BC Welsh Pony and Cob Society
Founders and Foundation stock in British Columbia
Early Welsh breeders and ponies in B.C.
TANGLEWOOD
Born in Cornwall, England, Nanette Jeffs' parents claimed her first word was "HORSE". Every day on her way to school, she passed a field with a beautiful Welsh mare in it, a cream with a black mane and tail. Nanette's greatest wish was to own a pony just like her.
Many years later, in 1953 in Canada, the Jeffs moved to a small farm in Surrey. They had heard of the Welsh ponies owned by Frank Ross and made an appointment with the stud manager to see them. On turning the bend in the driveway, Nan couldn't believe her eyes - there in front of her was her dream pony; a cream with a black mane and tail, Chamcook Cui Mouse. Many years later they were finally able to purchase her, unfortunately old and crippled by then, but that first visit to Chamcook started their love affair with Welsh ponies.
The next year they purchased their first registered Welsh yearling pony, Chamcook Twilight boy [Coed Coch Tlws X Craven Springly] bred by Frank Ross. their plans were to cross grade ponies and horses to produce good children's ponies.
At the great age of thirty-seven, Twilight boy was still living with the Jeffs.
Since purchasing ponies from the USA was very expensive, the Jeffs decided to go to the source and, in 1958, imported Revel Nymph (731) [Clan Bard x Bolgoed Nymph] from Emkyrs Griffiths of the Revel Stud. Imported bloodlines and type were very important to Tanglewood and Nan feels that Coed Coch Glyndwr has had a lot of influence on her herd. Her ponies carry the bloodlines of Coed Coch Twls, Captain Cat, Coed Coch Mefusen, Coed Coch Pwysi with outcrosses to Bolgoed, Clan and Revel. Nan would consider importing again.
In order to produce a smaller, typier pony, they have used line breeding. Having had approximately thirty ponies at one time, they felt the greater numbers enabled them to try different combinations looking for that perfect nick.
For Nan, every foal is a thrill, but having the blue spot light shining on her daughter and Chamcook Sundown after they won the riding/driving combination class at the Pacific National Exhibition was the greatest thrill of all. Cat's Boy [Chamcook Mountain Cat X Tanglewood Catkin], a bay stallion is her all-time favourite pony.
Showing, advertising and word of mouth have helped to promote the Tanglewood ponies. A large portion of their market is in the Northwestern States.
Nan makes the same observation as many other long time breeders: that the quality of the ponies is improving but judges still lack the knowledge to discern Welsh type.
If she was to start over again, instead of raising two breeds, Nanette feels she would only raise Welsh. Her advice to the newcomer would be:
Buy the best pony mare you can and then breed to a stallion of true Welsh type.
Only by letting people know the joy of owning a Welsh, whether it be A,B,or Cob will we be able to secure the future of the breed in Canada. The judges must be made to realize that they are judging a native pony breed, not a small horse of some kind. We should proudly show what we breed, a living piece of art, not breeding for the show ring as Shetland and now the Arabian people have, turning out an artificial neurotic that no one wants.
"Our ponies have been used for pleasure, harness and breeding. They have kept us healthy with the fresh air and hard work. We have made friends through our Welsh. Our stock and experience has helped establish many Welsh breeders," says Nan proudly.
After raising and loving ponies for thirty-six + years, Nan's has gone into assisted living and her pony herd has been disbursed to several Welsh breeders in the province, but her contribution to Welsh in B.C. has been profound and her Tanglewood stamp resounds with quality and Welsh type. We owe a lot to this feisty British lady. Many people who own Welsh in B.C., own Tanglewood ponies or ponies who have descended from the lovely stock she produced.
Turls Hill Ponies, Vernon, B.C. from the Canadian Welsh Recollections
The Turls Hill Welsh Pony Stud was started in 1959, deriving the name from the ancestrol home in Britain. The original herd of six bred mares and one colt was purchased from the Fayre Stud of T. Wilding-Davies, Hereford, England. The ponies travelled on a Dutch freighter via the Panama Canal to Vancouver, taking a total of forty-two days. From Vancouver, they were trucked the three hundred miles to the Okanagan, arriving in perfect health. The mare, with Fayre Hero (900) [xRevel Springlight] at foot, was Fayre Naughty (898) [Fayre Gambler x Craven Springlight]. Hero lived with the Osborns until his death at twenty-five. The mares were bred to Revel Springlight and Revel Lone Star before coming to Canada and the following spring produced three colts and three fillies. Some of the mares were then bred to Chamcook Felin Laddie (432) [Rhyd-y-Felin Seon x Coed Coch Mefusen].
Over the years bloodlines from Revel, Fayre and Ardmore studs have been used, but the ponies with the greatest influence in their herd were Fayre Naughty and Revel Buttercup (895) [Revel Springlight x Revel Butterfuly]. At one time there were thirty-eight ponies on the farm.
June Osborn was born June 5, 1912 in England and moved to Vancouver Island with her family when she was four.
When her older brothers left her sitting on a horse alone one day when she was four, she decided to go for a ride by herself and it was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with horses.
Her expertise with horses led to a job as a riding instructor in New Hampshire in 1932.
In 1936, she married Bill Osborn and moved to the Osborn family farm in Lavington.
The couple had four children — three boys and a girl — and owned a Jersey dairy herd but June always found time for her horses.
Many family memories and life lessons learned include horses.
“Horses were always part of our life. I was on a horse at three,” recalled her son Ted Osborn.
“Horses helped us learn humility, respect and friendship for them and for people. We also learned about overcoming obstacles and dealing with loss when we lost a horse. She always enjoyed seeing the kids and grandkids on horses and her great-granddaughter has started riding lessons this year. Our family was always attending horse shows and events and outings.”
When Bill became general manager of Coldstream Ranch in 1952, the family moved to the ranch and in 1957, June imported purebred Welsh stock for her Turls Hill breeding program for children’s ponies. She also bred Welsh-Arabs and Welsh-thoroughbreds.
June wanted to share the benefits and joys of riding with as many people as possible and was one of the founders of the North Okanagan Therapeutic Riding Association.
She provided the horses and Bill built the specialized equipment needed.
“She loved to see the children on the horses, forgetting their problems and having a sense of freedom for that time,” said Ted.
“She touched so many people’s lives. She was an extrovert, always positive and accepting of everyone she met.”
She was a life member of the Vernon and District Riding Club, Girl Guides of Canada and the Coldstream Women’s Institute.
She kept horses on her farm and was able to spend time riding her mare, Java, last summer.
With information from the article June Osborn and Her Passion...Horses by Maureen Will. It appeared in the March 2010 issue of Saddle Up.
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