Kilmannan Stud changes direction

They are not just limited to children as many are capable of carrying adults who are enjoying riding them, being hardy, sure footed, an even temperament and ‘can do’ attitude.

Many of these breeds are recognised by the Rare Breed Survival Trust, but thanks to the leisure industry many of horses and ponies on the watchlist are making a comeback, either through ridden family ponies, driving or showing.

One person who has been responsible for bringing the Dales ponies to the fore of ridden mountain and moorland competitions is Bill Ireland, from the Kilmannan Stud, at Blanefield, north of Glasgow.

Since he moved to Scotland from Essex in 1985 Bill has been instrumental in raising the popularity of these ponies but it was only came about through chance. His first foray into showing was with an older Dales type pony, Oliver, which was purchased to drive.

Once Oliver was retired, Bill bought a registered Dales pony, Slaypits Black Magic, to continue driving and in-hand showing. Although a stallion, Magic was well-mannered and Bill took Magic to the Lomondside Stud for Pat and Liz Rennie to inspect and they suggested that Magic could be shown under saddle.

This was the start of the ‘bug’ for Bill as Magic was shown extensively under saddle, winning numerous championships and qualifying for Olympia, and as a stallion it was a natural progression to buy Dales mares and start a breeding programme.

Before long the stud was up and running, foals being born and sold on and as Dales ponies are recognised as endangered this can only been a good thing. The stud has attracted buyers who have the foresight to place the ponies with leading producers and riders and their success has in turn promoted the breed.

With Bill majoring on in-hand showing, for under saddle classes he has used a number of riders to show his animals. Richard Telford currently has five of Bill’s ponies at his Berwickshire yard and riding Bill’s ponies has won at Horse of the Year Show with Kilmannan Black Velvet and Olympia with Kilmannan Black Pearl, a feat few riders can put claim to.

This year at Horse of the Year Show there were five Kilmannan-bred ponies qualified – all by Slaypits Black Magic – how many breeders can make a similar claim?

Slaypits Black Magic, the foundation stallion of the stud, and catalyst for Bill’s enthusiasm, is enjoying a happy retirement, out on the hills in a natural environment, a far cry from the show ring where he was reserve at the Olympia ridden mountain and moorland championships in 1996.

Magic’s daughter, Kilmannan Velvet, won at HOYS in 2004 with Richard and she flies the flag at Olympia this year with Henry Hird.

At home, Bill has 16 Dales ponies, from the youngsters who winter out on the hill to the retired mare Trimdon Black Velvet, now 32 years old, which has been such a good brood-mare for Bill with all of her offspring prizewinners.

At the Highland Show the stud have won 11 championships – six in-hand and five under saddle – with Slaypits Black Magic, Kilmannan Black Bramble, Slaypits Rosie, Village Defender, Kilmannan Black Pearl, Kilmannan Black Velvet and Kilmannan Black Magic.

In fact there are not many competitions where the Kilmannan name hasn’t been successful. 2010 could see a change of direction for the stud as Bill ventures into the heavy horse world of driving turnouts – but it won’t be with a Clydesdale horse or even a Shire but instead it’ll be Suffolk Punch horses that will carry the name.

“My father had two Suffolk Punch horses on the farm – Smart and Short – and that’s the reason I got them. I always said if I had a chance to get Suffolk Punches horses then I would,” explained Bill.

Bill’s family owned a department store in Essex and a traditional furniture van pantechnicon wagon was purchased in the 1970s and liveried in the colours of the store.

During our visit, Bill shows off two pictures of this same wagon being pulled by six and two Suffolk Punches at Essex County Show in the early 1980s, driven by Roger and Cheryl Clark. Bill hopes that in time he will be able to show the wagon in Scotland at the Highland in the heavy horse turnout class, albeit driven by Roger, who Bill has kept in touch with since his move to Scotland.

“Roger and Cheryl were big supporters of Suffolk Punches and ran a 90-acre farm purely with heavy horses, mainly Percheron and Suffolk Punches,” said Bill.

Suffolk Punch horses are recognised as critical by the RBST and have the earliest stud book of any heavy horse breed. The working horses were a casualty of the growth of agricultural machinery as the flat arable ground in East Anglia was well suited to tractors.

As a result the breed declined, and in 1966 only nine foals were registered. Thankfully, steps have been made to stop this breed from extinction and in 2008 42 foals were registered and by mid June this year 42 foals were recorded. With only around 80 mares left worldwide, it was fortunate that Bill was able to buy two mares last autumn.

The mares, Eastern Spring and Eyke Thistle, were in foal and Thistle came with a filly foal at foot. This year, the horses have caused considerable interest to tourists who pass their fields on the A809, many stopping to take pictures of the large, bright chestnut horses standing in the fields.

Both mares foaled colts – named Short and Smart after Bill’s father’s horses. Bill plans to send both mares back to stud next year and Smart may be kept as a future stallion and shown in England as there are not heavy horse in-hand classes in Scotland.

“The Suffolks are impressive horses and it would be lovely to be able to show them up here,” said Bill.

Bill also recently purchased the original harness that was used by the six in-hand Suffolk Punches shown in the picture and it hangs in an impressive purpose-built display cabinet in the harness room of his home. This was made pre-War and built to last – a bridle weighs me down and I didn’t try to lift the collar.

While the wagon has a specially made trailer, extra space is needed to transport the harness and it must be a daunting thought to get everything – horses, wagon and harness ready for a show.

“Cheryl used to say it took two weeks before the show to clean the harness and then a further two weeks afterwards to sort it,” said Bill, whose partner Catherine Farrell works hard at home cleaning and preparing the ponies for the shows.

“My horses are not trained to drive and I hope Roger will be able to find two Suffolk Punches and bring them up for the Highland Show,” added Bill who admits he has no plans to drive the horses himself and appreciates it may take some time to get the horses and wagon ready to be shown.

However once he does I’m sure it will be a great sight and the heavy horse turnouts are such a draw for spectators at the Highland it would be marvellous for another team of horses to take part and show these magnificent horses working as they traditionally did.