By Valerie Russell

The Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society Council has just introduced a 'President's Award' for outstanding contribution to the Shetland breed.

The award was presented to Mrs Helen Thomson by the president, Mrs Lambert, at the Viking Show in Shetland. Part-owner, with Mrs Marie Brooker, of Broothom Ponies, Helen has played a vital role over many decades in involving children in Shetland with the ponies. Year after year, she has brought groups of the children and ponies down from the islands to the mainland by ferry to compete in shows, often qualifying some for the Shetland Grand National final.

The Highland Pony Society is holding a members' study day on October 27, at the RDA Centre, South Bottymyre, Inverarity. Non-members are welcome (admission, £5). The speakers are: Tom Best, who will give a judging presentation to include the use of the 'marks' system; the society's president, Mrs Marguerite Osborne, will give a demonstration of in-hand showing and conformation, including advice on turn out for ponies and handlers.

Vet Vicky Rowlands will give an illustrated presentation of various aspects of laminitis, and will also examine the five stages of vetting; Nick Canning, a specialist in animal nutrition at Nottingham University, will speak on equine nutrition relevant to native ponies.

Ponies from the University of Edinburgh's Exmoor Trekking Centre took part in a RBST display at Blair, and were also placed in most classes at the Scottish Exmoor Show at Strathallan.

The ponies, based at Swanston Farm, in the Pentland Hills, are the successors of a herd donated to The Dick Vet School in the 1950s by the University's then Professor of Comparative Anatomy, James Speed.

Off peak treks take place from mid September to May, in the Pentland Hills, and peak time treks from June to September in Glendevon, Clacks. The centre is recognised by the Trekking and Riding Society of Scotland.

Scottish owned or bred ponies have been doing well in the showring. At the Great Yorkshire Show show, despite appalling ground conditions, Dianna and John Staveley took the mountain and moorland championship with their home-bred Connemara mare, Eastlands Mossiebrae.

Lesley and Kevin Moy's Cromagtir Welsh mountain pony stud is having a great season with their colt foal, Cromagtir Dagan, who won his class at both the Royal Highland and Royal Welsh shows, taking the R A Swann award for the best foal at the latter.

Another Royal Highland winner on his winning ways is Lynda Mulholland's Exmoor gelding, Beinnliath Hartshornpike. At the recent Scottish Exmoor show, he won the trophy for the best bred in Scotland, and was reserve supreme champion, and also won the performance championship, ridden by Linda's granddaughter, Morgan.

The Fell Society's Scottish Group had a stud visit and stock judging day at Alan Anderson's Towford Stud near Jedburgh. Two ponies, Alan's Towford Hermione and Gwen Rae's Bracklinn Melissa, sponsored by Harbro, represented Scotland in the inter-area in-hand championships at the Southern Fell show in Oxfordshire, and both won their classes.

A trip to the Horse World Welfare Centre at Aboyne is also planned for September 30.