| South East Shetland Group |
| Co-ordinator |
| Gerry Hart |
| Cranford, Berwick, Polegate, E. Sussex BN26 6TF |
| 01323 870657 |
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| Secretary |
| Mrs Caroline Sear |
| The ridings, Ashes Lane, Hadlow, Kent TN11 0AW |
| 01732 850010 |
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The South East group is dedicated to showing the Shetland pony in its very best light, and hopefully having some enjoyable social occasions along the way. At our inauguration meeting it was decided that membership would not be confined to the geographic South East of England. Anyone who wishes from wherever they are domiciled may join hence our membership is far flung! We do not have a committee, Gerry Hart organises social functions and the newsletters, and for those who do not have access to the daily updates on shetland-pony.com, which makes writing newsletters with fresh news quite difficult, nonetheless all members are kept up to date with more local news. Debbie Barr organises the group shows, taking over from Anne De La Warr who has hosted and run them for 7 years. We hold an open Show in Firle Park, Sussex, with a full range of classes in the Summer, and a late Autumn foal show. It would be nice if the groups south of the river Thames and Severn could combine in a suitable venue, say Hampshire, and put on a really big foal show. Something for the future perhaps? This group is not concerned with accruing funds. Any ‘profit’ made from shows, the organisers keep, but neither do we stint on judges or expenditure, if we’ve got it, we spend it! This summer one of our Group juniors will be sent for a live-in course of riding lessons with Debbie Barr who already tutors amongst others, some of the best kids competing at top level on Shetland Ponies. This will be paid for from the group fund. Yes we spoil the juniors but even though it’s a cliché, they are the future, and if they can look back as adults and remember the good times they may well involve their children. The NATIONAL IN HAND AWARDS is run by GH under the Group banner as a matter of expediency but separately funded, and is a not for profit scheme. In combination with shetland-pony.com it promotes the successes of those who subscribe. One exhibitor in the North of Scotland tells GH that she has never had so many enquiries for ponies since joining the scheme! Apart from the publicity on the website, Horse & Hound, Scottish Farmer, Showing world and the like, the scheme awards hold an annual awards presentation Dinner Dance at The Spa Hotel Tunbridge Wells. This is an opportunity to discard the wellies, don the glad rags and meet fellow owners and breeders from all over the UK including N Ireland, in a luxury Hotel. Fabulous treasured awards are presented to winners and runners up, (44 in total) plus junior awards and Awards winners and runners up in the NATIONAL SHOW RIDDEN AWARDS, another popular innovation by GH. The ridden Shetland is undeniably the most important shop window for the breed. In hand showing is mostly for the benefit of breeders to assess their stock against its peers, judged for type, against the breed standard. If you would like more information on the South East Owners & Breeders Group or would like to join www.showpony.com/segroup.htm
