Bybeck Victoria, registered Fell pony mare

Bybeck Victoria is our second import from the UK from a breeder in Kent that acquired her not long ago. She joined the herd at Feathered Foothill in the late fall of 2022. She had a lovely seal brown filly foal by The Reggae King in June of 2023. Victoria has exceeded expectations as a friendly and doting mother, and now is in training with Mary Ka of Philomath, Oregon using R+ methods. It will be a lovely journey to see where her talents lead her with a kind, intuitive trainer at the helm that just finished training two Southmoore Fell ponies in the last few years. Mary also trained my mare JKL Istas in 2015 for 6 months with the same methods, and really finessed her lateral movements, solo trail riding confidence, tricks, canter and brought her to being the pony I needed to do well with in the Mountain Trail discipline.

A little history:

Victoria travelled to the USA with her other sweet filly foal, Harrison Winter Skye. They had a safe journey via jet and had a bit of an extended quarantine, but prevailed quite nicely. They are very happy & healthy currently. Skye and her full sister, Featheredfoothill Faith, thrive on open pasture by the McKenzie River in Springfield, Oregon in a herd and are growing like weeds. They are both being trained via R+ methods on obstacles and have nice docile temperaments, quality conformation and have been very hardy. Blessed to see two seal brown coats appear. They are almost identical twins.

Harrison Winter Skye was purchased by Southmoore Farm in Mississippi to Kimberly Brink at the end of 2023. Skye will be joining their herd in 2024, along with a few domestically bred Fells and later in the year, a few Drybarrows ponies will be joining them on 48 acres to call home in the spring of 2024.

Victoria is from the Bybeck Stud, now a dispersed herd due to retirement. It was very exciting to visit this stud in 2019 with Melissa Kruezer of Dreamhayven in a “Ponies and Pints Tour” and subsequently, we have visited Cumbria two more times since, and will be revisiting all our favorite studs and some new ones in 2024.

Bybeck was and will forever will be, one of my favorite studs for pony type, and that final chance to visit will be cherished, for we had no idea at the time retirement was coming soon afterwards.

Victoria is related to Queen Elizabeth’s Bybeck mare, Bybeck Nightingale (she is her “aunt”). Often seen in the famous photo of Her Majesty centered between two grey mares from just a few years before she passed. She’s a beautiful mare, very quiet and calm, not much bothers her. And she has more whoa than go. Fully expect her to be a steadfast horse on trail or as a driving prospect and could excel at packing. Her mane, as with many Bybeck ponies, is luxuriously long and double (falls to both sides). She has a well set tail, a nice short back, laid back pasterns, lots of bone. For just under 13hh, she’s got the presence of a much larger equine.

It will be a delight to see her develop over time and see what other beautiful foals she can bring into the world.

Of note: Bybeck Victoria is out of Bybeck Friday Lass and by Wellbrow Lancashire Lad (now apparently residing in Australia). Last three photos, credit to Colin Roberts (first two), Bybeck Friday Lass (posted publicly during the NWA dispersal sale) and the last photo is of Wellbrow Lancashire Lad, credit to Lancloudy Stud (click to see more).

Delighted to keep in touch with the owner of Bybeck Friday Lass and she’s doing very well, just received some photos of her after Christmas. Love knowing these pony’s family tree, where their offspring go, what they do, as well as how sire and dam carry-on and develop. It’s reflective of what might be expected from the pony you have before you, not to mention bridging friendships across the pond is vital.