybee, both winning their classes with Breeze being Sec B Champion again. We have two entire full brothers to Breeze for sale who would be excellent propsitions for the future.

The foals are coming along really well; Fairy Queen's in particular (Milford Sparkle: FOR SALE) is outstanding and is going to be an amazing 13hh show hunter.  We are still waiting for Merryment Honeymoon to foal - she was due, so we thought, in May but was running with Fanfare and has obviously returned and been recovered and is now bagging up so hopefully in August news we will be able to announce the new arrival (full sibling to Honeybee and Honeydew)! We would like to take this opportunity to wish all "Milford" ponies and the few Cobs we have sold the very best of luck at the various champs in August and look forward to hearing your results and seeing pics! Please let us know how you get on for our August update.

June 2009

June has again been a very busy month.  Izzy (Milford Fair Kizmet) has been back with Jennifer Cowan for a refresher course and is going really sweetly and is now learning to jump; let's hope she turns out as good as her close relations.  Our 4yr old Sec D Tymor Benitez is away for backing and will come home for schooling in the next couple of weeks. Both these ponies will be going to Equifest and will be available for sale there (or before if anyone interested).

We are really pleased to hear that Kestrel and Sparky (Dearne Valley Spartacus - section D) who we sold in spring have both settled well and are doing really well for their new owners.  Kestrel has combined covering his lovely ladies at Maureen Fielding's Offcotes Stud with a few show outings including being Champion section B at Derby county.  Sparky is going great guns with his capable young jockey Abbi Macmillan-Jones and has already qualified NPS summer champs, winter young rider and SWPCA summer champs.We wish both ponies and their connections continuing success!

Breeze and Honeybee have continued their showing success for us with Breeze being 1st & Ch at North Yorkshire County where Honeybee was 3rd, and then we went to Lincoln where Breeze was 2nd and Honeybee 4th.

Our most exciting news is that we have finally purchased a new section B stallion.  I thought it may never happen to find a combination of lovely old bloodlines and the kind laid-back temperament for which Milford ponies are renowned, wrapped up in a beautiful typey outer, but he does exist and we are very grateful to Debbie and Gareth Jones of Fairywood Stud in Wales for selling us their pride and joy "Cadlan Valley Eloquence".  Quince is an absolute treasure and arrived at Milford in time to cover Breeze and Jazmine so we will be wishing the time away to next spring!  More details to follow when we update the stallion page.

May 2009

The bank holiday weekend proved a successful one for Milford bred ponies. Milford Grand Marnier qualified for the RIHS on his first attempt; congratulations to Hayley and Charis. We attended the Scottish & Northern WPCA show with our own Milford Fair Breeze who won the Equifest small breed qualifier, section B barren mare and was adult champion. Milford Fair Honeybee was third in the 2 & 3yo section Bs.

Milford Fair Karisma also produced a stunning big chestnut part-bred colt by Rhoden Sensation to add to our tally of foals so far: a dun filly and a chestnut filly by Rhoden Sensation, and a chestnut colt by Milford Fanfare. We are still waiting on one more expectant mother and all foals will be for sale.

April 2009

Milford Grand Marnier is continuing his success in his new home, coming first and champion in the amateur riding pony section at Ponies UK Northern Winter Championships to the pony that went on to be supreme of the show. It was decided not to present Andy in the supreme due to him and Charis being a relatively new partnership, but we are sure they will carry on to do great things.He was also first and champion in the intermediates section at a show the previous week.We have retained Andy's full sister and, numbers permitting, we hope to breed from her this year.

Sadly, after much deliberating, we have decided to offer our stallion Milford Fair Kestrel for sale as we feel that he is wasted with us. This is a heartbreaking decision and we hope that he finds a wonderful home where he can reach his true potential.We are trying to cut down our numbers due to lack of time and space, and may consider selling some of the ponies that we previously intended to keep - so if you see something you like that is not marked as for sale, it may still be worth asking!

November 2008

Milford Grand Marnier was third in the Search for a Star show pony section at HOYS, a very impressive achievement for a partnership that was new this season. He has since been sold and we wish him every success in his new home. Milford Fair Kismet was been sent away to be professionally broken through October and made it to her first ever ridden show at the beginning of November, where she behaved perfectly and came fourth in a strong class of eight. She has since been brought home and turned away and will be brought out under saddle in spring if she is not sold before.