The Pennell family’s Nipna Dales Pony stud is based near Darlington, but Anna Pennell clocks up several thousand miles each year attending shows and other competitions. Wendy Short went to meet her
ANNA Pennell manages the stud, at Redworth, alongside her mother Julie and her sister Laura, while her father Richard runs the family’s garden centre businesses.
The gardening connection is evident to anyone studying the herd’s pedigree registrations, all of which have a horticultural theme, with the Dales breeding mares taking part in riding club activities, dressage and showing, as well as driving competitions, reflecting their versatility and underlining their reputation as a true all rounder.
Established in 2000, the Nipna stud got its name by taking the first three letters of Nipper (Lingjohn Juniper), Julie’s first Dales pony, which she acquired in the 1980s, and adding the last two letters of Anna, a mare which she owned before she had her four children. One particular stallion, Lowhouses Black Magic, bred by Richie and Freda Longstaff, of Mickleton, has made his mark on the Pennells’ pony breeding programme and will be remembered as the best Dales pony that the family has ever owned.
Sadly, they lost him this year at the age of 18, but he will always be remembered fondly.
“Magic was a superstar and won many shows for us, including the mountain and moorland championship and reserve overall horse/pony championship at the Royal Highland and the Great Yorkshire Show,” says Ms Pennell.
“That has never been achieved before or since by a Dales pony.
“He sired many show winners for ourselves and other Dales pony breeders, including several which have gone on to qualify for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). In fact, every Magic-sired show pony has been placed in the first ten at the event and we are very proud of him for that achievement.
“He was a quiet and very genuine sort and much easier to handle than many other stallions.”
The Pennells keep a dozen mares and mainly sell their progeny as unbroken youngsters, or lightly started under saddle.
“The ponies always attract a lot of interest at shows and once people see them in action they will often fall in love with the breed and decide they would like to own one. In fact, we always tell anyone who buys from us that they will end up with a second Dales.
“We try to only breed from mares which have proved they are capable and talented and we find that riding club activities are ideal for broadening their experience.
“We have three homebred ponies which have qualified for the HOYS this year and one qualified for Olympia; these mares form the backbone of our breeding future.”
Despite Ms Pennell’s enthusiasm and admiration for the Dales pony, she points out that the breed is not always suitable for children, or for novice riders.
“The general recommendation is for teenagers and adults,” she says.
“They perform the best when they are given a job of work, as they are highly intelligent. Dales ponies are keen to learn, but they have to be challenged in the right way. The more you ask of them, the better they become.
“Dales tend to have good longevity and will usually remain in work well into their 20s; we lost our oldest pony last year at 32 years old. They are also very sure-footed and hardy and ours live out all year round, although we do use rugs for ponies in work when they have been clipped out in the winter.”
It was the society’s centenary last year which culminated in 70 Dales ponies being ridden through Barnard Castle. The ride was the start of a week of Dales pony events in the area, which culminated in the breed’s Centenary Summer Breed show.
“I was looking through some old documents relating to the Dales when we were planning the centenary and it struck me that it was one of the few breeds which had remained virtually unchanged since the period when it was mainly used for working,” she says.
“The preferred height is 14hh-14.2hh, but there is no upper limit and Dales often appear larger, because they are so solid. Their broad chests mean they are ideal in harness and their working history is not limited to pulling carts in the mining industry; they are set close behind, which allows them to pull a plough down the furrow without disturbing the soil.
“The trot is the Dales’ main gait and it can maintain a steady pace for miles, while also being very comfortable to ride and highly trainable.”
Dales ponies have remained popular in the North East, but numbers remain low overall and in 2015, the breed slipped from the endangered list, to be awarded critical status.
“There are simply not enough Dales ponies available to satisfy demand,” says Ms Pennell.
Adding another string to her bow, she recently became the honorary secretary of the Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders Association (WLSBA) and the family also keeps a small number of Teeswaters and Lincoln Longwools. As if the menagerie of animals were not enough to keep her busy, she has also trained in leatherwork and takes orders from around the globe for her bespoke hand-stitched bridles, with the finished product from a recent request posted to the USA. More information on AP Leatherwork can be found on Ms Pennell’s Facebook page.
Established in 2000, the Nipna stud got its name by taking the first three letters of Nipper (Lingjohn Juniper), Julie’s first Dales pony, which she acquired in the 1980s, and adding the last two letters of Anna, a mare which she owned before she had her four children. One particular stallion, Lowhouses Black Magic, bred by Richie and Freda Longstaff, of Mickleton, has made his mark on the Pennells’ pony breeding programme and will be remembered as the best Dales pony that the family has ever owned.
Sadly, they lost him this year at the age of 18, but he will always be remembered fondly.
“Magic was a superstar and won many shows for us, including the mountain and moorland championship and reserve overall horse/pony championship at the Royal Highland and the Great Yorkshire Show,” says Ms Pennell.
“That has never been achieved before or since by a Dales pony.
“He sired many show winners for ourselves and other Dales pony breeders, including several which have gone on to qualify for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). In fact, every Magic-sired show pony has been placed in the first ten at the event and we are very proud of him for that achievement.
“He was a quiet and very genuine sort and much easier to handle than many other stallions.”
The Pennells keep a dozen mares and mainly sell their progeny as unbroken youngsters, or lightly started under saddle.
“The ponies always attract a lot of interest at shows and once people see them in action they will often fall in love with the breed and decide they would like to own one. In fact, we always tell anyone who buys from us that they will end up with a second Dales.
“We try to only breed from mares which have proved they are capable and talented and we find that riding club activities are ideal for broadening their experience.
“We have three homebred ponies which have qualified for the HOYS this year and one qualified for Olympia; these mares form the backbone of our breeding future.”
Despite Ms Pennell’s enthusiasm and admiration for the Dales pony, she points out that the breed is not always suitable for children, or for novice riders.
“The general recommendation is for teenagers and adults,” she says.
“They perform the best when they are given a job of work, as they are highly intelligent. Dales ponies are keen to learn, but they have to be challenged in the right way. The more you ask of them, the better they become.
“Dales tend to have good longevity and will usually remain in work well into their 20s; we lost our oldest pony last year at 32 years old. They are also very sure-footed and hardy and ours live out all year round, although we do use rugs for ponies in work when they have been clipped out in the winter.”
It was the society’s centenary last year which culminated in 70 Dales ponies being ridden through Barnard Castle. The ride was the start of a week of Dales pony events in the area, which culminated in the breed’s Centenary Summer Breed show.
“I was looking through some old documents relating to the Dales when we were planning the centenary and it struck me that it was one of the few breeds which had remained virtually unchanged since the period when it was mainly used for working,” she says.
“The preferred height is 14hh-14.2hh, but there is no upper limit and Dales often appear larger, because they are so solid. Their broad chests mean they are ideal in harness and their working history is not limited to pulling carts in the mining industry; they are set close behind, which allows them to pull a plough down the furrow without disturbing the soil.
“The trot is the Dales’ main gait and it can maintain a steady pace for miles, while also being very comfortable to ride and highly trainable.”
Dales ponies have remained popular in the North East, but numbers remain low overall and in 2015, the breed slipped from the endangered list, to be awarded critical status.
“There are simply not enough Dales ponies available to satisfy demand,” says Ms Pennell.
Adding another string to her bow, she recently became the honorary secretary of the Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders Association (WLSBA) and the family also keeps a small number of Teeswaters and Lincoln Longwools. As if the menagerie of animals were not enough to keep her busy, she has also trained in leatherwork and takes orders from around the globe for her bespoke hand-stitched bridles, with the finished product from a recent request posted to the USA. More information on AP Leatherwork can be found on Ms Pennell’s Facebook page.
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