History of The Dunmere Stud
THE DUNMERE STUD was started by me and my late mother in 1975, with the aim of breeding children's proven performance ponies of good type and temperament. Only small in numbers, breeding an average of two foals a year, all home-bred mares are proven as ridden ponies before retiring to stud, and my stallions are either ridden/driven as well as standing at stud. The stud is situated in the depths of beautiful Devon countryside, set in about 40 acres of well-managed pasture.
Here at Dunmere I have enjoyed breeding these versatile ponies, and I endeavour to rear and keep them "true to type", using only carefully selected ponies, some of which have the oldest known Dartmoor bloodlines in their pedigree.
Tributes to the two most influential sires at Dunmere
SENRUF GRADUATE
Senior stallion Senruf Graduate, by Whitmore Arbutus out of Blachford Greta, was bought, unseen, as a yearling in 1981. He had been at Dunmere Stud 30 years and was retired from public stud at 31, having been Top Sire in the country for 5 years. With great sadness, aged 32, Senruf Graduate was put to sleep in the Autumn of 2012, along with his constant companion Dunmere Tamarisk, and she was aged 33. They were buried together in his favourite spot. They will always be missed but never forgotten.
Graduate was one of the few Dartmoor ponies to beat Allendale Vampire, being joint winner of the Southern Points Champs with him as well. He was a premium colt, and became a Super Premium Sire too, some of his major results in a limited career being 1st South of England (when a Star show), 1st Royal Windsor., 1st and CHAMP Royal Show., 1st Small Breeds Glyn Greenwood Champs at PUK, beating several big winning ponies, inc Hisley Pedlar, (and Graduate was only a 3yo at the time), 5th in the final of Glyn Greenwood and highest placed Small Breeds., 1st and Male Champ at the DPS Breed show.
Graduate then retired from the show ring, and l broke him to drive. We competed in private driving/trials gaining many placings/wins. Meanwhile he sired over 16 Champions for me.
Graduate
WILBY VICTORY
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Wilby Victory came to Dunmere on loan from his breeder/owner, Mrs Angela Doughty, in August 2003. I had seen a couple of his youngsters at shows, and plucked up the courage to ask Angela, who I didn't know at the time, if I could loan him for a couple of seasons. What a charming lady! She and dear Terry have become good friends - her cakes are legendary!
Wilby Victory, by Brandsby Tornado x Langfield Campari, stayed at Dunmere over a total of 13+ years, being put to sleep in November 2016, at the grand age of 25. His show record included Supreme Ch Glyn Greenwood Final, Supreme Ch all breeds Newbury show, Ponies UK Southern show, Stafford show, and Ponies UK Champs. Victory won 4 NPS Silver Medals, and was 2nd top sire in the country for 5 years (Graduate being top sire at the same time). He sired many top ponies for me, including Dunmeres Woodruff, Meadowsweet, Charlock, Sweet Cicely and Aberfeldy, and sired many Champs, including Pumphill Bennet, a hugely successful ridden/in hand stallion, and Wilby Victoria Plum, a very successful in hand and L/R mare.
Sadly, he was not widely used on visiting mares, as he was considered small, though he never sired a small pony for me. I have always found height comes from the dam. He was adored here, and was a big character, albeit in a little body. It was a sad day when Victory came into the yard for the last time. However, he lives on in Dunmere Woodruff, who stands here.
Wilby Victory, by Brandsby Tornado x Langfield Campari, stayed at Dunmere over a total of 13+ years, being put to sleep in November 2016, at the grand age of 25. His show record included Supreme Ch Glyn Greenwood Final, Supreme Ch all breeds Newbury show, Ponies UK Southern show, Stafford show, and Ponies UK Champs. Victory won 4 NPS Silver Medals, and was 2nd top sire in the country for 5 years (Graduate being top sire at the same time). He sired many top ponies for me, including Dunmeres Woodruff, Meadowsweet, Charlock, Sweet Cicely and Aberfeldy, and sired many Champs, including Pumphill Bennet, a hugely successful ridden/in hand stallion, and Wilby Victoria Plum, a very successful in hand and L/R mare.
Sadly, he was not widely used on visiting mares, as he was considered small, though he never sired a small pony for me. I have always found height comes from the dam. He was adored here, and was a big character, albeit in a little body. It was a sad day when Victory came into the yard for the last time. However, he lives on in Dunmere Woodruff, who stands here.
Victory
Four Seasons at Dunmere