Willowcroft Stud was established in 1976 when Anne Bailey purchased three imported riding pony mares from England. This was the culmination of years of planning and research with the view to purchasing a stallion and a nucleus of mares to start breeding English Riding Ponies in Australia.

In studying the pedigrees of the famous Riding Ponies in England it was obvious that Bwlch Valentino was the progenitor of the most successful sire lines in the breeding of the British Riding Pony. The characteristic sweeping action of the modern Riding Pony can be traced to him and his sons and Bwlch Valentino will always be looked upon as the founder of a dynasty of stunningly beautiful ponies.

In 1977, after a year of searching the UK for a Valentino colt, Anne was able to purchase and import "The Laird" from Cratfield Stud. The Laird was the third Riding Pony stallion to arrive in Australia. Anne was most fortunate to procure a colt by the then deceased Valentino.

The "icing on the cake" however was the impressive female line. The Laird's dam, Easter Star was by the well known little thoroughbred Gay Presto out of a daughter of the famous Arab Naseel, sire of one of the greatest UK ponies of all time, Pretty Polly.

This wonderful stallion died before his 22nd birthday, but his sons and grandsons continue to influence pony breeding in Australia. Champion Ridden Saddle Pony at the 2001 Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra Royal Shows, Heldon Park Calendar Girl, by Willowcroft Explorer by The Laird and the 2001 Sydney Champion, Kirreway Explorer, out of a mare by Willowcroft Wizard, is a grandson of The Laird by Willowcroft Vagabond.

The original mares also boasted outstanding pedigrees and included Towy Valley Hawthorn and the yearling, Heathrose Princess Alicia. Hawthorn topped off an illustrious show career in the UK by winning supreme champion at the Royal Welsh Show before being put in foal to Cygnet of Spring, full brother to three times Wembley winner and one of the most successful ponies of all time, Holly of Spring. The result of that mating was Willowcroft Valley Mist, a champion at the International Expo, who proved like her mother to be a fabulous broodmare, her progeny winning POY in Victoria, Queensland, and Sydney Royal. Two granddaughters and four great granddaughters are retained in the Stud today. Valley Mist is also the dam of the successful sire in Victoria, Langtree Valentine!

Heathrose Princess Alicia, a granddaughter of Valentino out of the very well performed show mare, Alice in Wonderland has also made a very significant contribution as a broodmare at Willowcroft. Her daughter Willowcroft Sea Cottage, by the NZ sire Willowcroft Hill Cottage (The Laird / Snowgoose imp.) is the dam of the 2000 Sydney Royal saddle winner and Victorian Newcomer of the Year, Willowcroft Regal Ensign she is also the dam of Willowcroft Regal Secret [pictured opposite] who has won Supreme Champion Riding Pony Exhibit at the Sydney Royal Easter Show twice as well as Champion Ridden Pony at Canberra and Sydney Royals.

Another imported mare, which has had a great influence of the breeding program at Willowcroft and may be of interest to NZ readers, is Snowgoose (imp. in utero) by Rosevean Eagle's Hill out of Rosevean Titter. This mare clicked very well with The Laird to produce the outstanding show mares, Willowcroft Hill Flower and Willowcroft Hill Promise as well as the lovely brown colt, Willowcroft Hill Cottage who was sent to NZ after blessing the Stud with two beautiful broodmares, Willowcroft Sea Cottage and Willowcroft Moss Cottage. Both mares have been marvellous to us crossing well to Wizard and Vagabond and now to Regal Promise. Sea Cottage, already been mentioned, is a daughter of one of the original 76 imports, Heathrose Princess Alicia. Moss Cottage is a granddaughter of Towy Valley Hawthorn and is the dam of the multi-supreme champion and Barastoc pony Willowcroft Regal Cottage by Urubula Regal Promise.

Now the Stud comprises more than 20 mares, ranging from 12.3 -16hh. Their pedigrees include some of the most famous lines in Riding Pony breeding in the UK, gathered together over 25 years. Many are discussed in the brief history of the stallions and a few of the first mares. Some of our other mares carry equally well known and successful lines from the UK such as, Westacre Concerto, Serendignette, Perkins of Spring, Rosslayne Blue Peter, Aristocrat of Flawforth, Rotherwood Footlight, Treharne Talisman, Carolinas Cat's Whiskers, Countessor of Flawforth and Keston Royal Occasion. Our thoroughbred mares are not so illustrious as we try to find the pretty ones that are slow, but there is a smattering of a few smart names in their breeding, such as Without Fear, Brahms, Jin Jang, Estaminet and Francis Bacon.

In 1983, the stud introduced a son of The Laird called Willowcroft Vagabond out of the imported mare Redmayne Primular. Primular's sire Lennel Strolling Minstral was by Cusop Vagabond, a grandson of Bwlch Valentino. Lennel Strolling Minstrel, a most influential sire himself, topped the sires rating in the UK for a number of years and is remembered, like Willowcroft Vagabond, for his most extravagant and correct movement.

Vagabond's produced exceptional galloways (14 to 15hh) out of thoroughbred mares. His first progeny on the ground, Willowcroft Wizard and Willowcroft Lyric were Champion Riding Pony Mare and Stallion at the Melbourne Royal Show as two-year-olds in 1986 and Wizard was awarded Grand Champion Exhibit. A very rewarding result as the judge was Mrs Davina Whiteman from the UK producer of eleven "Pony of the Years" and as a child was the jockey of the wonderful Pretty Polly. In the last two decades the list of "Galloway of the Year" and Royal Show Champions and Supremes by this 12.3hh gifted sire is endless. Vagabond's progeny have been competing successfully in the show rings throughout Australia, and also in the dressage fields. Willowcroft Holiday, previous Tasmanian Galloway of the Year also competes in Grand Prix dressage, as does his full brother Willowcroft Hollywood.

Willowcroft Wizard joined The Laird and Vagabond at the Stud in 1986. His first filly to be shown, Willowcroft Hill Song was presented with the Grand Champion Riding Pony Award at Melbourne Royal in 1989. Like his sire and grand-sire, Wizard's progeny have been extremely successful both in the show ring and the broodmare stakes.

Kirreway Explorer (Champion Saddle Pony Sydney Royal 2001), Masterpiece of Astral (Champion Led Saddle Pony Mare Melbourne Royal 2001), Willowcroft Regal Emblem and the 2000 Melbourne Royal 13.2 -14hh Novice winner, Willowcroft Regal Magic (to name just a few) are out of Wizard mares. In Tasmania in 2001, the four-year old Willowcroft Savoy by Wizard won Newcomer, Intermediate and Open Galloway of the Year.

In 1995, Willowcroft purchased the sensational dark brown Riding Pony Urubula Regal Promise from Helen Clift. Promise has had a huge impact on the Stud in the last decade and is the sire of Willowcroft Regal Emblem. "Curly", as he was affectionately known, is a superb type, and 13.2hh, with the most magnificent front and delightful nature, which he past on to all his foals. His pedigree is a unique blend of the magic bloodlines of Twylands Troubadour, Rotherwood Footlight, Catherston Night Safe and Contessa of Flawforth (full sister to Aristocrat of Flawforth the first Riding Pony to be imported to Australia). His performances include Champion Stallion at Sydney Royal, Supreme Riding Pony at Adelaide Royal, and National Riding Pony of the Year in 1999.

Regal Promise's progeny are excelling in the show ring, both in hand and under saddle. Merivale Park Whispers, NSW Pony of the Year Willowcroft Regal Signature, Willowcroft Garland  Res. Champion Childs Galloway/Hack Melb. Royal 06 , Willowcroft Regal Rhapsody (Adelaide Royal Champion and now in QLD) and Willowcroft Regal Secret (Sydney and Canberra Champion Ridden Pony and twice Supreme Led Riding Pony Exhibit at Sydney Royal) are just a few of his successful descendants. Regal Promise has also produced two Crane Trophy winners at Sydney Royal, Willowcroft Regal Design in 2005, and Willowcroft Regal Wish in 2006. Other prestigious award winning stock by Regal Promise include Grand National Galloway of the Year, Beaufort Heiress (AI), Willowcroft Regal Winter - Champion Galloway at the 2006 & 2007 Canberra Royals, 2006 Sydney Royal Easter Show and the 2006 Brisbane Royal Show!! .To top off this phenomenal success in the ridden galloway ring in 2006 another Regal Promise son Willowcroft Chance Encounter was awarded the Champion Galloway at Melbourne Royal as well as VASA Champion & Barastoc Galloway of the Year in Vic.

Newcomer stars starting off their careers include Willowcroft New York –EFA  Newcomer Hack of the Year in WA,. Willowcroft Night Music Novice winner at Melbourne Royal and the delightful small galloway Willowcroft Regal Destiny who had a fabulous run at Adelaide Royal and was awarded Hygain and EFA Small Galloway of the Year. There is no doubt that Regal Promise has a reputation for producing stock of exceptional quality and movement throughout the show rings in Australia.

Urubula Regal Promise's son, Willowcroft Regal Emblem, currently the main sire at Willowcroft is a magnificent small Galloway with great refinement, elegance and outstanding conformation. This multi-supreme champion is out of Willowcroft Saphire, a stunning liver chestnut by Willowcroft Wizard from Weston Sequin. He has a beautiful head with lovely big eye, a huge length of rein and eye-catching, elevated and expressive movement. Emblem has been competing in the show rings since 2001, adding numerous Champions and Supremes to his name. Highlights include; 2003 National Champion Led Show Pony of the Year, 2003 Sydney Champion Ridden Stallion All Breeds under 14.2hh, 2003 Supreme Led Riding Pony Exhibit at Brisbane Royal 2005 Supreme Led Riding Pony Exhibit at Adelaide Royal,  and 2005 National Champion Ridden Riding Pony Stallion or Colt of the Year.

His pedigree boasts some of the most successful bloodlines both in Australia and the UK. Willowcroft Miss Money Penny, Willowcroft Show Me, W. Regal Tradition, Dirigeree Park Regal Minetta, Merivale Park NV, Willowcroft Showpiece are a few of Emblem's progeny that have excelled in the show ring. In addition, Emblem's full brother, Willowcroft Regal Bronze was the first Riding Pony to be exported to the UK –Purchased by Jerome Harforth of Stanley Grange Stud, one of the United Kingdom's leading studs and showing yards. Furthermore, Emblem's AI foals in the UK are proving to be successful with Rennelles Regal Romance winning the Supreme of Supreme Champions at the British National Foal of the Year Show.

Photo Willowcroft Regal Bronze taken by Sally P Coles

Willowcroft Stud has also been lucky enough to lease Oakvale Serenade, a beautifully refined Riding Pony stallion (13hh) for four seasons ( 2003 -06). This sensational pony is by Syon Royal Portrait (Imp.) and out of the very successful show mare, Chippenham Pop Music (Boy Soprano Imp./Walnut Princess Imp.). He has an exquisite head, exceptional confirmation and a real pony charm. Serenade is the sire of some of the most successful ponies in the country notably the Grand National Pony, Royalwood Merry Music. Willowcroft has seen some of his progeny already winning at Royal Shows. Willowcroft Pretty Woman was awarded Supreme Led Riding Pony Exhibit at Sydney Royal Easter Show and Adelaide Royal Show in 2006.   Serenade will be an important contributor to the meticulous breeding program at Willowcroft. He is extremely pre-potent  and an excellent cross producing ponies and galloways that combine his exquisite pony characteristics with the  huge  movement and sound conformation that the Willowcroft horses are so well-known.

For more than 30 years, Willowcroft Stud have produced quality Riding Ponies, galloways and small hacks that have excelled in the show ring. The Stud has had the use of  exceptional stallions and beautiful, well bred mares. It has developed a winning breeding program that has evolved and progressed over time. Today, Willowcroft is among the most successful Riding Pony and Show Horse studs in Australia and has exported youngstock in New Zealand and England.