current news

Well have now sold the colt foal H.Jackson to Maria Bird in Ascot. He will be staying here until the spring.

Have heard from F.Royal Joker's owners - he has now been backed and has been ridden round their school by a friend's young daugher - and so far has not put a foot wrong.

Well F.Royal Joker has gone off to his new home as a lead rein / first ridden pony. Caught him in the field no problems (as usual) walked him up gave him a cuddle and he went straight in the trailer. Have heard that he has arrived safely.

Well have just weaned the last foal - H.Jackson. He was no trouble to put a headcollar on in the stable - just stood there and let me do it - wish the were all like that!

Just got back from a quick weekend in Scotland - stayed at Glenmuir Stud and spent part of every day in the field with Glenmuir Buzzard, my new stallion getting him used to being prodded and poked and having his feet picked up. He has really matured in the last couple of months and is now very friendly and has an abundance of mane and forelock to groom!

Drove up to have a look at Sue Wardrop's Carlung Stud in West Kilbride where I saw some lovely mares and foals.

On Sunday I was taken on a surprise trip to Monreith Stud at Port William to see MacGregor of Achnacarry who I had some years ago (sire of H.Cobweb); he is now 18 and still as soppy as ever, although completely white now, I also saw H.Fruich (Fiona of Litigan x MacGregor) who I sold to Monreith as a yearling and she is looking very well indeed and in foal.

Well two of the highland foals are now weaned and happily being led from their field to their respective stables - H.Kansas has become the most friendly foal around - happy to come up and be caught from the field, led round, rugged, feet done etc etc. She moves beautifully in the field and hope she will follow in H.Cascade's footsteps in the next couple of years.

Well Firsedge Songbird has gone off to his new home - one small dartmoor foal in very big horse lorry all by himself, but have heard that he arrived safely and is grazing quite happily in his new field. H.Chicago and H.Kansas are being weaned and have settled down almost immediately they are now both completely halter broken, happy to be groomed, feet picked up - oh and eat - anything ! Chicago had been shown but it is all new to Kansas.

Have weaned the two highland filly foals - Holmedown Chicago and Holmedown Kansas.

Some very sad news, I found Firsedge Sophie dead in the field last night - no trampled grass or anything round her. Had her collected by the local hunt this morning and then my vet and I went over to kennels to PM her. She had a huge rupture of the liver - caused by trauma - we can only think it was from a kick or a fall in the field. Her foal was grazing with the highland mares and foals and seems to have accepted that mum has gone. The vet is sure that she would have gone in seconds, which is good, and she was in foal as we found a tiny foetus which was saddening.

News form NPS Championships, Malvern - Holmedown Cascade finished 6th in the Picton Final and was 2nd in the Highland in-hand class.

Rowena Steady who owns Holmedown Christabella (Johnsondene x Cassonary of Woodhaven) telephoned to let me know that she has had a very successful season so far. She won the Open Ridden at Honiton and finished Reserve Champion.

Well I took Johnsondene back to Kewstoke Stud, with fond farewell's - he has left a lot of top class stock for me - you only have to look at the results on this news page to see that he leave good ridden and in-hand ponies. He left me with two filly and one colt foal this year, and three mares back in foal to him for next year. I also took his best friend the dartmoor stallion Firsedge Royal Joker in the lorry with him to keep him company - and ended up selling him too as a leadrein / first ridden pony. He is so quiet, and I brought him back that evening to be gelded here - and ended up backing him - he didnt even twitch an ear when I jumped on him with him just wearing a headcollar and rope.

Helen White, who owns Holmedown Fingal came down to see Johnsondene before he goes back to Kewstoke Stud. H.Fingal has been excelling himself in the showring in East Anglia as usual, taking several in-hand and ridden Championships.

Just to catch up H.Cascade who has been winning well this season - winning the Olympia Qualifying Class for Fells, Dales & Highland at the New Forest Show - she was also Res Ch M&M there. She has been consistently winning ridden and in-hand classes including the M&M class at NPS 25, the Junior Ridden at Chard and several Picton Qualifiers.

All the puppies have now gone to superb homes, some working which is great. They have all settled down well and I have kept George (not sure why !) who seems to be Rosco (my old spaniel who many of you will remember) re-incarnated. At the age of three months, he retrieves anything and everything - TV remote, stones from the garden etc etc, and on walks just leaps into the canal at every opportunity for a swim.

Well have just got back from a very successful day at The Royal. Lovely weather driving up yesterday, and despite the forecast it held out for the Wednesday as well. H.Cobweb was 6th in a large 4 & over mare class and her filly foal, H.Chicago was superbly behaved and was Res Champion foal. The wind started to whip up about 2.00pm so we decided to leave, one tree was down on the road about 30 minutes from the showground but we managed to weave through it, but about 2 hours down the road the gales and the rain hit. Luckily we missed the traffic through Bristol and got home in just over three hours - to more rain and wind.

Well home now after a trip up to the Royal Highland at Edinburgh, wow, did it rain, everywhere flooded from Wednesday, and showing highlands wearing three jackets to try and keep dry. Friday however was a beautiful day for the ridden but the rain came back for Saturday which is a great shame. Saw some lovely ponies up there, including a gelding from my old mare Fiona of Litigan who is the spitting image of his mother.

Just got back from Royal Cornwall where H.Cobweb with her filly foal won the 4 year and over class and went Champion.

Went to NPS Devon show - first one of the year for me ! Took H.Cobweb and her filly - 2nd to a very nice fell stallion.

F.Sophie's colt foal - F.Songbird (by Cosden Cracker) has been sold to Mr and Mrs Baldwin of Whitstable, Kent

The last foal for this year .... H.Cobweb has at last had a filly ! Father is Johnsondene and it is up and bouncing around quite happily.

Well at last Pantmanrs Junket has foaled - a bay colt - born this morning, and very friendly

Yet another foal - a highland filly from Drumpark Kara (by Johnsondene) - born 4 o'clock this afternoon - I was sitting in the field watching the ponies, Kara came up and plonked herself next to me and had it !!

Collected F.Sophie and foal (by Cosden Cracker) and Junket and brought them back to Exeter - unfortunately someone has very kindly cut Sophie's tail and Junket's mane and tail - Sophie not being the easiest pony to catch when she has a foal at foot probably wouldn't let them do her mane. The foal is very pretty and friendly - a bay colt - who walked straight up the trailer beside mum in the road - wish they all did that !

Another foal born today - dartmoor this time from Firsedge Sabrina (Stoneyoak Dark Czar x Firsedge Sophie) by Firsedge Royal Joker. A very pretty black filly with a small star.

Some sad news in as far as Sabrina's filly foal died today - was doing really well then suddenly just lost the will to live - stopped suckling and wandering aimlessly round the field with no interest in mother, father - just the springer spaniel. She seemed to go blind and could make out shadows but that was it as when we brought her in she just walked straight into the sides of the stable. Such a shame as she was a really nice filly, but these things happen.

Well my first 2004 foal has been born on a gloriously sunny day. A colt from Jayne of Meadowhead (Highland Chief) by Johnsondene

Some brilliant news - Holmedown Cascade has today qualified for the NPS Picton Championship - and also went Champion Ridden Novice at a show today. Well done to Karen Knock who is producing her for me again this season, and to her new 14 year old jockey.

No pony news - but we have puppies ! Seven springer spaniels - 5 dogs and 2 bitches - all liver and white. Will be available for sale in a few weeks time.

Well Holmedown Wellington (alias "Boots") has gone off to his new home with Kate Denny in Ipswich. He loaded well into Clare Howarth's lorry and travelled well. Unfortunately to the bad weather and snow, Clare could not make it all the way in time, so Kate met her with a trailer and they swapped in a lorry park. Boots loaded into the trailer and carried on his way, (although he had never been in one before) and has settled in well with his new field mate.

HOLMEDOWN HIGHLANDS	FOR SALE	FIRSEDGE DARTMOORS
INDEX	LINKS	PHOTOS

HOLMEDOWN HIGHLANDS	FOR SALE	FIRSEDGE DARTMOORS
INDEX	LINKS	PHOTOS