In the last twelve months Willowcroft Stud has again enjoyed success in the show rings around Australia and although it has become difficult to keep up with horses we have bred that are competing around the country (in various disciplines including Grand Prix dressage)there is one Riding Pony/Galloway that has done so well in the show ring that he has achieved celebrity statist… Willowcroft Regal Winter

Willowcroft Regal Winter (by Urubula Regal Promise), owned by Laura, Lynda and Peter Widdowson and ridden by Adam Oliver, has won five major Ridden Galloway Championships at Royal Shows over the last 18 months plus the Grand National Small Galloway of the Year plus numerous Riding Pony awards !! He won his first Royal Champion at Canberra Royal in 2006 followed by Sydney and Brisbane to achieve “the triple crown”. This year he has again achieved what most would think was impossible with the quality of saddle galloways in Australia now – two Royals –Canberra and Sydney – for two Champions with a Grand National win tucked in between for good measure!!. Congratulations to the Widdowson team for their enviable achievements – five consecutive Royal Championships plus a Grand National Galloway of the Year – this must surely be a record.

Another Galloway by Regal Promise that has had a fabulous year is Bree and Nick Petree's Willowcroft Chance Encounter winning Champion Saddle Galloway at Melbourne Royal ; VASA Large Galloway Champion (for the second time in a row) and Barastoc Galloway of the Year '07as well as winning at Canberra Royal. Canberra, now one of the biggest and most popular Royals in the country, saw many other Willowcroft's by Urubula Regal Promise in the winners circle. Willowcroft. Cruise Control, making his Royal debut, won the Novice Small Galloway and Res. Champion Galloway Gelding. He was also a finalist at the National Riding Pony show Led and Ridden His full-sister W. Annie's Lane, owned by Susie Burt and the  Mackinnon family, was successful in the Ladies Galloway along with Emma Marie's W. Garland.(Urubula Regal Promise/W. Saphire).  Mimi Elliot's W. Regal Sensation was also a winner in the Galloway ring and I understand his full-brother Regal Occasion (out of Serene Festive Occasion imp) was successful in the pony hacks. 

In NSW Maryanne Bullpitt has had great success with her small Galloway Regal Rhapsody. Maryanne owns W. Regal Secret who was Champion Ridden at Canberra and Sydney and Supreme Riding Pony at Sydney Royal twice. Secret is now in foal to Oakvale Serenade but was ridden to success at Canberra Royal by Courtney Herd. Coincidently Courtney is having great success in Victoria with her new small galloway Tailormade who is a  full-brother to Regal Rhapsody.!

It is a challenge to keep up with the horses we have bred and their successes in the show ring and I wish I had more time to keep track of “where are they now?”.  We love to hear how they are fairing and it is fascinating to see how particular family lines continue to be successful  For example, at  this years Sydney Royal, the Saddle Galloway Champion Regal Winter, is out of W. Winter, a full-sister to W.Wizard (W. Vagabond/W. Raffles). The Res. Champion, Paint the Stars of Astral, is out of Kirreway Tranquility who was by W. Wizard.  Tranquility is also the dam of the very good moving Showpiece, National Flag and Masterpiece of Astral as well as Mirinda Jack of Diamonds and K. Explorer. This fabulous movement can be attributed to some extent to Lennels Strolling Minstrel considered to be one of the best moving Riding Pony sires in the U.K.  W. Wizard's sire W. Vagabond was by  The Laird(imp) out of a Strolling Minstrel daughter, Redmayne Primula  Other top movers currently in the spotlight  that are out ofa mares by Wizard are the Grand National Pony of the Year Sanlirra Just Gossip and the Brisbane Champion Saddle Pony Westlake Hummingbird.

It is now also particularly rewarding to see the young progeny by Emblem starting to make their mark in the show ring. Emblem is by Urubula Regal Promise out of Willowcroft Saphire (W. Wizard/ Weston Sequin by Rotherwood Acrobat (imp). The Widdowson Family in Qld have a brother to Regal Winter by Emblem called Merivale Park Steal the Show. “Hugo”,  won Supreme Led Riding Pony Exhibit at Toowoomba Royal at his first outing and has since beaten his brother for Champion Gelding at the Qld Riding Pony of the Year Show. At the Arabian Nationals Regal Emblem's progeny also excelled. W. Regal Princess owned by the Fallick family won Champion 3 yrs and under and Naaman Stud's Merivale Park NV was awarded Champion Riding Pony Stallion.

Demia de Tonnerre's Willowcroft Royal Acclaim by Emblem recently won Champion Novice Galloway at Bathurst Royal shortly after a most successful day at the National Saddle Pony Show where she was awarded Supreme Saddle Pony and Grand Champion Ridden Exhibit of the Show.  Reserve Champion went to another Emblem filly owned by Kayla Guner. In Vic Emma Richardson's Willowcroft Spring Holly by Emblem has been very successful under saddle with wins including the Childs Pony at Melbourne Royal. Also to do well in Vic. is Leanne Fielding's Regal Tradition and Manorvale's Diamond Diva.

In SA Ke-Anbree De Ja Voue owned by Kelly Mules won the SA Rising Star Galloway of the Year as a three year old and attracted a fan club at the Grand Nationals. De Ja Vou was the 2005 SA Riding Pony Youngstock of the Year. Last year this award was won by another Emblem baby – this time the beautiful yearling Willowcroft High Society owned by Annabell Kerslake. High Society won her Riding Pony Class at Adelaide Royal but was beaten for Champion Filly by W. Pretty Woman. Pretty Woman (Oakvale Serenade/Willowcroft Saphire) who had won Supreme Riding Pony Exhibit at Sydney Royal as a yearling in 2005 went on to win the Supreme award at Adelaide Royal It was such a thrill to have three Champions in the line up for Supreme. The Champion Gelding, Willowcroft Manuscript, was also by Emblem and I hear that he is now going beautifully under saddle for young Holly Mc Donald Smith and will make his Newcomer debut later in the year.

In WA another Emblem youngster Willowcroft Insignia has been very successful and in NZ Willowcroft Sweet Secrets belonging to Katherine Kirk has recently won Newcomer Pony of the Year at the Grand Nationals. Emblem progeny also winning in SA include Lia Blacket's Wynara Regal Kiss .and Regal Romance of Class.     next page>>>>