Sir Humphrey de Trafford, Bart., was also most successful in producing
ponies from stock purchased from Mr. Christopher Wilson. At the Flordon
Sale, Norfolk, held in September, 1895, Sir Humphrey disposed of his
large stud, when some of the ponies realised prices which are worth
quoting: Snorer II., a brown mare, 13.3, eight years old, by Sir
George—Snorer—Sir George, 600 gs.; Georgina V., a bay mare, 14 hands,
six years old, by Sir George—Georgina II., Sir George—Georgina—Sir
George, 700 gs.; Dorothy Derby, a bay mare, 14 hands, eight years old,
by Lord Derby II.—Burton Agnes, 600 gs.; Dorothy Derby II., a bay mare,
14 hands, six years old, by Little Wonder II.—Dorothy Derby, 720 gs.;
Snorter II., bay filly, two years old, by Cassius—Snorer II. by Sir
George—Snorer—Sir George, 700 gs., and Miss Sniff, bay yearling filly,
by Cassius—Snorer II., 900 gs.; the average for these six lots being no
less than £756.
It is true that Sir Humphrey had spared neither money nor labour in
founding the Flordon stud, and the ponies were animals of exceptional
merit. Their high quality had won them prizes at all the principal
shows in England, and their fame was literally “world-wide.”
Illustration:
_S. Clark, Hallgarth, Photo._
LITTLE WONDER II.]
Twenty years ago, the late Rev. J. M. Lowther, rector of Boltongate,
made an attempt on a modest scale to improve the ponies of the Caldbeck
Fells by selecting sires and dams from among the best of them.
Two or three ponies of his breeding won prizes at Whitehaven and
Carlisle; his best sire was a 13-hand pony named Mountain Hero. This
little animal had splendid bone and was as hardy as the wildest of his
kin. The picture here given is a portrait of LITTLE WONDER II., the
property of the Marquis of Londonderry. He was bred by Mr. Christopher
W. Wilson, his sire being Little Wonder I., and his dam Snorer by Sir
George.
Mr. William Graham, of Eden Grove, Kirkbythorpe, Penrith, writes:—
“Up to about twenty years ago great interest seems to have been
taken in pony or galloway cob breeding throughout the whole
district of the Eden valley in the villages and hamlets that
lie scattered all along the foot of the Pennine range of hills.
Previous to the days of railway transit the ponies and small
galloway cobs were employed in droves as pack horses, as well as
for riding, and many men now living can remember droves of from
twenty to thirty continually travelling the district, carrying
panniers of coal and other merchandise between the mines and
villages.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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