History of the South Eastern Welsh Pony & Cob Association.

This Association was one of the first to be formed within the WP & CS in 1970. The inaugural meeting took place on 27 April at the Pavillion, South of England Show ground. Some sixty members of the main Society attended and officers and committee elected as follows:

Chairman Mr John Mountain, Vice Chairman Mr P Hicks, Secretary Mrs K James, Ass. Secretary Mrs A Knowles, Treasurer Miss M Reader.

For the committee there were to be two members each to represent Kent and Surrey, three for Sussex and one for the I of Wight, and consisted of Mrs Littledale, Mrs Leppard, Miss Muir, Mrs Holmden, Mrs Horner, Mrs Hicks, Miss Startup and Mr Buckett.

The Isle of Wight have now formed their own Association and this is no longer part of the South Eastern Area.

The subcription was set as follows: Full members (those who were also members of the main Society) - £1.00. Associate members (those not members of the main Society) also paid £1. Junior members under 18 paid 10 shillings (50p).

The aims set out then remain the same as today to further, promote, educate and encourage everything to do with our Welsh Ponies and Cobs.

Our current membership stands at around 450.

Two of our committee members who have played a major part in the WPCS are Alison Mountain, previous chairman, and Kathleen James who runs the WPCS National Performance Award Scheme. Both of these ladies are well known for their Welsh pony breeding and have judged all over the world.

In 1985 we ran our first Summer Show, which has grown considerably over the years and is now a Medal Show, with the reputation for being one of the best run shows in the South of England. Since 1990 we have added a Spring Show and a Foal Show.The Spring Show grows every year and now holds the C & D Premium Classes for the South of England, and is also an NPS Picton Welsh Ridden qualifier.

One of the competitions started in the early days was the Bi-Annual Stud Judging competition, whereby a judge travelled round to members studs, assessing a group of three ponies in various classes, such as "mare with two offspring" or "three direct generations". This competition has seen a revival during the last few years and in 1998 the programme took three days to complete. John James of the Sianwood Stud officiated that year and said he enjoyed every minute of it.

A Journal / Annual Review has been produced since 1990. Members eagerly await its publication in the Spring, giving reports on the previous years functions and news from members.

We also instigated an Ann Muir Memorial Fund in memory of one of our founder members and Welsh Pony breeder from the Stoatley Stud. Ann was a great ambassador for Welsh Ponies in the Southern Area and held a performance show at Muirfield purely for the Welsh breeds. She was an avid competitor in driving scurries with her Section A's and a BHS dressage judge, officiating at some topclass horse trials.

With motorways from the South East opening up, our members now find it very easy to travel down to Wales for the Royal Welsh Show and the pony sales. Breeders from Wales have found a good market from people in this corner of the country and ponies being bred in the South East have continued some of the old Welsh bloodlines.

Some famous Welsh ponies have been owned by our members:

Solway Master Bronze, who made such an impact on section B's, was owned by one of our founder members, Miriam Reader. His descendent, Carolinas Purple Emperor, was bred and and owned by Carolyn Bachman throughout his showing career. He is now a successful stallion owned by Gillian Sells of the Priestwood stud. There are many section A ponies worthy of mention but none more so than the famous Marsh Crusader, bred and owned throughout his life by Cie and Beryl Reynolds. A typical example of a true to type Welsh Mountain pony, his showring and stud successes are far too many to list here.

Over the years committees and have changed, but each one tries their best to run according to the Constitution set out in 1970 and to uphold the aims of the Association. Although some slight changes have been made over the years the Constitution still remains basically the same. We shall be celebrating our 35th year in 2005 and look forward to the next millennium with confidence.