2026 Alvesta Welsh Foals

This year, we had six Welsh foals: two Section A and four Section B, which can be found here.

Every foaling season is exciting, but this year, we were not-so-patiently waiting to see the first offspring from our young import, Cadlanvalley Bobby Sox. With our first Cadlanvalley import going back nearly 30 years, we’ve been fans of this world-renowned program for even longer still.

While our 27-year-old Cadlanvalley Pirate is no longer used for breeding, he remains reigning stallion in his pasture; though this year, he’s showing his age more than ever and his face is flecked with grey. And yet, still he runs with his two colt pals, and they’re all great friends. Alvesta Emrys joined Pirate last year as a yearling, and Pirate couldn’t have been kinder to him right from their introduction—as has always been Pirate’s way with the mares who have lived with him. As Emrys grows up, he and Pirate continue to be great pals, and yearling Section A colt, Alvesta Rhys, has joined the crew, until he finds his new home.

And now, Cadlanvalley Bobby Sox (Cadlanvalley Georgie Boy x Cadlanvalley Sweet Elation by Russetwood Elation) is three years old and has joined the breeding ranks at Alvesta. We had waited a decade for the right colt from these lines—a combination of families with which the Cadlanvalley Stud has done extraordinarily well, from a breeding and show perspective: with halter and ridden championships, including at the Royal Welsh. Most importantly for us, they are very typey ponies known for their good temperaments.

Bobby has sired his first two foals: Odin (chestnut roan) and Erebus (bay)—both colts, and each from an 18-year-old Pirate daughter, Fairy Lustre (out of Alvesta Mystique) and Electra (out of Alvesta Fantasia). Both colts have a strong Welsh stamp, which we expected from Bobby, and are clever, friendly babies with wonderful movement. We’re thrilled with them and this very promising start to their sire’s breeding career. These stallion and show prospects are both on their way to a wonderful home in Florida.

Thank goodness Odin and Erebus are not girls, as we had a difficult enough time choosing who to let go from the rest of the crop—four beautiful fillies….

Somehow, 11 years have passed since our last trip to Wales and England, when we chose a striking, rich chestnut foal, Thistledown Arctic Lore (Thistledown Arctic Sun x Thistledown Gala Queen by Mynach Buccaneer). Sandy and Georgina Anderson have a massive breeding operation that spans all four sections, so we happily walked their pastures for hours, and it wasn’t until the last field that we met yet-unnamed Lore and his big, lovely parents. That quality foal has grown into a solid 13.2hh, very gentle-tempered stallion with plenty of bone and a beautiful head/neck set—which he puts on his offspring. He’s been a tremendous cross with our daughters from Pirate, Llanarth Tarquin, and Alvesta Helios, and we’ve started to retain daughters, who we’re very excited to put to Bobby.

This year, Lore sired two beautiful fillies: Corliss (chestnut-going-grey out of Alvesta Helios daughter, Caelia) and Arctic Lily (chestnut sabino out of a Pirate daughter, Buttercup).

Gentle Corliss is so pretty and leggy, like her full sister, Calypso (retained)—with the same exceptionally sweet, people-friendly temperament. The third lovely filly from this cross, Corliss has been retained for our program. Her eldest sister, Castula, is currently in Quebec with Édith Leblond, preparing to compete on the 2027 hunter circuit.

Fancy Arctic Lily is an elegant, pretty filly who is constantly posing; she has a special quality and is destined for the show ring. Lily has found a wonderful home, where she’s slated to be a halter and hunter show pony and foundational broodmare. She is full sister to Monty Thomson’s two-year-old colt, Starry Halo, in Manitoba. 

Meanwhile, we had two lovely palomino Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A) fillies: Moonlight and Gloriana!

Our ever-green (23-year-old) Nerwyn Gwyn (Betws Llew x Nerwyn Gwyrthiol by Nerwyn Tywysog) has been a remarkable stallion for us—in addition to what we refer to as that Coed Coch-scope and type and his beautiful front end and long neck, in a breed known for its extravagant movement, Gwyn and his family from the Betws Llew line are standouts, which Gwyn has passed to many of his offspring. As his breeding years wind down, Brenda Harder presented us with the opportunity to bring back a daughter from a mare line we once had and long admired, going back to the very typey, big-moving Springbourne Boy Blue. 

And so it was that Coyote Run Moonstone (out of Gallod Blue Moon) joined our program as a weanling. This year, as a five-year-old, she had her first foal: Moonlight! What an exceptional first foal for our Moon girl, and another typey, quality baby for our young Sunwillow Alfonso (Sunwillow Xspo x Sunwillow Imogen by Heniarth Quip), who is proving to be a fantastic stock getter, in his so far limited use. From day one, Moonlight has shown that exceptional family movement—she and her dam are really something to watch trot around the pasture. What a start to Moon's broodmare career! Moonlight has found a wonderful home in Ontario, as a family pony, and show and breeding prospect.

Our final foal of the year is Gloriana, from tried-and-true cross: Nerwyn Gwyn x Islyn Gwerthfawr, our imported mare who has been a great producer; this is the third filly we've retained from her. Gloriana is so typey and well put together—and absolutely full of character. She was so quick to be sociable; it certainly helps when mom is as easy and sweet as Gwerthfawr is. As a bonus, she will remain coloured—the first of [chestnut] Gwerthfawr’s five foals to do so, always being put to a grey. The third foal and third filly from this cross, she’s full sister to Gwynfydol here at home and Islyna in Ontario (owner: Jen Robertson).

This year, Jen and her 7-year-old, Islyna, have been developing a beautiful partnership, winning numerous driving classes, including Pony Training division, Res. Champion Utility Pony, Res. Champion All Sections Driving Pony and more, plus halter wins—while pregnant with her second Section C. The first, yearling filly, Ffrewyn Short Storey, has also had a successful show season, including winning the Youngstock Champion of Champions Qualifier.

We're so grateful for another season of healthy, sweet babies and look forward to a larger crop next year. Preview of our 2026 foals are below, with further details here.