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100 miles for 100 years

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In 2016 the Dales Pony Society celebrates 100 years since the stud book began and efforts within the society are being concentrated on planning a multitude of education, inspirational, social and commerative events in 2016 to really celebrate this milestone and create a legacy that will see the society into its second centenary. Fundraising has begun in earnest to allow all the ideas and plans to take fruitition and a hardy group of six riders and their Dales Ponies have set themselves the challenge to ride 100 miles over 4 days. Travelling up the Pennine Bridleway starting at Hebden Bridge on Saturday 26th July, the riders and ponies will travel up to Salterworth before camping over night and then continue onto Settle and then Selside the Monday and finally finishing in Kirkby Stephen on the 28th July. The riders are raising money for both the DPS Centenary funds (60%) and also Cancer research (40%) as it is a charity also very dear to the riders’ hearts.

Please sponsor our riders and ponies in this feat, it will be split between the DPS Centenary Fund (60%) and Cancer Research (40%) and we hope to make as much money for our causes as possible.

This is a ride organised by 6 Dales Pony friends and their ponies; it is not an official DPS ride but 6 friends trying to raise money for two causes very dear to all our hearts. 

The DPS have very kindly allowed us to put details on their website and the whole route map will be on there soon; if we pass close please do come wave us along and we intend to finish in Kirkby Stephen on Tuesday 28th July at 4pm (exact location to be finalised) and hope many locals will come see the ponies in. 

 Our Blog - Follow our training and adventure.... 


The Riders & Ponies
The riders and ponies come from a variety of backgrounds and histories and this is their story to date and why they are so passionate about completing the ride…..

Anna Pennell & Nipna Flora

Flora is a homebred 7 year old mare who is generally found stampeding around showground’s; after a very successful in hand showing career Flora had her first novice season under saddle in 2014 and also managed to win a handful of good open classes including the Dales NFU Mutual section at NPS Summer Championships.

Flora will be combining the ride alongside contending in HOYS classes this season and the ride will provide an interesting challenge that is very much outside of the pairs natural “comfort Zone”.

Anna is very proud to be riding for the DPS as the breed is very close to her heart and she looks forward to showing that “show ponies” can turn their hooves to many disciplines as well as the training rides planned."

Sarah Harrison & Tudor Raven

Raven is an 8 year old homebred gelding who is quickly becoming a true family pony; he has been shown in hand for most of this life, picking up Youngstock Champion as a two year old colt at the Dales Pony Society Spring Breed Show in 2009. 2014 was a particularly successful year for Raven in-hand being overall gelding Champion at both the Spring and Summer Breed Show and overall Mountain and Moorland Champion at North Yorkshire County Show. At home, Sarah hacks Raven over some of the lovely Durham countryside, woods and disused railway lines near to our home and in 2014 they completed three pleasure and endurance rides for the first time. Raven is used by Sarah’s husband as a driving pony and he is usually driven to a flat cart. Last year, their two young children started to ride Raven on a lead rein.

Sarah explains that she want to complete the ‘100 miles for 100 years’ ride for two reasons. “Firstly, it will raise money for our two worthy charities. It is an absolute pleasure to be riding for the good of our breed society and for Cancer Research; two charities very close to my heart. Secondly, I feel

this ride will demonstrate the versatility of our dales ponies. Dales ponies have a long history of being used for various purposes in industry and agriculture; completing a long and hard days work was an everyday task for many of Raven’s forebears. As the need for dales ponies to complete such tasks has decreased over the last 60 or so years, so have their numbers, and they are now on the Rare Breed Survival Trust’s Watch list of endangered breeds. I want to show just what our ponies can do in the modern age: that they can be an all round family pony who can turn their ‘hoof’ to anything. This year, 100 miles over the Pennine Bridleway, next year…

Roandale Rock & Charlie Parker

Charlie & Rocky are more often seen working together snigging timber or chain harrowing the fields on the families Teesdale hill farm. Rocky is a bay roan gelding one of the breeds rarer colors, his sire was Wharfedale Prince Regent and dam Sowermire Pippa. Rocky was foaled in 2001 he was his dams 1st foal and he was a real charactor from the word go! Always inquisitive and cheeky he would leave his bewildered dam to investigate any human who ventured into his field. He inherited his sires lovely nature and was used as a stallion leaving some nice bay roan fillies for the Parker’s after being gelded he was broken to ride and work in chains. Rocky has also been shown and with his unusual coloring is always a talking point. He adores attention and keeping busy so this long distance group ride should suit him well, Rocky has the uncanny knack of calmly getting a head collar off while being tied up then he quietly mooches off for a bite!

Amy Smith & Colliery James 

Amy has had dales ponies since she was 8 years old and takes part in many disciplines with them. She will be riding 7 year old gelding, Colliery James (Jim) and she got him last June from a horse and pony auction. Having lost my 8 year old gelding early on that year she wasn’t really wanting another pony as yet, however Jim wasn’t in the best of health not carry sufficient weight and looking quite sorry for himself and she just couldn’t pass him by. After fetching him home and having him fully checked over she discovered he had diastema in his teeth which explained the poor weight and since that day he has never looked back, with some nice soft food and plenty of grass he is so full of life.

At the moment Jim is still turned away  in his winter clothes living in an 18 acre field loving life and will be being brought back into work in the next week or two to start his 100 mile training. Amy is

also  hoping to get to some in hand shows with him but for me, as long as he is happy, he can spend his days just being my boy.

Amy says “The 100 mile ride is going to be a great experience for us both, raising money for 2 charities close to my heart. Anyone who has had anything to do with these amazing ponies know how special they are, Set them a challenge and they will do it. Having known Jim not even a year, I know he’ll not let me down as he has the true Dales resilience and spirit.”


Kevin Owens & Hett Chester

Hett Chester was purchased from the breeder David Raper as a yearling and is known at home as “Magic”. He has been shown in hand and won the cup for Best Gelding at Sedgefield Show as a 2 year old. Since being broken last year he is hacked out as often as can be and has now started some schooling. He is such an honest pony and has confidence regardless of any situation.

The reason for doing the 100 mile ride is that Kevin wants to promote the Dales pony breed and raise public awareness.  They want to show what they are capable of and support this endangered breed further. Kevin is normally spotted in his normal guise as the official DPS photographer and is planning on attaching headcams to a couple of riders for the duration of the ride – the riders have been warned they do record sound!!

Joanne Owens & Westwick Paddy

Paddy came from the breeder David Eccles when he was nearly 4 years old and he was very green and had not been handled very much.  Joanne was desperate to show him that year so they broke him in very quickly and managed to get him ready for the shows but he didn’t win much in his first year. Gradually he has gained confidence and is now competing in dressage, cross country and show jumping alongside the shows. He has worked his way up and we managed to win a Dales ridden class last year. He is now approaching the age of 7 and his favorite past time is now going out with the Braes of Derwent Hunt. He has a very unique personality but we have worked together to overcome many fears like getting shoes on and wearing a rug. Joanne says “the reason that I am doing the 100 mile ride is that it is such a big achievement for me and Paddy. It is something to work towards together and such an exciting opportunity. I am looking forward to the training in the months ahead.” Joanne is a full time assistant Vice-Principal at a local secondary school and fits in training around her busy work schedule.

Donations 

  • Penny Eminson
    • £15 
    • 9 yrs
  • Penny Eminson
    • £20 (Offline)
    • 9 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • £20 (Offline)
    • 9 yrs
  • Noreen Shaw
    • £20 (Offline)
    • 9 yrs
  • Pam Cornish
    • £10 (Offline)
    • 9 yrs

Organizer

Anna Pennell
Organizer

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