2022 Foals

What a year! Four foals, four fillies! If only we could keep them all—or, as mom says, “If only I could drop 20 years….”

First of the 2022 foals came the lone Section A foal: Alvesta Isadora (Delami Red Legend x Islyn Gwerthfawr by Islyn Andreas).

Our 10-year-old imported mare, Islyn Gwerthfawr, has produced a Nerwyn Gwyn filly (Islyna, with Jen Robertson, ON) and an Alvesta Infinity colt (Gwydion, with Claire Reid, SC), but Isadora was the result of Gwerthfawr’s first cross with Legend—and what a lovely mix of sire and dam! She is what we hoped of this cross: a tremendous mover with plenty of Welsh Mountain Pony type, bone—and such a gentle, curious baby: always investigating. Handling her has been a joy. Isadora “Dora” (nicknamed after one of her dam’s breeders) is to remain in our program. One day, she’ll be an exciting cross with old boy, Nerwyn Gwyn (we hope—he’ll be 22 by then!) and with new boy, Sunwillow Alfonso.

Being as 2022 was 3-year-old, Sunwillow Alfonso’s (Sunwillow Xspo x Sunwillow Imogen by Heniarth Quip), first breeding season, Isadora’s sire took a trip to Ontario! Eight-year-old Welsh Mountain Pony stallion, Delami Red Legend (Sunwillow Galong x Delami Simply Red by Delami Diablo), spent time with Jenna Ponzo, Crown Ridge Farm, where she produced him beautifully—and loved on him shamelessly! We received regular updates about what a wonderful boy he is. Such a lucky pony, getting all that love (and carrots)—plus, visits from his favourite wee person, Jenna’s niece, Sophie! It’s wonderful to have had Legend produced where he was so well cared for and loved on—and then shown to Supreme Champion, too! Then, Legend ended his show season at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, where he was Section A Res. Champion! And now, we look forward to having him back home!

Jenna tells people Legend ruined other Section As for her, because of “how unbelievably special he is, in every way.” Super typey, Legend is also quite the mover—siring foals who are as well. Isadora is the second Legend daughter we’ve introduced to our breeding program: the first being sweet Gwynevere (2021 filly, out of Alvesta Gwyneth [Nerwyn Gwyn x Alvesta Lil Gumdrop]), who surpasses her sire’s brilliant movement, with Gwyneth’s influence. Next year, Gwyneth will be bred back to Legend, as we love this cross!

Next from the foaling pasture came daughters from our 13.2hh 7-year-old, chestnut stallion, Thistledown Arctic Lore (Thistledown Arctic Sun x Thistledown Gala Queen by Mynach Buccaneer): Castula and Oneida! We’ve been so happy with how this young stallion has crossed with our lines; Lore was the right addition at the right time—a great stallion for our daughters from CadlanValley Pirate, Llanarth Tarquin, and Alvesta Helios, contributing bone, height, and a lovely quality type and movement.

Alvesta Castula’s arrival was extra exciting! We walked up as first-foaller, Alvesta Caelia (Alvesta Helios x Alvesta Fairy Lustre) began giving birth; mom, dad, and I were with her through the process, and even got video. Caelia was a champ; trusting, docile mares are a wonderful thing!

We anticipated that Lore and Caelia especially, would complement each other; Castula is so similar to her dam, yet a lovely mix of sire and dam, with the prettiest face. To let her go, we remind ourselves that Caelia is a young mare, likely to have many more lovely foals! No doubt Alvesta Castula will have a wonderful future with new owner, Jenna Ponzo. A breeder’s dream, to have ponies go to a home like Jenna’s, who has already given our ponies such great care and promotion—we are excited to see what Jenna and Castula will do together.

Next to foal was Alvesta Fairy Lustre (CadlanValley Pirate x Alvesta Mystique by GlanNant Adonis), our lovely 14-year-old Section B mare, Castula's granddam. It’s hard to believe that CadlanValley Pirate’s first daughters are already in their mid- and late-teens! Fairy Lustre is such a gentle, sweet mare, and she consistently produces foals with lovely type and movement! Alvesta Oneida is the third foal from Lore x Fairy Lustre (brothers are Owain, owned by Gayle Gordon and produced by Maye Show Ponies in VA, and Oberon, owned by Tony Spina in NB). She’s such a regal, elegant creature, while having lots of bone and height—another special pony from this cross!

While every carefully chosen cross is exciting to us, we were delighted to end the foaling season with Alvesta Eira (Nerwyn Gwyn [A] x Alvesta Electra [B] by CadlanValley Pirate [B]). Not since the 70s and 80s—when there were far more Section As than Bs, and we had just begun to introduce B lines into our program—have we bred Section As to Bs, yet, we’ve always felt that a big-moving, typey Welsh Mountain Pony crossed with the right B (good bone, height, and depth of body) could be a great thing for a Section B breeding program.

In a herd with big movement as a key focus, Eira’s sire and dam are two of our strongest. As a result, both Eira, and full sister, Audelia, are truly tremendous movers with huge performance potential. We weren’t keen to let Audelia go, but she’s gone to an exciting hunter / jumper home in Tennessee, where such an intelligent, curious mare as she should have a great career—so, Eira will be staying home! This cross was planned since dam, Electra, was a foal herself, thoroughly impressing us with her movement. And Eira is just what we were hoping for: wonderful movement, type, with a bold, intelligent mind. We can’t wait to see what Eira and Lore will produce one day!

As 2022 wraps up, we want to thank all of our wonderful clients who have given our ponies the very best of homes. On this note, shout-out to Wendy Williams, Stony Plain, AB. She and 12-year-old Alvesta Mona Lisa, her first Alvesta pony, have become a driving force, and this year, 4-year-old full sister Alvesta Meghan (CadlanValley Pirate x Alvesta Monique by Rosedale El-Senor) made her driving debut! How wonderful it was, to receive update after update of Wendy and Meghan doing so well together at their first-year competitions, culminating in the pair being awarded the 2022 Harry Harrison Memorial High Point Award from Alberta Carriage Driving Association (Mona won High Point in 2021)!

Thank you, Wendy, for your ongoing commitment to great horsemanship, and for giving our ponies such a wonderful life. Plus, they get in-house trims, as Wendy’s daughter, Audrey, is a talented farrier, who we also use. Albertans, check out Blue Eyes Horseshoeing (blueeyeshorseshoeing@gmail.com).

Wishing everyone a healthy winter.

From the Podolskis at Alvesta Farm