I have been involved with horses since the 1970's, when I began riding as a child. In the early 80's I had my first introduction with the Riding Pony. A type rather than breed of pony that has pony characteristics with Thoroughbred quality, which is ideally bred for the show ring. My parents purchased for me a Riding Pony filly by name of Emerald Park Inga. This pony brought home my very first champion sash with many more to follow. I took a break from the showring and the ponies for a few years while I got married and had children. While my parents continued to breed Riding ponies, Welsh & Australian ponies. My parents bred under the Karinya Park name from 1983 until 1996, in 1997 they decided to retire. We were lucky enough to have one of their very last foals, Karinya Park Master Marcus who was born in November, 1996. Marcus has gone on to win many championships and is a pleasure to own and ride. He was broken in & educated by us. We broke him in as a 2 year old when at the time by youngest daughter who had just turned 7 was the first one to ride him.
Also in 1998 I took a keen interest in the Dartmoor pony after reading an article about them in magazine. I've always admired these ponies but after reading the article I was wanting to know more about them. At that time the only Dartmoor ponies that were in Australia were all the way up in Queensland, there weren't any left in Victoria after Mr Chris Howe who use to breed down here retired and all the ponies were sold to Queensland in the early 90's. So I got pen to paper & began to write a letter wanting to know more about these lovely ponies. Well upon reply need I say more I was hooked, I wanted one. I was also told they are hard to come by as know one wants to part with them very often, but in April, 2000 I was lucky enough to be offered the purchase of a lovely black Dartmoor yearling filly, by the name of Shelanda Shellie May. Well Shellie May was the first Dartmoor to come back to Victoria since Mr Chris Howe's ponies all went to Queensland. She is a adorable little pony who is a great pleasure to own. We have shown her out in Open classes in the showring where she has does really well.
Shellie is expecting her first foal to our lovely stallion. This foal is due this December, 2003.
Since my purchase of Shellie my Dartmoor family has grown next with the purchase of a Dartmoor Gelding Wybalena Giddeon, then our Stallion Shelanda Garnet then another mare Shelanda Sunshine.
At Harwood Court we breed for quality not quantity childrens' ponies.We are situated on the edge of East Gippsland & Latrobe Valley in Victoria, Australia.
by Cate