Fell Pony Stallion Show at Dalemain House, Ullswater

The Fell Pony Stallion Show at Dalemain House, May 2022

And the launch of 100 years of The Fell Pony Society!

Each year the Fell Pony Society hold a very special show at Dalemain House, close to Lake Ulswater in the Lake District. It’s a great event which highlights the very best of the Fell Pony stallions.  And it was made even more special this year. Firstly, it was the first time in two years the show was taking place, due to the pandemic, so it was wonderful catching up with so many friends, but it was also the start of celebrations for the Fell Pony Societies 100th year!

The Fell Pony

The fell pony is very close to my heart. I own Lathomdale Louie, who is my world and a fell pony! I was first introduced to the breed by my good friend Christine Jones, who has Haweswater Firecracker (Jasper), and I was captivated by the semi-feral herds that live all year round on the local fells. I started to walk up regularly and photograph them (if I could find them!), hidden away in their natural landscape and I was just hooked on this very special, clever and adaptable breed.

The Fell pony shares its origins with the now-extinct Galloway pony and is believed to have originated on the borders between England and Scotland around the Roman times. Primarily used as a working breed pony, they absolutely thrive in the harsh and tough conditions of the Cumbrian fells.

In 1922 the Fell Pony Society was set up in its present form, to keep the old breed of pony pure, as it was facing threats from cross breeding at the time, to produce larger farm horses and showy road animals such as the Wilson pony. Thanks to the Fell Pony Society, the breed has stayed very true from then to this day.

Fell Pony Stallion Show

The event is held with kind permission from Robert and Jane Hasell-McCosh, at Dalemain House.

Congratulations go to:
Champion Stallion – John Potter’s Heltondale Prince V shown by Courtney Savage.
Reserve – Drybarrows Dynasty shown by Tom Pearson.
Youngstock Champion – Greenholme Orlando for the Misses Potter,
Reserve – Setmabanning Poldark for Matthew Fearon.
Champion gelding Nicola Chippendale, Greenholme Hot Rod with Rob Relph-Briggs, Birkettbank Fergie in Reserve.

Fell Pony Display Team

It was a delight to be asked to stay at the end of the show and photograph the Fell Pony Display team! They do a great job promoting the Fell Pony at shows around the country and really promote just how versatile the breed can be.