HARROWAY MR HARLEQUIN

Harlequin was bred by the owner’s grandmother, Betty Skelton, the well-known author, teacher, breeder and until her death President of the Side Saddle Association.

Harlequin comes from famous bloodlines, bred for beauty, temperament and soundness; the colour being the added bonus.
The colour comes from the Dam line, his great grandmother Roma II was a chestnut and white very quality Hunter pony/cob type. Roma was put to one of the most famous Crabbett Arabian stallions of the 1950’s - Blue Domino. This produced Carnival, a chestnut and white 15 hand show hunter type. Carnival was given to Mrs Skelton who used her exclusively on her dark brown 15.1 T.B. stallion Fare Knight. Fare Knight, who was home bred by Mrs Skelton, had been supreme champion at the Ponies of Britain Show in 1973. He was beautifully bred having Hyperion three times in his pedigree.

Fare Knight with Carnival produced five foals, the favourite of which was Procession, a 15.2 Bay and White Hack type.
Procession was a horse before her time as few judges in those days would look at a coloured horse. Despite that handicap she still managed, in 1974, to qualify as a large Hack for the
Horse of the Year Show.

Procession started breeding at the age of 20 and was only covered by Chiddock Fankino, a Bay 14.0 stallion, whose grandmother was Pretty Polly who was the foremost Riding Pony of an era. Chiddock Fankino has produced countless champions in many spheres from Hunter Pony, Riding Pony, Working Hunter Pony, Eventing, Dressage and Show Jumping.

Procession and Chiddock Fankino had four foals, all of which have been multi-champions:

Harroway Carousel – Bay – 14.2
Harroway Mr Harlequin – Chestnut and White – 14.1
Harroway Helter-skelter – Bay and White – 14.3
Harroway Moon Fairy – Chestnut and White – 13.3

Harlequin has been shown lightly all his life and has been a champion from foal onwards. His list of successes is extensive including:

Bath & West – 1st -twice
Windsor – 1st – three times
New Forest – 1st – three times
National CHAPS Championships – Supreme and Reserve Supreme on the only occasions shown.
European Championships – Overall Stallion Champion
NPS Championships – Winning Hunter Pony

He only shows very occasionally nowadays but also competes in Dressage to Medium level and has started Driving coming third at the National BDS show only 6 weeks after being “put to”.

Harlequins stock all inherit his amazing temperament, movement and looks.

Harlequin, though happy and in regular work, is not standing at stud this season as he has not recovered from his mystery illness in 2008. However we have frozen semen at West Kington (www.westkingtonstud.co.uk) and with Tessa Clarke’s advice she will release it but only to Vets who meet her approval.

To see more of life at Harroway use this link:

Harroway Journal