Achnacarry & Craigiebrig Highland Pony Stud
CURRENT NEWS
13 January 2008
Are we working now? We think so...!
This is me....Jean...I just couldn't wait to get my hands on the computer just to prove it is working! I shall be busy over the next few weeks....me-thinks!!!!I am going to try a photo!
Hip Hip Hurrah!!!...With the help of a very good friend the web site is up and running. Until I get my hands on it , our readers will just have to content themselves with this shortened version, but at least we are getting there!! Since Perth Show we have been at Kinross Show, winning the Best Mare & Foal Combination with Rowan and Aigas. Aigas also won the Best Foal Salver, a Trophy which we have won six times now! After that we were at Blair Horse Trials where there are always classes for Highland Ponies. We took Fionnalaigh and Rosanna but it wasn't our luckiest day! Enough said!! I shall add a wee bit about the dogs in this part and later on Tiffany's page will be updated. On 25th August we went to the SKC Championship show at Ingliston and imagine my delight to win 1st prize with both Sasha and Tiffany in their indivdual classes. Tiffany went on from there to win her first Reserve Challenge Certificate. Boy was I chuffed! Dogs are not like ponies........ they have to win THREE Challenge Certificates to become a Champion and in the dog world when you are just a "rookie" that is hard work. The following day, we set off bright and early up to the NESPEC show in Aberdeen , this time with the ponies. We took the same two we had at Blair and had a great day. Fionnalaigh was 2nd in her class and because the first prize pony was a gelding we won the Best 3 year old filly Trophy which is a lovely Trophy. Rosanna was 3rd to begin with but ended up 4th in a very large two year old class so we were well pleased and returned home with lovely rosettes and the Trophy. September saw us at my friend's son's wedding which was held on the Banks of Loch Tay. Tim and I stayed overnight in the Killin Hotel which we enjoyed very much. We must return and stay a little bit longer. It was a super day and we drank far too much wine!!! The day after, I judged the CSHPC show near Methevn. It was a lovely day and I had lots of good ponies in front of me. The standard has improved so much and I thoroughly enjoyed judging. My Champion was Martin & Wendy Taylor's lovely mare, Shona of Sunnyneuk who is by Concorde of Whitefield and out of Selina of Caenlochan. She actually went on to be Supreme Champion of Champions in the new class sponsered by Kate Lawson and Willie Sinclair. Later on in the Month, Tim and I trooped down to the Darlington Dog Show staying overnight in a nearby Travel Lodge. We persuaded them to let us take the three dogs although their policy is usually only two dogs to a room! We had a passable show. Tiffany was 3rd and Sasha was 4th.....nothing to write home about! On 29th September I went to the HPS Study Day with friends. Tim stayed at home looking after the dogs and doing what he wanted to do....ie; the garden! It was a very interesting day and we all came away thinking it had been worth while. It also gave us a chance to catch up with old friends. October was a quiet month as far as shows went. I used it to practise with the foals, teaching them to lead etc. I also had a few rides on Xanthe mostly , but sometimes Skye. We are lucky in that I have two friends who come up and ride too which helps me a great deal as Tim cannot ride now due to his hips being very sore. He has been told he has arthritis in both hips and we are actually going to see the specialist tomorrow so hopefully he will have his operation in the New Year and will be free of his pain. On 3rd November, Karen, my friend and I took Rowan, Aigas & Rosanna to the NPS Show at Oatridge. We had a good day. Unfortunately there was only Aigas there in the foal class so he ended up with the red rosette and a very nice Trophy. However he behaved very well and walked and trotted fine for the Judge, Gillian MacMurray. She said she liked him very much . Rosanna was in a class for two and three year olds and she was 2nd. The first pony was a 3yr old gelding owned by Jean & Willie Ralston. He was Champion and Rosanna was Reserve Champion, so we were very pleased. On 8th November Tim and I were off on our travels again, this time to Northern Yorkshire to stay with Alison Payne and her father who had been poorly, but is now fine. Our reason apart from visiting them was to go to The Northern Schnauzer Dog Show, which was held at Elsecar, Barnsley . Again we had a good day, Tiffany was 2nd in a large class and Sasha was also 2nd in another good class. We were delighted. Sorry, I can't remember who the Bitch Champion was but the Dog Champion was Tamberg Chayote Kid who won his 2nd Challenge Certificate. Our next event was the Winter Fair held on 24th November. My friend and I had been practising most days with the two foals which I had entered, Eoin of Achnacarry and Fionnlagh of Achnacarry. However when the morning came we spent an hour trying to persuade Fionnlagh that he should go in the box but to no avail. We ended up just taking Eoin. He was 3rd in the colt foal class. Again it was good experience for him. Next it was Tayside Foal Show on 2nd December which was held at Forfar Market. The entries were much better than the Winter Fair but we only took Aigas due to the fact that both Rosanna and Euan had abscesses in their feet. Aigas was 3rd and behaved reasonably well considering Rowan was whinnying to him when we were in the ring. That is most of our news since our web site went off the rails. The only other news I have to report is that we have sold Aigas to Jane Dawson who lives on the Island of Islay . Tim and I decided to take him there with Rowan to save him being stresses!! Well that is another story for when I get the web site back to myself!!! Until then...............
Site developed by A Douglas 2001
© T&J Connell 2001