FOX CREEK FARM: GERMAN RIDING PONIES IN THE USA MIDWEST

Kansas is not the first place you would think to look for quality German Riding Ponies. But that is exactly what you will find at Fox Creek Farm in Manhattan, KS. Nestled on 160 acres of meadows and woodlands is Fox Creek Farm. Through the center of our farm runs Fox Creek, and on either side of the creek are rich brome field meadows perfect for raising German Riding Ponies.

Fox Creek Farm was originally established in 2000 as a boarding, training, lessons and sales barn. In 2001 we were honored to become home to the Kansas State University Equestrian Team. Our staff assists with the management and care of the team’s horses; the team trains and competes out of our facility. We host university competitions throughout the year and have been the site of several regional championships. However, this is only one aspect of our multi-faceted facility.

During the last several years we have been developing a German Riding Pony breeding program. We became involved with the German Riding Pony for two reasons: first, we have three children ages 11, 6 and 1 year old; and secondly, I was tired of handling 16 hand yearlings that my children couldn’t safely be around. Frankly it was more work than it was fun for my 5’3” frame. And so, with my own personal love of dressage, and a small warmblood breeding program already in place, (we bred Countach, the 2004 USDF DSHB High Score Yearling with a 78.65%), we quickly became familiar with the German Riding Pony. What a great concept! A pony breed that focuses on producing a pony with the quality of movement necessary for FEI level dressage and the jumping ability and scope of a warmblood, while maintaining the rideability and temperament necessary for a child or small adult amateur.

We began our breeding program by focusing on building a solid mare base consisting of the highest quality pony mares available. We firmly believe that the mares are the key to any successful breeding program and we now have some very exciting broodmares as the foundation for our breeding program. The beautiful black States Premium mare Loretta, by Kennedy and out of a Brillant mare, has been added to our mare band. She represents 30 years of the best of German Riding Pony breeding. She has proven her quality in style by winning the 2004 Elite Mare Show in Vechta, and producing a colt that is currently a stallion candidate in Germany. We are very excited about her future contribution to our breeding program. Another exciting addition to our mare band was the purchase of the premium Elite Foal, Bella Sandra, from the Autumn Elite Auction in Vechta. Bella Sandra is being raised for us in Germany so that she may be presented and performance tested in Germany as a 3-year old. She is a double grand-daughter of the well-known foundation sire, Constantin, and out of a Sandro Hit mare. We believe she has a very exciting future not only as a broodmare, but also as a performance pony. This fall we will be presenting Caramel Crunch. She is a New Forest Pony who was imported in utero from Holland. Her dam, Wielgerma's Maude, received her Ster Predicate award earning the second highest score in Holland the year of her Keuring. Her sire, Woodrow Carisbrooke, was Champion of his Keuring and named Horse of the Year in Holland in 2004. She offers unique bloodlines that can be found nowhere else in the United States. Two other ponies that will contribute significantly to the future of our breeding program are Telynau Dawn Chorus and SVS Onjalei Dancer. Telynau Dawn Chorus, a Welsh B mare (approved Weser-Ems) who is a double grand-daughter of the very famous Welsh stallion Eyarth Rio, was imported from the UK after becoming Supreme Champion of the West Midland Stallion Show. SVS Onjalei Dancer was purchased from Sierra Vista Sporthorses in California. She is out of the imported Germany Riding Pony, Bechamel (Breeton Bric), and by the newly approved Weser-Ems stallion Wedderlie Mardi Gras. SVS Onjalei Dancer was purchased for her stunning movement and exceptional conformation. But, she also adds some fun and spice to our program because she is also “perlino” in color. We are not “color breeders”, we breed for movement, temperament, jumping ability, and conformation; however, one can hardly turn down the opportunity to have your cake and eat it too!

One of the most exciting developments in our program has come through the new partnership we have formed with the Coldewey Family in Germany. It was through our search for those special mares upon which to build a successful breeding program that we had the good fortune to become acquainted with Timo and Julia Coldewey. The Coldewey Family is one of the oldest names in German Riding Pony breeding farms. Timo’s father, Herold Coldewey was one of the original breeders of the German Riding Pony. It was Herold who imported and stood the extremely influential British Riding Pony stallion, Brillant. Brillant sired an incredible 35 Approved Stallions and 23 States Premium mares. Currently, Gestut Kastanienhof, the Coldewey’s farm, stands the stallions Kennedy and Halifax as well as a number of other pony stallions.

We are thrilled to announce that through our partnership with the Coldewey’s we are able to bring the semen of these amazing stallions – Kennedy and Halifax -- to the United States. It is very exciting to have the opportunity to breed to these sires who have already proven their quality in Germany through offspring and sport successes. I believe the contribution these ponies will make in furthering the quality of our ponies here in the U.S. will be significant. Both Halifax and Kennedy are now available to Weser-Ems approved mares in the United States for the 2007 breeding season.

It’s funny how life often takes you in different directions. Over the last couple of years our breeding focus has shifted from breeding the big horses to the ponies. Two events stand out in my mind as proof to me that that change in breeding focus is the right one for our farm. The first event happened at the Oldenburg Verband inspection. My son was very excited and begged me to let him skip school to attend and present a pony. Of course, being the responsible adult, I said YES! Here he was, a very proud 11-year old, successfully presenting Onjalei Dancer to the Oldenburg Verband. What a great first-time experience. Onjalei Dancer had just arrived at the farm two days earlier and her temperament couldn’t have been more perfect. He certainly couldn’t have done that with the big horses! The second event just makes me laugh thinking about it. One of the pony foals we bred last year would, upon seeing us walk past her paddock, leave her mother, step through the fence, and proceed to follow us all over the farm. Her poor mother would stand at the gate crying pitifully for her foal to return. But her foal was just too busy having fun with us and making us laugh at her antics over dogs, cats and other farm staples. Then she would suddenly decide she had tortured her mom enough and would take off at a full gallop for the paddock and step back through the fence. Over the summer I realized that every time I was working with the ponies they were making me laugh. I thought this is just too much fun! I still love my big 16-hand Oldenburg yearling, but there is something about the zest for life that the ponies have that I can’t help but find irresistible. In the short time that we have been involved with the German Riding Ponies our lives have become immeasurably enriched, not just by the ponies themselves, but by the friendships we have found with others who love their ponies. There is truly something very special about a dearly loved pony who returns the affection in earnest.