Report of the Publicity Officer AGM March 2004

This past year we have concentrated on getting reports onto the WPCS web-site and have received many complimentary comments for keeping the membership and general interested parties informed. These reports include: Brightwells Spring Sale (+4 photos), Lampeter Welsh Breeds Show (5 photos), Glanusk Welsh Stallion Show (10 photos), Northleach Welsh Breeds (6 photos), Royal Welsh Show (4 photos), National Championship Show, Shrewsbury (7 photos), Brecon Performance Show (8 photos), Brightwells Fayre Oaks Gala Sale (4 photos), Brightwells Royal Welsh Sale (6 photos), HOYS Show successes (3 photos), Review of 2003 (7 photos), Ceredigion WPCA Foal Show (2 photos), Welsh National Foal Show (6 photos) , Royal Welsh Winter Fair (6 photos) and the WPCS Performance Competition Presentation, Cheltenham (8 photos). Society information on the web-site included passport requirements, new telephone system, International Show results, payment from abroad, etc. We are greatly indebted to the WPCS staff at Aberystwyth for their assistance especially Jayne Rees who was responsible for the web-site; Jayne has left the employment of the WPCS and we wish her all the best for the future. The photographs were taken by the Publicity Officer, Carol Jones, Eberhard Holin, Mike Daley, Toril Brancher and Arvid Parry-Jones. These reports have also appeared in magazines in the UK and all over the world.

Sales of the 2004 WPCS Calendars were disappointing with 800 unsold Calendars to be shredded and made into postcards. However the WPCS Council decided to go ahead with the production of the 2005 Calendar with fewer number produced. These will be available on a “first come, first served” basis and not everyone requiring Calendars will be able to acquire them. The 2005 Calendars are available for sale at this Meeting @ £4 each. A very nice “thank you” letter was received from our patron HM The Queen for her calendar; there are now 26 of these letters on file at Aberystwyth.

The inside cover of the Calendar lists some major highlights of the past year: Fayre Oaks Sale total up from £160,728 to £334,615 (i.e. up 208%), Royal Welsh Sale up from £485,979 to £530,100 with the highest average ever of £978, 19 of the 22 M+M first-ridden qualifiers at the Horse of the Year Show were registered Welsh, Rhydyfendigaid Daniel (D) was ridden M+M Pony of the Year, Gunthwaite Tailrace (B) was Harness Pony of the Year and Broadgrove Chatterbox (WPB) was Cuddy In-Hand Champion, Penwayn Ryan (A) (bought for £140 at Brecon market) won the £1,000 supreme ridden championship at the HOYS and Lowland Bronwen Cariad (WPB with Ceulan grandfather!) won the £1,000 supreme at Ponies (UK). 2,295 of the 3,420 horse and pony entries at the Royal Welsh Show were Welsh and 1,114 entries were received for the first National Welsh Show at Shrewsbury which was an unprecedented success. Congratulations to the hard-working organisers of this National Show and best wishes for the second Show to be held on 1st August 2004 and thanks to the sponsors (Rhydspence Stud).

The personal contribution of the Publicity Officer to WPCS funds with commission on sales of nine J A Allen/Robert Hale/ Whittet books, “One Hundred Glorious Years” and 26 Calendars totals £66,551. The next WD book, hopefully available by the 2005 AGM is entitled “The Welsh Pony”, the sister volume to “The Welsh Cob”, covering WSB sections A, B, C and the WPB pony. Members who have seen the manuscript are very excited about the project, have offered considerable assistance and allowed their photographs to be used. There are many other individuals and events such as the WPCS Centenary Show and sponsors who have contributed towards the £107,000 surplus enjoyed by the WPCS during 2003 plus a larger amount received in VAT repayment and a considerable annual Government repayment from “Gift Aid”.

I would urge the members who spend considerable time and effort placing hurtful and insulting comments about the “workers” of the WPCS on web sites and chat lines to divert their contribution to doing something positive for the Society such as selling calendars, raising sponsorships or offering to assist at WPCS Shows.

I would like to congratulate the new Editor of the 2004 Journal, David Blair on a magnificent publication, far better than any produced in the past! The WPCS is extremely lucky to have a person with his dedication, ability, available time and perfectionist attitude to undertake this work. He did not realise how much effort this took to produce, but from experience I would say that his task will get easier over hopefully many years. I would also like to thank Kathleen James and David Jones for organising the Performance Competition and Presentation of awards and awarding bursaries to young enthusiasts and Richard Miller for the geldings awards. We could not undertake this without the generous sponsorship which we receive from many sources. Thank you all. Their regional assistants for the future are Tweetie Nimmo (Scotland), Jocelyn Price (Midlands), Sue Hardy (Southern) and Joanna Sheil (Wales). Also to be thanked heartily are Vashti Hasdell and our Young Ambassador Adrian Pearce for their magnificent efforts on the WPCS Publicity Vehicle and our President Laura Hutchins for producing Christmas cards which generate a donation to WPCS funds annually.

While Hayley Mills was performing recently at the New Theatre, Cardiff, I sent her a copy of the account and photograph in “One Hundred Glorious Years” when she rode Criban Topsy during the production of the famous film “Tiger Bay”. Ms Mills replied that she was delighted to receive the report also that “it brought back many happy memories of making Tiger Bay and Talybont-on-Usk in the Welsh mountains. It was very special to return to Cardiff again after such a long time – so much has changed but the people are the same”.

Finally I wish to extend thanks to all members of the Society who have contributed in any way to publicise our marvellous Welsh Ponies and Cobs.
 

Dr Wynne Davies, M.B.E.
Publicity Officer, Welsh Pony and Cob Society.