The Latest From the Ranch
& Foal Watch
by Gretchen

2006 News

 
December 28, 2006
cold and wet

Happy (almost) New Year!!! It has been extremely wet here -- it started pouring on the evening of Christmas Eve, and did not let up for 30+ hours, which ended up giving us more than 5 inches of rain here at the ranch! YUCK! It was really wet out there!!! We border on a river, which rose so much it was coming over its banks and into the back of the ranch. Fortunately, just as things were looking like we could get flooded, it stopped raining and gave things a chance to run off. In the meantime, it is pretty doggone WET around here.

I'll tell you what, I'm ready for spring!!!

We did have the pleasure of receiving the anxiously awaited "manilla envelope" from the Welsh Pony Society that contained our year end award listings! We took it easy this year, and did not make it to many shows. I tallied up the number of shows we missed in the two regions we show in, and we missed NINE shows! So our year end placings reflected the fact that we "didn't get out much"!

Nonetheless, we are very pleased to announce that *Wedderlie Mardi Gras is a National High Score Winner again in 2006, winning 4th place Nationally (he missed 3rd place by only 4 points!!), Reserve Champion Section B stallion in the Northwest Region and Reserve Champion Section B stallion in the Southwest Region! We were also very pleased that he was 4th place Long Stirrup Hunter for the Southwest Region, after just one show! Though it did not encompass many shows (5 in all), it really was a good season for Mardi, as he brought home 4 Supreme Championships, 5 Grand Championships, 2 Reserve Grand Champions and several Stallion Champions, Best In Show, as well as Ridden Pony Champion, Reserve Hunter Champion and Reserve Long Stirrup Hunter Champion!

Our junior stallion, Ledinjadon El Eigle had an excellent show season, which culminated in him being National Reserve Champion for 2006!!! Quite an accomplishment for a yearling! He also was Eastern Welsh Circuit Champion and Regional Champion back east! Pretty impressive for such a young guy, and we missed nearly all of the west coast shows with him, so he accomplished that in only half of a show season. We are very proud of him.

We are now eagerly awaiting our 2007 Section B Welsh foals, all by *Wedderlie Mardi Gras! The first is due in mid April -- which seems like a long wait! I have made a 2007 Expectations page, which was a lot of fun to put together with the different photos! (You'll understand when you see it!) Please be sure and let us know if you are interested in a particular cross, so that we can mark you down on our waiting list. :-)

September 28, 2006
hot and dry

Well, it was a lovely summer, but fall has definitely arrived here at the ranch. The leaves have gone from merely a kiss of yellow, to making a rapid move to much yellow, and a hint of orange here and there on the plum trees. Fall is certainly beautiful, but on the other hand, the ponies are getting quite furry already, so it certainly brings thoughts of the long, rainy winter to mind! Nevertheless, we shall think of winter as a stepping stone to next spring, when another bounty of beautiful Mardi Gras foals will arrive!

We had a lovely Pacific Coast Classic & Western Nationals in Elk Grove, CA at the beginning of the month. It was two gold rated shows, held back to back over one long weekend -- 5 days of showing! It was hot and tiring, but we had a great time and the ponies did wonderful! Here are our results:

*Wedderlie Mardi Gras was Champion & Reserve Champion Stallion, Grand Champion & Reserve, and then Supreme Champion! He also competed in hunters, ridden by Lara Brown of Hunt Ridge Farm, and this was only the second time he had ever seen "real" jumps, let alone a whole course of them! He did us proud placing Reserve Division Champion for the Hunters -- against some very seasoned company. We were thrilled! He also went on to win great ribbons in huge and very competitive English and Western Pleasure classes!


Both middle photos by Alison Ruhe
In the second phase of the show, Mardi was again Champion Stallion, Grand Champion and Supreme Champion -- then he went on to be named Best In Show! (The Best In Show class was not offered in the first show.) We were SO PROUD OF HIM!!! Every single stallion in the stallion classes he competed in has been a Supreme Champion at one time or another, so it was quite a thrill to take home the winning sashes!

Mardi's 7 week old daughter, Clanfair All About Me, also came to the show with her super-star dam, *Holyoake Anastasia. We were enormously impressed by the ease with which this filly settled into the routine of being away from home and cooped up all week while we were at the show. She had her very first bath, her first clipping and her first trailer ride! She did great!

She was definitely a hit at the show with most everyone who saw her. In all the years we have taken ponies to shows, I don't believe I've ever had more compliments on a pony -- she definitely was a little star! MeMe showed in a large and very competitive fillies class both days, and the first day took home a 1st and 2nd place! Wow! We were thrilled! She showed herself off like a little pro and stood quietly in the lineup and everything! By the second day, she was a little worn out from all of the heat and commotion -- neither of which she was used to, so unfortunately I don't think she took a single trotting step during her turn in front of the judges. Even so, she earned two very respectable 3rd place ribbons in excellent company! She was quite a bit younger than the other foals with her July birthday, and in a bit of an awkward growth stage, so we were more than a little pleased with her success!

Our much loved SUPERSTAR, *Holyoake Anastasia, dam of the above gorgeous filly ;-), was not quite in what we consider *perfect* show condition. The filly has been taking a bit out of her in spite of my feeding efforts, so right up until the minute we left, we were debating whether or not to even bring her. Boy were we glad we did!!! In the first phase of the show, Annie showed in a smaller class, and won it, then went on to be Champion Mare under BOTH judges -- the other mare class was HUGE, so this was quite a lovely win for her. But the second show -- her class was TEN of some of the nicest mares you would ever see anywhere -- and she won that class under BOTH judges also, then went on to be CHAMPION MARE under both judges! So she showed under a total of four judges -- and was Champion Mare under all four of them! WOW! We were just delighted. Unfortunately I didn't video her classes at all, as I was getting other ponies ready, but I have ordered show photos from the photographer and will post them as soon as they arrive.

Our new guy, Ledinjadon El Eigle, also showed with us for the first time, though he has already been to many shows on the east coast. Taking him to a new place and out and about really demonstrated what a sweet and kind disposition he has. The kids handled him all weekend, and got him ready for his classes all on their own. He was such a good boy! He showed in some nice colt classes that were well filled. The first show he was placed first by both judges, and he showed beautifully. But by the second scorching hot day, he was not quite as "on" as he had been the first day, and didn't move out quite as well -- thus placing 2nd and 3rd. However, considering the size and quality of the class, these were certainly very respectable placings, and we were very proud of him! Again, I missed taping his classes, so will have to wait until the official show photos arrive!

It certainly was a lovely show and we really enjoyed ourselves. The members that make up the Welsh Pony & Cob Association of California are probably the nicest group of people you will ever find anywhere, and we always thoroughly enjoy going down there to show with them!

Click here to see additional photos of our ponies at the show.


Photo by Alison Ruhe

August 9, 2006

WHAT A DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the urging of our friend and client Robin at Talisman Farms in Maryland, we took  *Wedderlie Mardi Gras to a Weser-Ems sport pony inspection today! Having heard that they are extremely critical and having never attended any kind of inspection before, we were a little nervous. While we are extremely confident in Mardi's quality as a WELSH Pony, we didn't know how he would stack up against the Oldenburg Verband's strict standards for their Weser-Ems sport ponies.

Well, all of our nervousness was in vain. They LOVED him!!!! The judges raved about what gorgeous pony he is, and could not say enough nice things about him! SO..... *Wedderlie Mardi Gras is now an APPROVED Weser-Ems sport pony stallion!!! We are VERY excited about this, as it underscores our belief in his quality.

Mardi is also the sire of Maybelline, who was inspected by the Weser-Ems last month, and who earned a PREMIUM award! Maybelline is out of the lovely Oldenburg mare, Kaskade, and belongs to Robin at Talisman Farms. We have to thank Robin for urging us to present Mardi, as without her support and answers to my many questions, I don't know that we would have been brave enough to venture into this venue that is so much different than our world of Welsh!

We were able to get a few pictures of him, though unfortunately the lighting in the indoor arena made it so that I was unable to get any moving shots. So you will just have to make do with these! ;-)

We are SO excited!!!

August 2006 - Mardi Gras is APPROVED as a Weser-Ems Sport Pony!!!
Click here for photos of his inspection day!

July 6, 2006
cool, cloudy/sunny

WOW, WHAT A YEAR!!!!! We have NEVER had a foal crop like this one. I am just stunned and amazed every time I look at them -- the most amazing group of foals we have EVER had!!! All of them are by *Wedderlie Mardi Gras. :-)

We missed going to the Santa Barbara show because *Holyoake Anastasia just looked READY to foal any minute. Sure enough, at 4:15 this morning, she presented us with a big, gorgeous, palomino FILLY with a blaze and four stockings. She is just BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Her blaze is very conservative on one side, and very not on the other!


14 hours old, taking an afternoon nap

We have now had 6 fillies and 2 colts for the season. We would REALLY like to keep every one of the fillies -- they are just THAT spectacular, but, do we really need to keep SIX fillies? UGH. Some really hard decisions ahead. I'm not sure how we will ever decide! It is a matter under heavy debate here on the farm at the moment. Every filly has a genuine reason to be kept, but that really is not practical..... sigh.....

But what a GRAND way to end the 2006 foaling season. I am SO excited about this filly. I have been waiting for her birth, since we imported both of her parents as yearlings. Annie gave me a beautiful colt (Clanfair American Hero) last year (now owned by Cindy DiBrino), but I REALLLLLLLY wanted a filly. I am thinking this one was worth waiting for though -- she is just beautiful.

Thanks to the Chemetrics milk test, I was only up on foal watch for Annie ONE night. Can't beat that!!!

Things have been busy around here, and I've gotten a bit behind on updates, but *Holyoake Fantasia presented us with an absolutely stunning chestnut filly on June 25th.


Clanfair Francesca - "Fresca"

We were entered at the Oregon Welsh Pony Society show -- but on a quick run through the pasture before we hopped in the truck to leave, I discovered that Fantasia (who was not due until July 8) had a huge bag, and realized I was not going anywhere with a maiden mare THAT close to foaling. So Gary and the kids went without me -- and not only that -- Mardi was Champion Stallion, Grand Champion Section B AND..... SUPREME CHAMPION!!!!! That was an exciting phone call to get!!!

So though I missed the show, at least Mardi got to go! Gary opted to hurry home, since two are much better than one at foaling time! Though Fanta waited until Sunday night to foal!

I'm heaving a big sigh of relief that we are done foaling for the season. What an incredible year..... that's all I can say.......

June 21, 2006
sunny, warm, breezy

It has been a busy season here at the ranch this year. We have a lot going on, in addition to a busy breeding season, both with our client's mares and our own. The good news is that nearly everything that has been bred has now been checked in foal, with just a few more to go!

We have also had two more beautiful fillies by *Wedderlie Mardi Gras!!!

The first, Clanfair Laurie Ann, arrived on June 1st, 19 days ahead of her due date, while we were attending a show in California! Her dam is the grand mare, Las Brisas Annie Laurie, and she handled the birth like the old pro that she is! The filly is just beautiful and super elegant, and we are planning on retaining her, as we are offering her dam for sale this year. Here are some pictures of her at a few days old. I really need to get out and get some updated one, as she is just stunning! We expect her to finish right at the 13.2 hand mark, which is just perfect!

This morning, at 2 am, our beloved *Holyoake Sucura presented us with the most exquisite chestnut filly!!! It was quite an exciting moment as the foal lay there in the stall, wet, with ears still plastered back against her beautiful neck..... I looked at her face and exclaimed "it's a mini Mardi!" -- while Gary was looking to see if we had a colt or a filly. I decided while I was looking at her beautiful face that it MUST be a filly -- but then when Gary didn't say anything, I thought it must be a colt! But indeed, a beautiful filly!!!! Here she is at just 7 hours old. More/better pictures soon. :-) She will be called Clanfair Sedona.


Click here for pictures of Clanfair Sedona

May 5, 2006
gorgeous and sunny, slightly breezy

What a beautiful day for a new baby!!!!

We are absolutely delighted to announce that *Holyoake Sonique has presented us with her first foal -- an EXQUISITE FILLY by *Wedderlie Mardi Gras! She is palomino with a blaze nearly identical to Mardi's, and with four stockings. We are more than a little thrilled with this girl!!!!

She was born in the pasture at 2:25 pm -- and I was there for the last half of the birth -- as I was just returning from the hardware store and happened to be in the right place at the right time! I had checked on Sonique just before I left, and thought she was getting very close -- she seemed uncomfortable and was pacing around in a circle -- very unlike herself. I was only gone for a few minutes, but she got busy! The filly was born in a grassy corner of the pasture, and she is healthy, strong and best of all -- gorgeous!

Here is a photo of her at just 50 minutes old! Look at that HEAD!

I will post more pictures of her in a few days, as she unfolds. :-)
Click here for more pictures!

In other news, this past weekend was the West Coast Welsh Spring Show, which we put on every year in Roseburg, Oregon.

We had a lovely show, and it was great to see so many of our favorite Welsh people for the first time this season. I was reminded all over again how much I really like so many people involved in our breed. What a terrific group!

We had a good show. We drug some ponies straight out of the pasture for the show, one of which was *Holyoake Anastasia, at 9 months pregnant. We were very pleased that she was Reserve Champion mare under judge Bonnie Jernagan. *Wedderlie Mardi Gras won his strong stallion class under both judges, was Champion stallion under both judges, and Grand Champion Section B under both judges. We were very honored when judge India Haynes chose him as her Supreme Champion also.

Here is a photo of Mardi Gras from the show:


Photo by Kim Qualls.

April 18, 2006

Well, Zia Carolina finally had her *Wedderlie Mardi Gras foal last night!!! After keeping me up for several nights in a row, she finally had him at the respectable time of 9:30 pm last night. Which, of course, meant I got to sleep last night!

It is a beautiful bay colt, with a lovely blaze and two hind 3/4 stockings. He has the signature Mardi look about him and is just adorable. He is absolutely HUGE!!! As she was delivering him, Gary and I kept exclaiming to each other about his size - monster colt! I will have to measure him a little later to see how he compares to the other two foals born this year, but I think he is the biggest yet. He is quite massive, also, and is definitely much heavier than the other two were at birth. One of the things I am so excited about is that with parents that move so HUGE, this colt should be a phenomenal mover. I'm sure it will take him a bit to sort out his gi-normous legs, but I can't wait to see how he moves!

I couldn't tell for sure last night, as he was not 100% dry when I turned in for the night, but I just went out this morning and looked -- and I am pretty certain that he is going to stay bay. He was surprised to see me in the stall, and gave me the cutest looks before coming up to investigate. What a CUTIE!

Here he is at 19 hours old!

So for this segment of foaling, *Holyoake Sonique is next on our list. She is "officially" due on April 29, but everyone has gone before their due date this year. We are very excited about seeing Sonique's first foal!! I'll keep you posted. :-)

April 14, 2006
cool/cloudy/windy/rainy/sunny

Well, the last couple of days have been exciting!!! Three *Wedderlie Mardi Gras babies have been born in the last 2 days!

Yesterday morning brought the arrival of a darling Section B filly by Mardi at Goldhills Welsh in California. She is chestnut with unusual markings, and is very flashy! Pictures in a few days! Congratulations Jackie!!!

This morning was interesting! After watching Clanfair Alana off and on all night on the foal monitor, I awoke right at 6 am to see that she had finally laid down and was foaling! Of course we grabbed for boots and coats and were out there in a flash! This is when I'm very thankful to have the foaling stalls right up at the house!

Alana had an absolutely exquisite colt. He is liver chestnut with a beautiful blaze and one hind stocking. He will be grey, as he already has the beginnings of the grey "goggles". He looks like he is several days old already -- pretty filled out and HUGE. He a truly gorgeous head and neck, super deep, substantial body, and beautiful hindquarters. I'm VERY happy with him. Here he is napping at 5 hours old!


Isn't he sweet?!
Click here for more photos.

THEN..... after he was born and things were obviously going just fine, I came back in the house, shed coat and boots and sat down to see what e-mail had accumulated overnight. I couldn't click fast enough on the e-mail titled "CONGRATULATIONS!!!" from Lesley Feakins of Trevelyan Farm! You see, Lesley very, very generously offered us her beautiful retired Grand Prix dressage mare, Zauberelle, a Trakhener, on a foal share last year. Zauberelle has been a tremendous producer of sport ponies, that have all received top honors at their sport pony inspections. The first foal is ours, and the second will be Lesley's. Zauberelle has been waxed up for quite a while -- so every morning I've gotten up and wondered if it was going to be *the* morning!

I am very pleased to announce the arrival of a FABULOUS Half Welsh colt! He is chestnut with a big blaze and socks -- and just stunning. He is so superb conformationally -- I just couldn't be any happier with this cross. Here are some photos of him at a few hours old. Thanks Lesley!!!!!


Look at that beautiful topline and shoulder and hindquarters and bone and neck and everything else!!!! We are thrilled!!!!
This beautiful colt will join our show string for the 2007/2008 show seasons!

Next in our foaling lineup is Zia Carolina. She is looking very ready, so I don't think the wait will be too much longer! Check this page for updates!!!

April 6, 2006
sunny/cloudy/breezy

Well....... the first foal of 2006 is HERE!!!!!!!!!!!


(*Wedderlie Mardi Gras x Akasha Cream)
We brought Akasha Cream up to the house a couple of weeks ago, as I was feeling pretty nervous about her foaling. She was maintaining a medium sized bag until Tuesday morning, when it increased dramatically in size. On Wednesday, at the recommendation of my friend Sandy from Sugarbrook Farm in Florida, I tried out my new Chemetrics milk test on Akasha. Wednesday morning the levels were quite low, but by Wednesday evening, they had risen dramatically.

I'd been watching her every night on the monitor anyway (boy those sure make it hard to sleep!), but last night she seemed particularly restless, and was pacing around her stall, rather than wolfing down flake after flake of hay. With the dramatic rise in the Chemetrics number, I was pretty suspicious that she was going to foal soon. I watched her off and on all night -- and finally told Gary in the middle of the night that I hoped she foaled before my head became flat on one side from watching the monitor!! Around 4:30 am I finally decided that I thought she was in labor. I dozed off and on until the alarm went off at 6, but we still had no real action.

After getting the kids mostly ready for school I stopped to look at the monitor again and Akasha was laying down!!!! She got up, then laid down again! I called to Anna to tell Gary that Akasha was foaling. I was rushing to change my clothes, because while I have delivered many foals in my pajamas, I really prefer not to! When we got to the stall Akasha got up again and spent several minutes looking for that perfect place to lay down. Where did she choose? Well, pretty much right under her water buckets! It was not an ideal location, but Gary was able to slip in there and be there as the foal was born. I reached in from the outside of the stall and assisted a bit.

It was very exciting -- first a hoof that obviously had a sock -- then LOOK! It's Mardi's CUTE pink nose! -- then the face that revealed a large blaze, look at that pretty neck! -- wow! a curly white mane! and then she was out! I wasted no time in determining sex, and you probably heard me from your house announcing that it was a FILLY!!!

You see, Mardi has been quite generous with fillies for the mare owners that have bred mares to him, but this is OUR first Mardi filly here! So that made it even more exciting!

We first thought that she was palomino -- and she still may be -- however, once it got light and her pupils were not so dilated, she has BLUE eyes! It is very striking! But the blue eyes make me think that perhaps she is actually a cremello. We will know in a few days, as if she is palomino her skin will darken, and if she is cremello, it will not! Stay tuned for updates!! She has 3 high stockings -- the ones in the back are higher, then one over her knee in the front. I'm not sure if she might have a white pastern in front too, but it is hard to tell -- in some lights it looks like no marking, in other lights it looks like there might be something there.....

She is absolutely gorgeous with the most laid back shoulder, big square hindquarters, long neck, pretty head and plenty of bone. Not to mention SUPER CUTE!!! ;-)

I will post some pictures in the next few days, as she unfolds. Providing it is not an absolute downpour tomorrow, she will get turned out, and the natural light is always much better for photos!! Check back, I will be updating!

(And Carolina and Alana are not too far behind Akasha, due April 19 and 21, respectively!)

April 8 - UPDATE!
Here are some pictures taken of her today at approximately 30 hours old. We think she is a DOLL! Hence the name we are currently leaning towards -- Clanfair China Doll. It seems to fit her! Also thinking more and more that she is probably a cremello -- though her skin doesn't seem quite as pink as it did yesterday, but doesn't really seem to be darkening. A few more days until we know for sure!


More pictures in a few days as she learns what those looooong legs are all about, and unfolds a bit more!

The most up to date photos of China Doll can be seen on her own page.

March 8, 2006
Cold, wet, windy

While the weather here has been less than delightful these past few days, our friends in California have been having more spring like weather -- including the addition of a new foal!! We extend our heartiest congratulations to Jackie Verkuyl of Goldhills Welsh on the birth of the very first foal by *Holyoake Copper-Field! Arriving this morning, it is an absolutely gorgeous palomino colt with a blaze, and a number of socks that have yet to be determined! He is exceptionally large, and we are all very pleased with him! Visit Copper's page for photos!

As we now rapidly approach foaling season here, the anticipation is certainly building! It is very hard to wait patiently when you are so very excited about what is to come -- plus, I'll admit it, I'm just not the most patient person in the world! If you haven't already seen it, please check out our Great Expectations page -- and catch some of the excitement!

In other news, we are absolutely thrilled to announce the importation of the outstanding mare *Skellorn Chantilly Lace, by the well known Supreme Champion Skellorn Music Boy. This gorgeous black mare is an extremely exciting addition to our farm. We would like to thank Philip Booth for the opportunity to own such a beautiful mare. This was one of those experiences that can make importing SO much fun -- a new friend and a fabulous pony that is even better than we expected. What more could you want?

Lace is currently in quarantine just an hour and a half from home and we have been down to visit her a couple of times already. She will come home on March 17th. We will breed Lace to *Wedderlie Mardi Gras for 2007.

Get ready..... FOAL WATCH is not that far away!!!!

January 28, 2006
cold and wet

Happy New Year everyone!!! 2006 has gotten off to a WET start around here! We have had far more rain that last year, in truly frightening amounts at times. We had one scare after days and days of torrential rain where the river that runs along the back of the ranch had risen up so high that the drainage through the ranch (the valley drains through our pastures) no longer had an outlet to the river. I didn't like that at all! Fortunately it stopped raining right when things were going to get critical, and though it has been wetter than we would like, it is significantly drier than it was!

We have even had a bit of beautiful sunshine -- I cannot wait for spring! I snapped this late afternoon shot from my porch looking down into part of the mare pasture the other day. The mares are rotated off of the pasture into the hay field right now, which is why none of them are in the picture.

As usual, I am quite over anxious about our upcoming foals, and on pins and needles waiting to see what we will get. *Wedderlie Mardi Gras has done such a phenomenal job with the mares he has been crossed with. He has certainly exceed all of my expectations. Rarely is a stallion SO prepotent -- it makes waiting for the babies even harder! We have many crosses that I am VERY excited about this year. It is hard to say which is the most exciting, because I can't wait to see ALL of them!

We also have a new mare coming in from the UK in February. We are very excited to bring her home, and she is in foal and due in April, so that will be a splash of something a little different in our foaling year! I will post details once she arrives. :-)

We are also very excited to see what Mardi produces for our mare owners across the USA. He has been bred to Arabs, Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods, Welsh (of course) and several crossbreds. It is almost as fun waiting for the mare owner's babies to arrive as it is waiting for our own!

I think foaling season is more fun than Christmas! Each one is so waited for that it builds such tremendous anticipation.

We finally weaned our last '05 foal -- and he is our LAST, as all of our 2005 babies have already gone to wonderful new homes. I liked him a lot when he was born, but he was kind of overshadowed by the older babies. But he is REALLY coming into himself, and I am kind of waffling on whether or not to geld him. I've decided that I will at least wait for a bit and see what he turns into. He is really lovely.

2006 will also bring the first foals from *Holyoake Copper-Field! Copper is a full brother to our champion show mare, *Holyoake Anastasia, though he is bigger than she is, standing a full 13.2 hands. He is a LOVELY colt, and is maturing beautifully. He has the kindest, happiest disposition, and we are definitely looking forward to starting him under saddle. His first foals will arrive at Goldhills Welsh (California) in late February or early March. He also has an additional foal coming in Washington that is due later in the year. We are very eager to see what he will put on the ground, and will be using him on some of our own mares this year -- though we have not entirely decided who yet! Decisions, decisions!