Native Pony People.

Name
Dianna Staveley.

Stud Name
Eastlands.

Breeder
Connemaras.
Shetlands.

Current / Former panel judge
Former panel judge Shetland Pony Stud Book Society; Donkey Breed Society; PUK, and British Driving Society.

Society / Rank
Former President of Shetland Pony Stud Book Society.

1) How and when did you first become involved with native ponies; what was the first native pony that you owned?
A Shetland Pony called Peggy - 60 years ago.

2) Do you have a soft spot for any pony in particular, owned by yourself or someone else?
Bardsey Trinket, dam of Eastlands Burniebrae - Connemara.

3) Please state your most memorable judging experience, be it good, bad or amusing?
Upon asking a very small boy in an Open class to do whatever show he would rather do,
he replied 'I would rather not do one, and watch the Grand Prix'.

4) Speaking as a judge; what do you believe to be the most important aspects of native pony showing today?
Ponies should appear as natives; and look as though they could actually be native ponies, living on their native heaths.

5) When judging in the ring, what brings a smile to your face?
Supporters on the side of the ring giving instructions opposite to mine!

6) Speaking as a breeder; what do you believe to be the most important aspects of pony breeding today?
Ponies are losing native pony hardiness, they receive too much beauty parlour treatment.

7) Speaking as a breeder; please state your most memorable experience during your years of pony breeding, be it good, bad or amusing?
Winning the Connemara Supreme Championship with a Scottish bred pony at Royal Dublin Horse Show 2005, and being 2nd at Clifden 2006.

8) What is the inspiration behind your prefix name?
A former family home.

9) Speaking as a competitor; please state your most memorable experience at a show, be it good, bad or amusing?
Winning the Royal Show Private Driving Reserve Championship with a pair of Shetland ponies.

10) If you could wave a magic wand and have any pony brought to your yard; be it past, present or future, who would it be?
Chiltern Sunday.

11) Any 'words of wisdom' you wish to share?
Do not mollycoddle your ponies. The one in the snow (picture above), won Dublin 4 months later.

11) Any further comments?
As a breeder fix the female line, and then an outcross male's potential can be quickly assessed in the first crop of foals.

Breeder information at: Eastlands Stud