The Arche Noah Dales Ponies win German county championship
We’re very happy to report our win and at the same time, another successful
showing of the Dales Pony breed in one of the biggest championships in the country.
This July, we have won the gold medal at the Northrhine-Westphalian championship
of four-in-hand driving. The three-day event consisted of three individual categories,
these being dressage, marathon and cone driving. Alexander was able to score
favourable results in each of the categories, winning him the title of this year’s
champion and qualifying for the German national championship.
Northrhine-Westphalia is one of sixteen German counties and located in the west,
bordering the Netherlands and Belgium. It is here where our family has been
breeding Dales ponies since 1990. We are very fortunate to look back on a successful
breeding and training history.
All of our ponies are trained at home by us, under the saddle as well as in front of the
carriage. Since the 90s, we’ve shown our ponies in single, pair and four-in-hand
driving competitions all over Germany as well as some international locations. Doris
had started the four-in-hand driving in the early 2000s with her own team and when
Alexander took over competing 10 years ago, the next four ponies were ready to be
taken to the international level.
Training the horses for carriage driving is a long process needing lots of patience. We
usually start them at age seven.
We have been registered breeders with the Dales Pony Society since the beginning
and love to visit every year for the breeding and summer shows. Occasionally, we
buy in new bloodstock and we’re cautious to keep a tad smaller, very sporty looking
pony with big movements and strong bones. The ponies’ characters play a big role in
which pony to choose for the driving sport as well. We are looking for intelligent,
eager ponies which love the mental challenge of the different exercises which come
with the competing. In the Dales Pony, we have found the perfect fit for our
requirements. The low breeding numbers of Dales Ponies however, continue to
prove troubling for our own breeding process as well as the sporting aspect.
While the trend in the driving sport has shifted to smaller pony breeds like Welsh A
or B in the last years, we’re still very happy with our Dales Ponies. We are fortunate
to live in an area with a huge network of bridleways and can enjoy the nature on
horseback as well as with a carriage. The Dales Ponies are happy to carry adults allover the terrain and enjoy daily drives up to 15 kilometres, keeping them trained all
year round.
Our latest four-in-hand team consists of Arche Noah Lillyfee (front left), Arche Noah
Josephine (front right), Arche Noah Kelly (back left) and Arche Noah Grace (back
right). All ponies were bred and trained at home.
Cones driving
Dressage
From Left: Arche Noah Grace, Arce Noah Lillyfee, Beacondale Ptricia, Castle Hill John ITandem, Castle Hill John I back, Beacondale Patricia in front
Tandem, Castle Hill John I back, Beacondale Patricia in front
Four-in-hand POV
Warm-up four-in-hand
Beach riding with Arche Noah Grace
Original Scan from our article in the Dales Pony magazine - Page 1
Original Scan from our article in the Dales Pony magazine - Page 2
