(Formed 1893)
Patron HRH THE PRINCESS MARGARET
Registered under the Charities Act No. 240751
To encourage the Breeding, Registration and Improvement of British Riding Ponies and Mountain & Moorland Ponies and to foster the Welfare of Ponies in general.

THE BRITISH RIDING PONY

Originally the result of Crossing Thoroughbred or Arab with ogle of our Mountain & Moorland Native Breeds, now normally the progeny of British Riding Pony Sire and Dam. This is an animal of outstanding quality that is a true pony, retaining the pony characteristics of good temperament, hardiness and surefootedness. Riding Ponies do not exceed 15.0 hands.

An outline of the specialised work undertaken by The National Pony Society:

WELFARE AND PRESERVATION OF NATIVE PONIES

The National Pony Society works for the preservation and improvement of Native Ponies and the welfare of all ponies. One of its main activities in this field is to distribute the Horserace Betting Levy Board Grant and to supervise the use to which it is put.

STUD BOOK

The Society publishes annually:-

• a) Stud Book, Register and Appendix of British Riding Ponies.
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• b) Larger Height Register and Appendix ( 15 hh to 15.3 hh)
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• c) Special Categories Register (ponies of foreign origin)
  

SHOWS

The Society stages an annual two day Championship Show in August at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern. There are classes tbr all the Native Breeds, Ridden and In-Hand, Riding Ponies, Hunter Ponies, Hackney Ponies, Hacks, Children's Ridden Ponies, Dressage and Driving. The Show affiliates to the British Show Pony Society. the British Driving Society, the British Show Hack and Cob Riding Horse Association and to the Anglo & Part bred Arab U.K. In Hand Championships, providing opportunities to qualify for The Horse of the Year Show. The British Show Jumping Championship Olympia, British Show Pony Society Championship at Newark, the British Show Hack and Cob Riding Horse Association Championships and the Thimbleby & Shorland Driving Championship.

TRAINING

The NPS is an awarding body approved by The National Council tbr Vocational Qualifications. It also enjoys Approved Training Organisation Status with the Department of Employment's Training Agency. The Society awards the Stud Assistant's Certificate and NPS Diploma as well as National Vocational Qualifications. Training fol the awards is provided at a number of NPS Approved Studs throughout the Country.

JUDGES

The Society assesses and selects its Judges with extreme care. It operates Assessment Days, a Probationer Judges Scheme and regularly holds Judges Conferences and Seminars. It maintains its Mixed Mountain & Moorland Panel, a Mountain & Moorland Working Hunter Pony Panel, a Hunter Pony Breeding Panel and a Riding Pony Breeding Panel. The National Pony Society, which celebrated its Centenary in 1993, is a Company Limited by Guarantee. It is guided in its administration by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The business of the Society is managed by its Council which consists of 24 elected members, representatives from the Mountain & Moorland Breed Societies, the Treasurer, the Chief Steward and representatives from 2 other Societies.

The Council delegates its detailed management to a number of Standing Committees. These include the Finance & General Purposes Committee, the Stud Book and Registration Committee, the Educational & Training Committee, the Show Committee, the Judges Selection Committee and the Competitions Committee. The Society has a Welfare Officer and Committee.

Throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are a number of Area Committees. They exist to organise NPS local activities which may include an annual show, seminars, study days, stud visits, lunches, suppers, films, quizzes, etc.

In Scotland there is a Scottish Committee which organises the affairs of the NPS in Scotland.

The Society has a Secretariat which is based at Alton in Hampshire. Most of the Society's administration is centred there including Membership, Registration, Affiliation, Finance, Annual Show, as well as a Secretarial service provided to the Standing Committees.

The Society depends very heavily upon the voluntary contributions of many of its dedicated members who give freely of their time, their skill and their knowledge. It is hoped they derive personal satisfaction from making possible the work of an organisation without which a marvellous national asset, our ponies, would not be here for generations of Britons to love and enjoy.

MOUNTAIN & MOORLAND (M&M) PONIES

The NPS has a number of competitions for M & M ponies, open to Stallions, Mares or Geldings registered in the main body of their respective breed stud hooks. The following, which are for ponies 4 years old or over, have qualifying rounds at NPS Area Shows and other selected shows throughout the U.K. The Final in every case, is held in August at the NPS Summer Championship Show, Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

(a) The M & M NOVICE RIDDEN CHAMPIONSHIP (b) The M & M NOVICE WORKING HUNTER PONY CHAMPIONSHIP
(c) The M & M FIRST RIDDEN CHAMPIONSHIP
(d) The M & M LEADING REIN CHAMPIONSHIP

There are two other Championships for 5 years old and over Ridden Ponies, with qualifying rounds throughout the U.K., which are only open to NPS Members. They are:

• (a) The M & M WORKING HUNTER PONY CHAMPIONSHIP (Semi Final at Malvern and the Final at the Horse of the Year Show, WEMBLEY)

  (b) The M & M RIDDEN CHAMPIONSHIP (Final at OLYMPIA)

The RIDING PONY IN-HAND CHAMPIONSHIP offers a variety of classes for registered British Riding Ponies registered in the main body of their respective stud books. Qualifying rounds are held at selected shows throughout the U.K. between April and July with the Final at Malvern in August.

The HUNTER PONY BREEDING CHAMPIONSHIP is open to Hunter Ponies not exceeding 15.0 hh. Qualifying rounds are held throughout the U.K. at selected shows and the Final is at Malvern.

THE HERITAGE MOUNTAIN & MOORLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS are run by the British Show Pony Society, in association with the National Pony Society, the Final being held at the BSPS Winter Championship Show.

NPS SILVER MEDAL ROSETTE

Over 150 shows affiliate to the National Pony Society.

Each show has a number of classes for Mountain & Moorland, British Riding Ponies and/or Hunter Pony Breeding. Winners of the M & M Ridden or In-Hand, the Riding Pony In-Hand and Hunter Pony Breeding sections, who are NPS members, are awarded the coveted SILVER MEDAL ROSETTE.

NPS SPECIAL ROSETTES

The Society presents Special Rosettes at affiliated Shows which do not hold qualifying rounds for M & M Championships for Working Hunter Pony, Leading Rein and First Ridden held under the Society rules. These rosettes will only be awarded to NPS Members.