willowcroft riding pony stud, australia, breeding quality riding pony galloways and ponies

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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.