The British Riding Pony Story

in Sweden

By Sarah Borg

            

This is a personal story.  In 1995 when Strinesdale Matador became the first pony stallion available on Frozen Artificial Insemination I booked him immediately as did several breeders in Australia.  We inseminated the family pony (a Swedish bred Welsh Section A, Roseborg's Positiv) prior to the stud being formed in 1996.  Pennymore Mandalay resulted and is now a dressage pony in Denmark.

I am British, from a farming and horsey background, have grown up with and competed on the British RP, our British Native Breeds and later, on horses.  Three noteable equine successes, Coperion, a BRP, PBA who bred back to Hyperion (Derby winner).  He had great success in the show ring, was always placed show jumping and was a member of the Interbranch Dartmoor North Pony Club Team (One Day Eventing) with fellow team pony member, Shropshire Lad (BRP) who was bought by Harvey Smith for the then young Robert Smith. We had numerous wins, came 2nd at Wadebridge the regional championships.  My TB horse, Rectory Lane, an ex racehorse from Newmarket, I retrained to compete in show jumping, ODE's, and was virtually unbeatable Hunter Trialing (XCountry).  We came third in a Daily Express National Foxhunter Competition qualifier, (for young horses).  Another young horse Fair Gem by Poly's Gem went on to be an Intermediate event horse.  I married a Swede and we moved to Sweden 1989 with our first daughter.  Three more children followed. 

The decision to breed ponies was twofold, it would give our children the opportunity to succeed on top quality RP's, plus I recognised I could offer a RP Breed with 120 yrs of selected breeding, with quality and performance not seen in Sweden before.  Compared to the newly formed ASRP, first cross ponies and not RP Breed breeding, we could fast forward the breeding here in a matter of a few generations and so the stud farm was set up.  It was a wonderful business opportunity to introduce both the BRP and our top horse and pony stallions from Britian on Frozen AI and I became agent for Genus with 14 stallions on offer.  Pennymore could offer Swedish breeders choice.

Swedish rules were different.    Obligatory Avelsvärdering, meaning, Obligatory Stallion Selection , was by Law of the Land and by threat of prosecution.  It was a pre requirement before the possibility to compete, for admission, or NOT to breed in Sweden.  I did my research, spoke to SH (Swedish Horse Board) and the ASRP and studied the Rules.   Setting up a stud farm was open to anyone and providing your stallion was good he would be passed.  Everyone was welcome they said.

Strinesdale Matador Ridponny Nytt 1993 Front cover.

Strinesdale Matador had been featured on the Front cover of the ASRP Ridponny Nytt  1993, as an example of Riding Pony breeding to be aimed for, with their own stallions advertised inside. The fact that it was impossible to reach his standard with the gene poole in Sweden, did not deter the ASRP from using the kudos of the BRP and this stallion in particular for their own gain!  It wasn't honest.

 

You would imagine there would be NO problem for admission to breed, no problem with any of the Genus stallions, they were Breed Licenced from country of origin and top in their fields of performance from a country that is considered the premiere Country for horse breeding in the world.  It would be extremely arrogant for a Swedish Breed Society with an imported Breed to claim to know better than the Mother Breed Society.  In the UK  competition is keen and the market place is the toughest standard of all. 

 

Not only did these people claim to know better than the Breed Socieites from the Breeds country of origin by refusing Breed licenced stallions, they became so powerful due to avelsvärdering (the compulsory genetic test), they even claimed the European warmbloods bred on Swedish soil as their own Swedish Breed, calling it the Swedish Halvblod!  There is no seperate "Breed" called the Swedish Halvblod!  The  ASVH stud book is made up of 21 foriegn imported stud books with not one drop of Swedish blood by origin.  How was this possible? It was only possible because of the enormous powers awarded them by legislation through avelsvärdering.  It is absolutely wrong to make false claims and of such magnitude?   Where are the ethics and integruity?  This is the danger of this system, it shows no respect for imported Breeds, some of whom are ancient.  Power corrupts and absolutely power corrupts absolutely.

 

Another example of avelsvärdering, which is even more serious and shocking than claiming the Warmbloods.  The ASRP took the "Riding Pony" name, but refused the Breed entry!   There is only one Riding Pony Breed in the world, originating from the UK,  just like there is only one Welsh Breed, Dartmoor Breed, Shire horse Breed etc etc.  Like the Welsh the RP Breed have been exported all over the world and either bred into the indigenious populations or bred to the Breed.  Riding Pony breeding is very specific, like the Welsh Breed who has 4 sections, A,B, C and D, the Riding Pony Breed has three sections, the Show Pony, the Show Hunter Pony and the Working Hunter Pony.  It has a closed stud book and the progeny are from a BRP Dam and a BRP Sire. 

 

Only because Sweden has avelsvärdering could the ASRP do this and there was nothing we could do about it.  We were excluded and SJV supported the ASRP refusing us an own stud book keeping society with the Correct Stud book for the Breed, saying  the ASRP would register our ponies.  Only because we were members of the EU could we have the possibility of winning against the Ministry, which we did, because in the EU it says, any member State with an own stud book keeping Society of origin can have the same in any other member State.   We now have two stud books for one named Breed! Obviously you cannot have this and it will have to be sorted.  Since the BRP Breed is the only Riding Pony Breed  with the correct stud book, the ASRP will have to re name itself and call itself a sport pony society since this is what they breed.  The ASRP stud book is open, taking in all Breeds.  Like the ASVH it is not a "Breed" since they cross breed from several different foriegn Breeds for a sports  model.

 

The damage to the Riding Pony Breed through ignorance, greed or just lack of knowledge, has been substantial in a climate where membership have been misinformed from the outset and where the culture of avelsvärdering has made members look to a Board who were wholly ignorant of the Breed who's name they took!   The record needs to put straight, but most important of all SJV needs to step up to the plate and abolish avelsvärdering as ordered by the EU Court ruling 2006.  The Societies who have avelsvärdering in their rules today, are operating illegally and SJV as the authority, should be upholding the EU court Ruling to abolish it's practice.  Instead they are actively encouraging the breeding organisations to have avelsvärdering in the rules to keep the Control.  This is in direct defiance of the EU ruling and makes a mockery of the law. 

 

Sweden joined the EU in 1995, from day one Sweden's unique system of avelsvärdering was in conflict with EU Directive 90/427/EEG.  It should only have taken two years tops for Sweden to abolish avelsvärdering so people could trade and not suffer damage.  SJV chose to use millions of tax payers money to fight a case they knew they could not win.  Here you ask yourself why and how is this possible?  This is tax payers money.  On  investigation it became evident that vested interests high up were involved.  There was also a tactic to drag this case out as long as possible, so they could keep their closed shop from which they benefitted at our expense, for as long as they could.  The EU court summing up severely critised Sweden for deliberately coming back with stupid arguementation for time wasting and as a consequence ordered Sweden to pay full costs for both sides.  For ten years they dragged it out.  

 

Shocking as all this was, what happened next was unbelieveable.  Sweden was ordered to remove avelsvärdering which had been found unlawful as it was seen as an obstacle to inter community trade.  SJV responded by removing it from the legislation but somehow then came up with an interpretation which defied belief.  They said by removing it from the legislation it then became the responsibility of the breeding organisations themselves to administer.  Clearly this was wrong and not the intention of the ruling since it was the practice that was found unlawful, as an obstacle to trade.   

 

For all the people who had been stopped and kept out by avelsvärdering this was a severe blow.  We had spent 10 yrs fighting and won, only to be met with corruption.   Jo took up my complaint and came with a Judgement with "scorching crititism"of SJV's handling of the EU ruling.  Mr Ragnemalm said it was completely unnacceptable and went on the say he found it astonishing that a Governmental Dept was actively encouraging the breaking of EU law.   JO's Beslut nr: 5555-2007 dated 2009-02-23.

 

Today 2010 SJV ignor both the EU ruling and JO's Beslut.  It is now hopeful the EU will re open this case.

 

 

Back to the story.  One would have imagined Strinesdale Matador would be welcomed and hailed an important stallion to be used in the infancy of what we were told was RP breeding in Sweden. He is now a legend in his own lifetime!  The ASRP refused him a breeding licence in Sweden!

I was stunned!  Didn't this say alot more about the ASRP and the Swedish system of avelsvärdering than it did about good breeding?  Either these people were ignorant or it was vested interests?  It turned out to be both.  This decision was however overturned on appeal one year later, only because he had international merits, something they don't require of their own stallions!  That he was approved on appeal made no difference, the damage was done in a country where misinformation reigned about RP breeding from the outset and where with the culture of Avelsvärdering, meant members looked to an ignorant Board to direct them.  It may sound harsh to call the ASRP ignorant or with lack of knowledge, but what else to call it when "with knowledge" they wouldn't have called their Society after a foriegn Breed they had no intention of importing? 

They made it known, no BRP stallions would be approved in Sweden in the future.  This was a Society who held the Riding Pony Breed name but who refused it entry?

I thought there had been a horrible mistake, which would be corrected with an apology.  One conversation that sticks in my mind was with Ann Hedlund, the ASRP's Registrar.  She warned me not to pursue this, that I couldn't win and I would lose money?  She said we don't like the British Riding Pony.  Coming from the UK, as did Ann Hedlund, where the system is free and fair competition, I was perplexed at what she was saying.  Was she telling me there was no freedom of choice in Sweden?  Was she telling me the written Rules were saying one thing but in practice it was quite another?  What really amazed me was she was speaking for and on behalf of all Swedish people, "We don't like"?  . What sort of communist ideal was this? 

 

Breed Socs are set up to protect and promote the Breed and for membership to participate.  Not for self promotion, manipulation and gain by Board members.  The stud book and registers are to record pedigree only.  Board members are voluntary servants and the aims of the Society are to uphold the Breed's Rules from country of origin only.  Board members absolutely do not interfer by artificially steering with evaluations prior to competition and they certainly don’t use the stud book to manipulate the use of their own Avelsvärderade stallions by penalising offspring from a sire not Avelsvärderade by them, but the personal choice of a mare owner and member of the Society.  It’s a disgrace. Individuals breed horses not Societies and Organisations. 

 

"Ann", I said, "I like the BRP Breed".  If I like them I'm absolutely certain other people in Sweden will do too, as do the Germans, the Danish, the Dutch, the Australians, South Africans and the rest of the world and isn't it people's personal choice what horses and ponies they breed, just as they choose what car, furniture and anything else in an open free market?  What kind of thinking is it that allows the ASRP or any of them to choose for people?  It's my money and my choice.  This isn't Russia.  The avelsvärdering mantra "Sweden must only have the best" doesn't stand up when you compare Sweden to Britian, or most other countries.  No one buys from Sweden the lorries come here full and go home empty. These people have hoodwinked the Swedish public with their bully boy tactics for decades. Avelsvärdering is nothing short of a scam dressed up in fancy words.

 

The truth is the ASRP (maybe only a few individuals with an agenda) do not have the right to speak on behalf of all Swedes, it is only obligatory avelsvärdering that gave these people the extraordinary power to include or exclude whom they wished.   As stallion owners themselves they could chose their competition!  It was protectionism. They were the judges, had absolute control despite very little knowledge. You also have to remember these people had a "voice" and a forum, through being a "Society".  The ASRP was no more than three people with an idea that wasn't researched.  One phone call to the NPS and the mistake would have been avoided.  

 

The ASRP announced over the grapevine they would not Approve any BRP stallions in the future but would allow in the mares.  It was said this way so nothing was in writing and they could not be accused of discrimination!  This disclosure after a top stallion like Strinesdale Matador having been refused, meant the end of the RP Breed even thinking of coming into Sweden.  No one was going to buy and put forward a BRP stallion if he had been refused and why would anyone put their top mares to anything less?  They held our Breed name.   It was absolute abuse of power.  Where money and subjective judgements are at play, no one can be deemed impartial, therefore this system is unsound.   You can only get quality with competition, I want to win and so do you, so we keep coming back with better, that's how the standard goes forward. 

This was the British Riding Pony Breed Stopped and my stud scuppered.  I complained to the EU who took up my case.  It was infringement and in conflict with EU Law.  This was not free and fair competition.  The EU Court Ruling found avelsvärdering (genetic test) unlawful.  It was an obstacle to inter Community trade and Sweden was ordered to abolish it's practice in 2006.

 

Beaufort Heiress BRP in Australia (Frozen AI) Photo Julie Wilson. 25yrs of BRP breeding in Australia, free and fair competition, use of FAI. Today Aus exports back to the UK. It is our responsibility as custodians of an imported Breed to do them correctly so we can inter- Community/Country trade.

 

The ASRP were clearly threathened by the rightful RP Breed from the UK, they knew once people saw the actual Breed, their own stallions would not be used.  That meant the standard was low and they would be exposed for not breeding RP's at all, and they, Ylva Loven Swärd in particular,  had set herself/themselves up as THE experts on RP breeding and deliberately set out to steer the Swedish public away from seeing or from using the ONLY RP Breed in the world, with it's 120 yrs of selective breeding. The question I asked was why call yourselves a RP Society if you weren't breeding RP's?   They then claimed to want to breed a "Swedish RP" which begged the question, on wefare grounds, why would you want to start again, when you have 130 yrs already done?   The fact was, they had the wrong stud book for the Breed and you can only do RP breeding along RP breeding lines, anything else is sport pony or cross breeding and should not be called RP breeding.  If you had Dartmoor blood and bred this with another breed, you would not call the offspring a Dartmoor.  It would be called a part bred, so why call any cross bred pony a RP?

 

 

It was protectionism, but far more seriously, it was stealing another Country's Breed name and identity, whilst at the same time refusing entry to the Breed whose name they took/held!!  When Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, all English speaking countries  imported the RP Breed, no mistakes were made.  They bred to Type (the three sections) and trade occurs with the UK.  Germany imported the Breed and used them in sport pony breeding or part bred breeding and not to the Breed with it's three sections.  After the war many British breeders refused to sell to Germany for obvious reasons, so no surprise to hear the Germans called their sport pony breeding, German RP's.  They didn't understand the Breeding and there was little communication.  Sweden's ASRP looked to Germany before looking to the Breeds country of origin and by so doing followed a mistake.  This might be forgiveable but for the arrogance and superior attitude displayed by these people.  They didn't care if they got it wrong, they were on a winner financially with avelsvärdering, they wouldn't listen, they steamrollered their way through.  It's been a disgrace.

 

 

Taking a Breed's name and not importing the Breed is bad practice and undermines breeding in general.  You simply should not behave in this way!  There should be a respect and sensitivity towards other countries breeding and breeders.  This should not have been allowed to happen. SH and SJV should have done their homework.  One phone call to NPS would have established the Breed and the stud book dating back to 1898!   Either it was ignorance, lack of knowledge or deliberate, none are an excuse and it must be challenged.  The record must be put straight so people know what they are breeding and call it by it's right name.

 

So everyone is clear, there is NO such breed or breeding as a Swedish Riding Pony.  RP breeding is done to a closed stud book, ie the progeny of a BRP sire and BRP dam.    The ASRP (who must drop the RP in their name) do not breed RP's, they breed cross breds or sport ponies in an open stud book.  They should be calling their Society Sport pony breeding.  

 

Sport horse and sport pony breeding are using different Breeds or cross breeding to achieve a sport model.  It is not a "Breed" in itself, but supplies a stud book and register to record pedigree only.  There is grading for performance with 30 and 100 day tests for stallions to participate in, but by far the best merits gained are straightforward competition in your chosen sport.  Because this breeding takes in many Breeds, the pure Breds from these Breeds are also known as sport horse and sport ponies.  The name sport pony came about to describe cross bred ponies that weren't good enough for the show ring and Best of Breed, but could do another job, jumping or pony club games driving etc.  Today, following deliberate sport horse breeding, it has become fashionable to call pony breeding sport pony breeding.  

 

For the first time in the history of breeding, Britain has found it necessary to put it's own prefix infront of it's own Breed to safe guard it from detriment by others.   The RP Breed became the British RP Breed out of necessity.  If the same happens with the Welsh Pony and Cob Society, then "British" will be added to this.

 

Quite apart from losing me and my fellow BRP breeders business, it was misuse of power towards Swedish breeders just starting a new type of breeding?  They looked to the ASRP for guidance since they weren't allowed to look to the real RP Breed.  It was  vested interests backed by the State.  At every opportunity the ASRP slurred the BRP Breed, whilst at the same time using the Kudos of the Breed name for their own gain. 

 

The BRP Breed is the jewel in the Crown of British breeding, like the TB.  These are the ponies that represent Britain and Ireland in all equestrian sports, they are are JA/JC  Show Jumping ponies, they are our Eventing ponies, dressage, driving, show and working hunter ponies. 

 

If I were Swedish I'd want them to be accountable.  I'd want to know why they stopped genuinely interested RP breeders from having access to the only RP Breed in the world?  Why did they hold Swedish breeders back?    The internet is here, the EU found Sweden in the wrong.  Ridsport wanted answers to questions and these people have gone into hiding!  

 

 

I personally made a huge investment, bought a farm, bought in Brood mares, a Rotherwood colt (Rotherwood Dinky Toy) and had bred an absolutely top colt by Strinesdale Matador, Pennymore Quillet.  This was my business, I kept the stud at a level where the day the law changed I could be able to operate.  Denmark had the same system as Sweden and the very first wiff of not being in compliance with EU law they immediately changed the law so no one suffered damages. 

 

The writing was on the wall from day one, 1996.  Sweden knew they were in the wrong and could not win, but instead of recognising this they deliberately took up the fight using tax payers money to gain time so they could gain by keeping their closed shop for as long as possible.  The EU took them to court and it simply stalled, Sweden had to admit it was wrong and backed down.  The court ruling severely reprimanded Sweden for time wasting and ordered Sweden to pay full costs as a consequence.  Then after the court ruling they (SJV) had the audacity to "misinterpret" the ruling and took the unprecended step of only abolishing the State obligatory law and not the practice, allowing it to continue as before.  It was the practice that was found unlawful, SJV know this, and everyone knows this, it's simply another exercise in stalling to keep out the competition a little longer. 

 

The ASRP, ASVH, STC, SH and SJV  must all bare responsibility for the cost to tax payers.  JO is now looking at this misinterpretation of the EU Ruling and is due with a judgement shortly.

 

I stopped breeding in 2002, there was no end in sight and the cost was prohibitive.    Not just the human cost but the cost to the Breed and individual ponies on the ground, it's a disgrace and an embarrassment for Sweden. 

 

 

Being kept out by avelsvärdering clearly leads to bankrupcy.  This is the way they get rid of people. This was said at a meeting in Jönköping, those pro avelsvärdering were very confident that there was nothing people could do if the Board didn't pass their stallion.  They were quite glib about it, it was shocking to hear as an outsider and certainly as one who had suffered at their hands.   I was at the meeting in 1999 to suggest to the other imported British Pony Breeds Board's that it would benefit the Breeds if they were to follow their Home Society Rules from country of origin and NOT have a foriegn system (avelsvärdering)  that spoilt the Breeds imposed on them.  We could present a united front to SH as a way to protect these Breeds.  I'd been stopped, but it was also very troubling to see what avelsvärdering had done to our other British  Breeds.  The second, third and following generations were barely recogniseable.  This suggestion was met with outrage, clearly they held vested interests above the protection and their moral obligation to the Breeds! 

 

I am a great believer in justice and when confronted with people who were prepared to 1. Get rid of and usurp an entire Breed, rubbish it on the way, to their own gain, and 2. Ruin the British imported Breeds, (considered our Crown Jewels in Britian), with total disrespect for the Breeds Mother Society Rules.  This wasn't right and somebody has to stand up against it.  Europe is getting smaller and smaller and it does matter that we protect the Breeds.  This system was an anathema to all our British Breeds and to all breeding anywhere, was corrupt, extremely unfair to countless people and should be stopped.  Swedes one day will look back and be incredulous at such a system.  If anyone tried to introduce this to the UK there would be a revolution.

 

I and two trotting studs took the fight.  I came from the UK, knew my Breeds and knew I was right.  I had support and expertise from home, from the EU and from many many people including Vet's and other breeders of course in Sweden.  Got a first class lawyer in Malmö and won.   

 

The people responsible for stopping the BRP Breed I will name and shame.  Ylva Loven Swärd, Ann Hedlund, Mattias Metzola, Morgan Johnsson  were the principle players in the pony world and of course SH and SJV.   They have lost us 12 yrs business, millions and about to cost the tax payers millions in compensation.  Since Sweden joined the EU there has been no excuse.  Nobody stood up for integruity.

 

 

The British Breeds are exported all over the world because they are exceptional.  They are exceptional because of good breeding and this is the result of open market, free and fair competition, all done in and around the Show Ring.  Competitive Breeding and competitive showing takes the Breeds and Types forward.  It produces athleticism and the nearest to perfection in conformation.  You can call this beauty if you want and it is beauty.  It is the cream of breeding. 

 

A quote from the World's Horse Encyclopedia,

,  "THE  BRITISH RIDING PONY”  .”After the Thoroughbred, the British Riding Pony is the most notable achievement of selective breeding in equestrian history.  In terms of proportion and quality, it is arguably the most nearly perfect equine specimen in the world. The formation of Societies has helped and encouraged it's popularity”  NB . The National Pony Society [UK],is the custodian of the Stud Book of the British Riding Pony Breed”.

 

I rest my case!