2020 Foals

We are fortunate to have six healthy foals, and like so many this year, the majority were colts: five to one!

Last autumn, our homebred stallion, Alvesta Infinity (Cat Creek Innuendo x Alvesta Caris by Nerwyn Gwyn), went to Dona Currie’s Welsh Mountain Pony breeding program in Vining, Minnesota—but first, we bred two mares: Islyn Gwerthfawr and Alvesta Gwyneth, both of whom produced colts. Alvesta Ianto and Alvesta Gwydion are Infinity’s first foals, and we’re so pleased to see the quality and temperament we had hoped Infinity would throw. Ianto is looking like a very promising stallion prospect, and Gwydion is about the sweetest little character we could ask for.

This is the third crop of foals for our five-year-old imported Section B stallion, Thistledown Arctic Lore (Thistledown Arctic Sun x Thistledown Gala Queen by Mynach Buccaneer): again, colts! But they are lovely boys, and in keeping with Lore's offspring, kind and gentle... Alvesta Baldur will join his full brother and relatives on Vancouver Island, with Cathy Villeneuve, to one day help realize Cathy’s dream of a four-pony hitch, and Alvesta Oberon is looking to make a top stallion prospect, like his brother, Alvesta Owain.

Our Section B mare band is comprised of CadlanValley Pirate’s daughters and granddaughters, so we have only one unrelated Section B mare—so, sadly, we have only one foal from our old boy. Now 21 years old, Pirate happily lives year-around with his mare, Alvesta Lotus Blossom (Mynach Mystical x Morton’s China Doll by Stockham Commander M). They’ve produced another very friendly, beautiful filly named Alvesta Morning Glory; though we do have another young Pirate x Lotus daughter (Buttercup), it would appear our sweet Morning Glory will have to join her sisters in the Alvesta mare band.

We did use one outside stallion last year as well. For many years, we admired the Welsh Mountain Pony stallion, Relhok Austin Healey, previously owned and successfully driven by Jeffrey Kohler in Ontario—and we've always loved his sire, Springbourne Boy Blue, even owning a son at one point.

Last year, Stacey Schaber brought Austin Healey to Alberta, so we took our eldest Nerwyn Gwyn daughter, Alvesta Caris (full sister to Muriel Burnley’s Alvesta Swyn). The result was a super typey, friendly, bold little man of a colt, who we’ve named Alvesta Austin, in honour of his late sire. We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to breed to Relhok Austin Healey.

Meanwhile, our young Welsh Mountain Pony stallion prospect, Sunwillow Alfonso (Sunwillow Xspo x Sunwillow Imogen by Heniarth Quip), is growing up! Imported last autumn as a weanling, he’s now one year old and doing well.

Importation can be hard on youngsters, but Alfonso has always had a great attitude and is a real love of a pony—always looking for attention, smart, brave, and such a character. Breeder, Vanessa Dyvig, outdid herself with Alfonso; we can hardly believe our luck to have been entrusted with such a promising colt from the famous Sunwillow Stud!

We have been getting photos and video of the ponies, including those available to great homes; we invite you to view them here.