Waverhead Model IV

 These 3 lovely Fell Ponies are by Waverhead Model IV, pictured as yearlings in England . They are (back to front) Balmoral Fashion, Balmoral Shadow, and Balmoral Mimicry, and they were bred by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen has been a Fell Pony enthusiast for more than 9 decades now, ever since her grandfather, King George V first acquired Fell Ponies when the Queen was about 6 years old. As you may know  the Queen rode Fell ponies. Her husband, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (in his 90's!) The Fell Pony and Fell Pony Society were very fortunate to have had their support over the years -- their interest has undoubtedly helped to raise awareness and secure a brighter future for this rare breed! The ponies are bred to be used for riding and driving at Windsor and elsewhere, and also for deer stalking and pony trekking at Balmoral. 

The yearlings are pictured with  Hilary Lightfoot, whose granddad, the late Mr. Jim Bell, was the breeder of Model in England years ago at the Waverhead Fell Pony Stud. 

 Model is an outstandingfellow whom, like our Waverhead Robbie, was bred by the late Mr. Jimmy Bell.  He is solid jet black and has a beautiful head, great bone and conformation, and excellent temperament, and positively brilliant action!  Model placed 3rd at the Fell Pony Stallion & Colt Show in May, 2000 as a yearling -- not bad for his first time showing!  His pedigree is exceptional with both champion sire and dam.   Model's sire "Lownthwaite Gary" was Winner of the Two-Year-Old Colt Class at the FPS Annual Breed Show, Youngstock Champion and Reserve Supreme Champion at the 1993 Stallion & Colt Show.  He was also winner of the Three- and Four-Year-Old Stallion Class at the 1995 Stallion & Colt Show in the U.K.  In addition, his sire also won the best progeny class at the FPS Breed Show in 2002 for the 4th time in succession, as well as the 1998 FPS Stallion & Colt Show Supreme Championship!  Model's dam, Waverhead Pearl, was also a champion many times in the show ring in her day, including 2-year-old and Youngstock Champion at the FPS Breed Show and Reserve Fell Pony Champion at Lowther.  Model was imported from the UK in June, 2000.  He was officially licensed for breeding by the Fell Pony Society.  He is trained under saddle and in harness and began competing in driving in 2003.  At his first competition, the Carriage Classic in the Pines (Pinehurst, NC), Model WON the Pleasure Turnout Class and took 3rd in the Pleasure Obstacles, in addition to placing in several other classes.  He has also won the coveted Concours d'Elegance at 2 events so far!  

 The path to this first Fell Pony Breyer model began in 2000, according to Mary Jean Gould-Earley of Laurelhighland Farm in Pennsylvania ( His owner before the Forge Horses).It took several years, but eventually sculptor Kathleen Moody created a clay model in 2014 based on the Fell Pony stallion Waverhead Model IV owned at the time by Laurelhighland.  A year later, resin copies colored in bronze and black were created of the model, and Breyer bought the rights to the sculpture. (3)  Breyer then worked with Her Majesty to name the model after the Queen’s pony.  In January of 2016, the first Fell Pony Breyer models went on sale in the United States (2015 in England).