Dales Pony Festival and Spring Show Results

Please see the Results page

Mask Wearing at the Festival and Spring Show

Just a reminder of the mask wearing guidelines at the show on Saturday 26 June.

At Richmond EC, the Covid restrictions remain the same as government guidelines. When indoors, masks have to be worn especially in the café areas. Social distancing is required at all times.

In addition, for the HOYS Qualifier, class 6:
• Competitors must wear a face covering at all times when not mounted in the ring
• Grooms must not enter the ring until their exhibit has been ridden
• Grooms must wear a face covering at all times when in the ring

Exemptions will apply to riders and grooms under 18 plus any others with dispensation.

Ponies will only be stripped in class 6.

Face masks will not be required in in-hand classes and feet will not be picked up by the judge.

Dales Pony Festival and Spring Show Update

After the Government announcement on Monday 14 June 2021 of the continuance of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, spectators will not be admitted to the show on Saturday 26 June. Only those people who have already registered with DPS Track and Trace will be allowed on the showground.

DPS Festival and Spring Show – Numbers in Classes and Update

Numbers in the classes are attached here.

Please be aware that the situation with respect to Covid-19 is still under review. Information will be posted on the website after the Government announcement on Monday 14 June.

First DPS Show Results of the Year

Please find the Dales South Show 2021 Results on the Results Page.

Many Thanks to the Horserace Betting Levy Board

The HBLB has been supporting the rare native equine breeds for many years and in particular the Dales Pony Society. The Society uses its grant to support many of the breeding, registration and testing services rather than passing on the full costs to breeders and owners.

This its latest press release:

HBLB Supports Rare Native Equine Breeds as Part of Commitment to Improving Breeds of Horse

Non-thoroughbred rare breed societies will benefit from funding from the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) in 2021, with grants awarded in accordance with HBLB’s statutory objective for “the improvement of breeds of horses”.

As well as the significant investment made in the interests of the thoroughbred, for many decades HBLB has sought to protect and enhance specified British rare breeds via grants to societies to support their pure breeding programmes.

The range of breed societies assisted has varied from time to time, and HBLB now takes advice from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) on which native British breeds are most in need of help.  The HBLB Board received a presentation from the RBST at its May meeting on current initiatives and activities.

The HBLB grants are used to support breed improvement programmes.  This can include premium payments to encourage pure breeding of quality bloodlines, genetic analysis, gene banking, DNA testing, registration subsidy, licensing fees, stallion fertility testing, artificial insemination schemes, maintenance of the breed stud book, support for breed shows and show judge training.  The individual societies are required to add 20% from their own resources to fund their programmes.

In addition, HBLB backs the annual Rare Breeds Heritage Show, now being managed by the RBST.  Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 Show, which was to have been the eighth, had to be cancelled.  The RBST is working to organize an event in 2021, taking into account the continuing limitations.

Below are the 12 breeds supported in 2021/22 and the relevant RBST categorisation.  The total allocation is £165,500.

RBST – Priority

Cleveland Bay Horse £21,500

Dales Pony Society  £9,000

Dartmoor Pony Society £9,000

Eriskay Pony Society  £9,000

Exmoor Pony Society  £9,000

Hackney Horse Society £18,000

Suffolk Horse Society £25,000

RBST – At Risk

Clydesdale Horse Society £11,000

Fell Pony Society £7,000

Highland Pony Society £7,000

Shire Horse Society   £30,000

New Forest Pony Society £5,000

Rare Breeds of the Year Show £5,000

HBLB Grants Manager Annie Dodd said: “Our native British horse and pony breeds are integral to this country’s landscape and history.  Alongside its essential support for the breeding of the racing Thoroughbred, HBLB is also committed to helping the most vulnerable native breeds survive and thrive in the modern day.  Breeds such as the Dales pony or the Suffolk Punch demonstrate the same qualities and aptitude for sport, work and leisure riding as the Thoroughbred, and deserve the same high regard. They are part of the great British equine scene and the Board wants to help preserve them in the future. “

RBST Chief Executive Christopher Price said: “RBST is a conservation charity dedicated to the promotion and conservation of our native livestock and equines.  RBST was founded in 1973 and, since then, no UK-native breed has been lost. Our work includes cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, ponies, goats and poultry. We produce the RBST Watchlist, an annual assessment of the conservation status of all our native breeds, taking account of both the numbers and the extent of inbreeding. 

“Our conservation strategy is based on the Watchlist’s findings: firstly wherever possible we promote the use of our native breeds, secondly lobbying for government support where appropriate and thirdly running conducting specific conversation projects where necessary.

“We are enormously grateful for the support HBLB gives us and the wider native breed sector, which will make a real difference to our work and help ensure a thriving future for our rare native breeds.”

For further information, please contact HBLB Grants Manager Annie Dodd on 07785 390922

Note:

HBLB’s statutory objectives are to apply Levy funds to one or more of the following:

• the improvement of breeds of horses;
• the advancement or encouragement of veterinary science or veterinary education;
• the improvement of horseracing.

Horserace Betting Levy Board
21-27 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London, WC1N 3NL  
email: enquiries@hblb.org.uk    phone: 020 7333 0043    web: www.hblb.org.uk