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At the age of 14 John Russell purchased his first pony from the tinkers! This
was followed in 1961 with the purchase of an FS1 mare. He had inherited from
his late father a keen interest in horses and ponies. He joined the WPCS in
1962 as a junior and founded the Gartconnel Stud the following year. Inspired
by photographs of Coed Coch Planed, John determined to take his mares to be
covered.
Gartconnel Wiwer by Coed Coch Planed
By 1965, the late Lord Kenyon recognising a real enthusiast, advised him to
sell all his stock and invest in one quality mare. This advise was taken and
the stud’s first foundation mare was purchased at the Gredington Sale in 1967
– Betws Wennol, a four year old mare, in foal to Coed Coch Planed. This
mating resulted in the colt foal Gartconnel Wyn. The following year he
purchased his next foundation mare Gredington Catrin in foal to Twyford Jock.
This purchase was again made with the assitance of the late Lord Kenyon who
allowed him to pay up the mare on HP!! The final foundation mare was a filly
foal, foaled and purchased in 1969 – the lovely Betws Ser y Bore by Coed Coch
Shon out of Criban Golden Spray
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Gartconnel Little Catrin
by Coed Coch Planed
As recounted in Dr Wynne Davies’ book One Hundred
Glorious Years – the mating of Gartconnel Wyn with Betws Ser y Bore produced
a very successful stallion both as a sire and in the showring, namely
Gartconnnel Salad. His full sister Gartconnel Sing Song, mated to Coed Coch
Penadur, resulted in the outstanding mare Gartconnel Springtime who was then
mated with Gartconnel Salad to produce another prodigious mare, Gartconnel
Seirian, dam of Gartconnel Shooting Star, Sting, Sovereign, Stealth and
Supersonic – all proven or potential stallions.
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Gartconnel Wyn by Coed Coch Planed & Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth
II
The stud was lucky to breed and retain three CC Planed off springs, Gartconnel
Wyn who was a star from day one, maturing into a successful show and breeding
stallion as well as a driving pony, Gartconnel Wiwer – a strident show mare
in her own right and dam of many Gartconnel show winners & Gartconnel
Catrin the prettiest of ponies full of feminine charm.
Click the image for a full sized version of this typical Gartconnel Pedigree
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