As far as dressage-Ponies can compete in open or AA USDF divisons and be ridden by children or Adults.
Example of this would be Benno and Makuba, who have been very successful against horses in dressage. So I don’t think this is a big problem.
Now pony jumpers and hunters would be a very different situation.
Barb, I wasn’t being critical of the “kids to ride” angle, just wondering if the “adults to ride” might also be mentioned in promotion since someone…wait, I’m looking for the post…maple_brook wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> “Plus, I think as more and more adults go back to riding after decades away, the larger ponies with big WB movement will be appealing.” <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I’d been looking at the registry websites and noticed not much mention on them about a vision involving “adults to ride” (or drive) in addition to kids. Just seems a bit of an oversight, perhaps, in promoting the type–yeah, you know my background and why, but still makes sense to put a few words in, don’t it? 
OK! So we have the BRP, the GRP and the ARP. Next question, ladies: What were the foundation bloodlines, please?
I can guess one, though: Downland? What else? Did the GRP get its bone from the WBs that were bred down or from Welsh Cobs (which seem, in my eyes, to have a lot of traits in common with the GRP–do they?).
For those breeding sport ponies for Dressage, what do you do if the pony goes over height? Is it possible to still have a breeding prospect registered as a pony if it does go over? Also, is there going to be any section E registration as there is in Germany (from my understanding)?
Leah, the ASPR does require 10 foals scoring 7 and up, but the performance requirement can be fulfilled by being evaluated under saddle by the inspector at the initial inspection. One of my ponies was 4, just started, did walk, trot and canter and passed. What is super about the ASPR, IMO, is the very detailed inspection they do of conformation and gaits and temperament. The sheet the owner receives is very, very helpful, with scores down to joints, feet, etc and I was very impressed by the thoroughness of the evaluation and comments.
Ilona, I don’t know what you mean by a Pony Dressage division, but children can ride stallions in dressage and eventing, I can’t remember the requirements for showjumping, but it should be similar. Only adults can ride pony stallions in hunters in the US. There is a teenager who competed Wynnbrook Starburst, a Welsh stallion, in USDF shows last year before she outgrew him. I believe there is a lovely picture of her riding him on his website.
Ilona, I don’t think the performance requirements for ponies as an alternative to the 30 day test are specified. However, if they are similar to the horses, it is a high level of performance - top placings in PSG dressage, Grand Prix or Open Level 8 showjumping, intermediate/advanced 3 day events for a horse stallion. Also, if it is similar to horse stallions, there is a very limited time frame for the pony to meet sport test requirements between the initial inspection for a time-limited certified breeding license and the lifetime breeding license. I think the intent of having a sport performance alternative is really to keep this as an option for older, already highly competitive stallions. They would then “go backwards” so to speak to be inspected for the basic criteria such as conformation, gaits, etc. that is usually the first step in the approval process for a stallion that then goes the 30 day test route.
Hemmingway was imported to the US last year. He carries excellent Weser-Ems bloodlines (Halifax-Kaiserjäger xx) and was fully approved here as well as successfully participating in the Bundeschampionate twice.
His full brother just got reserve champion of this past Weser-Ems licensing and he is s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g 
Not sure if the new owner is standing Hemmingway at stud but he would be a very interesting breeding option for sure.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Wowelsh:
Are you sure the pony would have to be a partbred?
Here is another purebred Welsh Cob, Sect. D that is also being listed as “Licensed and Inspected by the German Hanoverian Pony Verband” and as a “Licensed German Riding Pony”:
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I suspect the “rules” and terminology would be the same for the GRP (and other European Riding Pony registries) as it is for the European Warmblood horse registries. If a stallion (or mare) is inspected and approved into the registry, it is thereafter a “GRP” or whatever the registry definition is … bloodline wise it will remain what it “was” … whether purebred Welsh, purebred New Forest or purebred Thoroughbred or Arabian.
You will see this in the European Warmblood pedigrees, since they are not “closed books”. Many times with the warmblood “horse” registries they will identify specific horses by breed, even though they are also licensed with that particular registry
One very good example of this is the stallion Furioso II … who was 100% Thoroughbred. He was also, first, licensed as Selle Francaise, and thereafter in several other warmblood registries. He appears and can legitimately be referred to as a SF, Oldenburg or as any of the other breeds he was approved into … but bloodline-wise, he is Thoroughbred. And his offspring are referred to not as “half-TB” but as “Oldenburg” or whatever breed registry that particular foal was registered into.
In all the warmblood pedigrees I’ve seen, the specific breed is identified. My warmblood stallion, who is licensed and approved Oldenburg, has horses that are identified as Hannoverian, Trakehner and Thoroughbred … but he is identified as an Oldenburg.
I don’t know if the GRP pedigrees are set up to identify ponies that are approved into the registry by breed, if they happen to be purebreds of a specific breed (Welsh, New Forest, etc.) but they may be … and if they follow the same pattern as the horse registries, only the “purebreds” of other breeds would be identified. The next generation, the half-breds from the approved “pure” parents would be identified only as “GRP” or whatever the registry designation was.
hluing:
On your request - here are some photos we took today of one of our Riding Pony colt foals.
Please keep in mind he is only 3 weeks of age.
Even though he is mine, I can, and will safely say, he blows my mind.
He has all the “strut”, presence and everything else I expect to see in a pony sire prospect of the future.
I just have to say I am really excited about sport ponies in the US…this forum currently has 2 active topics going on riding ponies and this one is on page 9. 
This is a fun time to be breeding ponies!
Yeah, Benno, those are some nice ponies! I believe that in Europe, England and Ireland, these kids jump easily to 4’6". It seems to me that in this country kids jump 2’ to 3’. Do ANY kids jump even at 3’6" here, nevermind 4’6"??? Any of you hunter or jumper people know??? I believe the pony jumper division is just getting restarted here in this country. It seems a shame to bring over a qualified 4’6" pony jumper and dumb him down to 2’6" - 3", but I know that a lot of adults do that with horses. They buy a 4’6" jumper but get scared when they see just how big a jump that is. Mind you, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with being scared of a fence that big, I know I am. I did jump one that high once, but it was in a “Chase me Charlie” game at riding school and I think I closed my eyes and left it to the professional school horse I was riding who would go over anything he was pointed at, with or without your urging.
Del & Tiki - thank you. Jennifer is down in Florida with Forrest, gaining some show experience. She does throw beautiful foals, had two already. Here is a pic of her first foal a filly pictured here as a yearling.
By the way, this is a great thread…very interesting.
Dune-Excellent point
We have heard about foals from Makuba and Lesley’s New Forrests. Has anyone had foals by other GRP’s or are you expecting any this spring?
Does anyone have pics to share?
Heather
Hi Del. The German Riding Pony is directly referred to as a “breed” in the German FN Yearbooks. They make reference to their horses as “riding horses” and reference their “breeding area”, e.g. Oldenburg. For the ponies, they specifically list the following breeds: Deutsches Reitpony, Connemara, Welsh (Section B, C, D), New Forest and Haflinger and publish information on the stallions of those breeds. The breed was developed by bartenders who did make great cocktails and the ponies are definitely “riding ponies” but the Germans consider them a breed.
Could you describe the difference between your sportpony registry and the Riding Pony Stud Book? And by what process do ponies enter into each? What ponies qualify for the (Australian)Riding Pony Studbook? I’m trying to figure this out in terms of comparable registries and breeds in Germany and in the US, with ponies and with horses. Has Australia already invented the wheel so we don’t have to?
Nancy the levels are lower - and I just can’t find the information that was forwarded to me - it was on my old computer which died. I’ll email again. The ponies in Germany have different tests than the horses unless they how Open. So it’s comparable to the pony tests. And it is the two year time period from inspection as I recall.
I’ll post what I find out here on the requirements. I wish they would put it in the breeding directory - I asked but they must have forgotten.
Wowelsh, it’s a matter of size for the A’s. Their height limit is so small that it would be difficult for them to be properly trained and ridden in dressage or jumping competitions. Their size limits them the smaller children riding them and the whole idea behind the European pony registries is to eventually get these ponies to the FEI Pony Test level, whether in dressage, jumping or eventing. I believe the FEI Pony Tests for dressage are at around 4th level. It would be very difficult for a small child to get there. The FEI Pony Jumper I think go up to 4’6". If anyone out there knows better, please correct me.
It’s not a problem to have ‘A’ blood in the pony, it’s the size that counts. I believe it’s a similar problem with the 'D’s in that their height limit is too high to be pony size. It’s OK to breed a small horse mare to a pony and register it as a pony, it’s OK to breed a small horse stallion to a pony mare and register it as a pony. The problem come in that a Welsh, even a ‘D’ who may be 15.2h, is not an acceptable breed for a horse stallion, but is too big to be a pony stallion. Does that make sense???
I bred one of my ISR mares, who is 15.1h to Synod Ronan last year. He is a flashy, classy, incredible moving Section C Welsh Pony who stands 13.1h, and I can’t wait for my first pony foal. Rosie will be bred back to Daily Hero and I’m really excited about that cross as well.
Here’s a picture of Synod Ronan
I had to laugh at Kareen’s description of the GRP breeders being obsessed with “endmass”. Reminds me of our horse riders here wanting the huge-size warmbloods! I think the “obsession” with size is that at the top level of pony competitions in Europe, there are most often the talented 15 and 16 year olds, and some of them can get pretty big, alot bigger than many adult women - so they need the biggest ponies. A smaller, younger child needs a suitable pony in many areas: size, movement, disposition, etc. I don’t know hunter competition, but I guess it is like the pony hunters here, where top size in each division is wanted, a little over that size and they become the smallest in the next division. Don’t those ponies then lose value? And don’t fairly large children ride some of the smaller size ponies in hunter competition, maybe with age restrictions?
Really nice website, Del. Thank you so much! I loved looking through it - even if it is in French. Who are the pony breeders in this country with similar Welsh bloodlines?
And Tiki, I did see the jump sizes, especially for the European FEI Pony Showjumping Championships. And the quality of movement shown in the FEI Dressage Championships photos. That is one reason why I am so eager to have breeding stock inspected and approved (sportpony registries) that are capable of producing the ponies that can accomplish those jumps and the dressage work. And we need to find ways to support the younger riders in this country so that they can do it, too. Btw, didn’t the winner of the eventing championship look very thoroughbred?
Well, I found both mares through this site actually. the first is a 14hh ches. Arabian mare that was already approved Weser-ems and had a premium foal with that registry. She is a beautiful sportpony type with very good dressage type movement. I also found the stallion I am planning to use on this site: Laetern. Thanks everyone, I think this will be a very nice cross.
The second is a Trak. mare by Martini, bred by Valhalla Farm. She is also ches, 15.1hh, and has had 15hh+/- babies by 16.3hh stallions. I am still shopping for an appropriate section B Welsh stallion-and plan to register the foal Weser-ems as well (with ISR-Oldenburg or ASPR as a back up plan, depending on the stallion I choose).
Hopefully I will get my website updated soon.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hluing:
Wow,
I had no idea there was such a pony breeder in my little town of Citra. I am a member of the Sunshine Sporthorse assoc. Is there a specific pony group around here? I’d love to meet the other local pony breeders.
I’ve been thrilled to see the interest in this thread.
Heather <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, there quite a few pony breeders in the Central Florida area and we are actually putting together a Florida Pony Breeders Group.
Did you get an email about it? I think we sent you one with the email that we found on your website.
If you didn’t get it just Private message me with your email and I will copy you with all the info.
Nancy - the issue is we don’t have a complete Pony Dressage division and in this country only adults can ride pony stallions - big difference from Europe.
<But the Euro situation is the real “stinker” in the market!!>
Yes it is 
When we started bring them in back in '99 the prices and exchange rates were pretty good for the US buyer but now…forget it
…economically it makes little sense for us.
Hopefully things will change in the not too distant future. The last one we brought in was a mare with foal in utero…price wise that wasn’t too bad if you factor in the price of the foal. Still love to hear about the ponies you saw on your trip, Ilona.
