Our History
Our Shetland Stud started quite innocently as most obsessions do back in 1997. We needed a paddock mate for my elderly thoroughbred Maneloc, so a friend suggested a pony. I had always had a hankering to have a Shetland as I had started riding in my teens, and missed the "pony phase", so we paid a visit to Diana and John Humphries Cotswold Shetland Stud at Motukarara. After looking at a number of geldings we chose a solid chestnut yearling gelding called Cotswold Bexley Heath.
Bexley and Manny were best mates and it wasn't long before we decided we needed another pony as I had started showing Bexley and Manny missed his mate. Another trip to Diana and Johns and we purchased Cotswold Skylark. By now we had moved to Dunns Crossing Road and started developing our 4 hectare farm. In July of 1998, Manny lost his on going battle with colic and we were left with Bexley and Larkin. Another visit to Diana and John's and we came back with a piebald gelding called Cotswold Oakland. By this time we had got to know many of the Shetland breeders who were very willing to share their knowledge and experience and we were hooked on these little ponies. My husband Craig said it was about time I stopped collecting geldings and bought some mares and we started the Duncree Shetland Pony stud.
We began selecting fillies and mares that would become our foundation stock and our first foals Duncree Little Mister and Duncree Ali May were born in 1999. In November 2002, Duncree Eclipse arrived in a raging southerly. He had that something special about him from the moment we saw him and he will begin his stallion duties in 2006.
Our Shetlands have provided us with some of our most memorable and exciting moments. Like all horses they are special and they have their own uniqueness that sets them apart from all other breeds.