Our Mares

The foundation of Darshill Exmoor Pony Stud. Our mares have been carefully selected for true-to-type conformation, temperament and breeding, and form the backbone of everything we produce.

The Mares

9/154 Frithesden Singing Grass

Born: 2005
Sire: 9/76 Frithesden Lysander
Dam: 9/105 Frithesden Music

Frithesden Singing Grass is a mare whose influence reaches far beyond her own contribution to the Darshill herd. Bred by the late Pat McElligott at the respected Frithesden Stud, Singing Grass represents generations of careful breeding and dedication to the Exmoor Pony. 'Grass' embodies the quality, temperament and breed character for which the Frithesden herd became known. Purchased as a yearling while I was still at University she has become a valued foundation mare, her influence can be seen beyond our own herd as well as the Moonpenny Stud. We feel privileged to have been custodians of such a mare and proud to play a small part in preserving some of Pat's legacy.

78/160 Dunkery Quelea

Born: 2009
Sire: 78/147 Dunkery Godwit
Dam: 78/88 Dunkery Quail

Dunkery Quelea holds a very special place within the Darshill herd. Bred at the renowned Dunkery Stud, she enjoyed considerable success in the show ring as a prolific in-hand winner before joining us following the dispersal of the stud. Quelea brought with her generations of proven Dunkery breeding and a direct link to one of the most influential Exmoor pony studs. Since arriving at Darshill, she has become an exceptional broodmare, producing offspring of outstanding quality, most notably Darshill Shuri, arguably the most successful mare bred by the stud to date. Through Shuri's achievements in-hand and under saddle, Quelea's influence has been showcased on some of the biggest stages in the country. She is also the dam of Darshill America Chavez, ensuring that her legacy within the herd will continue for generations to come. For us, Quelea represents not only the enduring legacy of the Dunkery Stud but also the foundation upon which much of our recent success has been built.

49/121 Coedywern Quince

Born: 2012
Sire: 78/147 Dunkery Godwit
Dam: 283/2 Woton Borage

Behind every successful stud are the mares that consistently produce quality stock, and Coedywern Quince is certainly one of those mares. A descendant of the same family as Diva, Quince enjoyed success in her own right as a young mare, both in hand and under saddle, however she has been an excellent broodmare for the stud. As the dam of Darshill Peter Parker and Darshill Mary Jane, both successful show ponies, she continues to pass on the qualities that have made this mare line so highly valued within the breed despite being underrepresented in the past.

49/129 Coedywern Rambling Rose

Born: 2013
Sire: 78/147 Dunkery Godwit
Dam: 49/81 Coedywern Harebell

Coedywern Rambling Rose is a mare of exceptional quality from the influential Old Altai family. Throughout her showing career she has enjoyed considerable success, including championship honours at both NPS, Breed and County Shows as a young mare. Combining outstanding breed type, presence and movement, Diva as she is known at home, has proven herself both in the show ring and as an important representative of one of the breed's most valued mare families. Her daughter Darshill Agent Romanoff has had a hugely successful showing career as well.

458/14 Darshill Princess Charlotte

Born: 2015
Sire: H7/29 Murrayton Nugget
Dam: 372/2 Blossom

Darshill Princess Charlotte, known at home as Squeak, is a mare who has made a tremendous contribution to the Darshill herd, she enjoyed success in the show ring before becoming a broodmare. She has always been a favourite on the hill, and is a top class broodmare, as the dam of Darshill Kitty Pryde, one of the most successful ponies produced by the stud in recent years. Through Kitty's remarkable success, including becoming Supreme Exmoor Pony of the Year in 2026, Squeak has demonstrated her ability to pass on quality, temperament and true Exmoor character to the next generation.

458/15 Darshill Psylocke

Born: 2015
Sire: H7/29 Murrayton Nugget
Dam: H60/7 Blackthorn Ploytach

Darshill Psylocke is a homebred mare who has represented the stud both in the show ring and as a broodmare. Successfully shown in hand as a young mare, she combines quality, substance and true Exmoor character with a pedigree that brings together some of the breed's most respected bloodlines. Today, Psylocke's influence is continuing through her offspring, including Darshill Colossus and Darshill Winter Soldier, ensuring her contribution to the Darshill herd extends well beyond her own successes.

458/22 Darshill Gamora

Born: 2018
Sire: 49/124 Coedywern Rocket
Dam: 206/8 Elsinore Florence Nightingale

Darshill Gamora is a mare of exceptional importance to our stud, representing the rare Heatherglow mare line, one of the least represented female families within the Exmoor Pony breed. A daughter of Elsinore Florence Nightingale, she combines quality, substance, movement and true Exmoor character with a pedigree we are passionate about preserving. Gamora enjoyed a successful showing career, consistently demonstrating the breed type and presence that have become hallmarks of her family. Through her dam she is closely related to the successful stallion Elsinore Alan Partridge, of the Badleybridge Stud while her maternal line has become a cornerstone of the Darshill breeding programme. Now an important broodmare, Gamora is carrying this precious bloodline forward through the next generation, ensuring that the legacy of 'Heatherglow' continues to thrive for years to come.

458/23 Darshill Nebula

Born: 2018
Sire: 49/124 Coedywern Rocket
Dam: H14/54 Blackthorn Sea Puffin

Darshill Nebula is one of our much-admired homebred mares, by Coedywern Rocket out of Blackthorn Sea Puffin. As a youngster, Nebula was professionally produced by Philip Ward-Burton, enjoying success in the show ring as both a yearling and a three-year-old, although her showing career was interrupted buy the pandemic. She combines excellent breed type, movement and a kind temperament, she has matured into an outstanding broodmare and produced her first foal, Darshill Spectrum, in 2023. Nebula represents some of the most treasured bloodlines within our herd and remains an important mare for the future. We are particularly excited that she is now in foal to our homebred stallion, Darshill Logan, with a foal expected in 2027.

458/24 Darshill Shuri

Born: 2019
Sire: 21/107 Keodale
Dam: 78/160 Dunkery Quelea

Darshill Shuri is undoubtedly one of the most successful ponies ever bred by the Darshill Stud. Born shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, her early showing career was delayed, but she has gone on to achieve more than we could ever have imagined. Combining outstanding breed type, movement and presence, Shuri has enjoyed tremendous success both in-hand and under saddle, establishing herself as a true ambassador for the Exmoor Pony breed. Her achievements include being crowned Exmoor Pony of the Year Adult Section Champion in 2024 and Ridden Section Champion in 2025, demonstrating her exceptional versatility and quality. Under saddle, Shuri has excelled at the highest levels of competition, competing at both the prestigious Royal International Horse Show and Horse of the Year Show, achievements that place her among an elite group of Exmoor ponies. Alongside her ridden success, she has remained a consistent winner in-hand and is now beginning the next chapter of her career as a broodmare. For us, Shuri represents everything we aspire to produce at Darshill: a pony with outstanding breed character, proven performance, exceptional temperament and the ability to succeed at the very highest level while contributing to the future of the breed.

458/28 Darshill Mantis

Born: 2020
Sire: 21/107 Keodale
Dam: 206/8 Elsinore Florence Nightingale

Darshill Mantis is a mare of particular importance to our breeding programme, like her half sister Gamora, she descends from the rare Heatherglow foundation mare line, one of the least well-represented female families within the Exmoor Pony breed. Professionally produced as a youngster by Liam Priestley, Mantis combines quality, substance and excellent breed character with a pedigree that is invaluable to the future genetic diversity of the breed. She is the dam of the very beautiful Darshill Moondragon who will also be retained within the stud to help preserve this important family. Through Mantis, Gamora and their descendants, we are proud to play a small part in safeguarding a bloodline that remains both underrepresented and historically significant.

458/32 Darshill America Chavez

Born: 2022
Sire: 206/13 Elsinore Alan Partridge
Dam: 78/160 Dunkery Quelea

Darshill America Chavez is one of the exciting young mares retained for the future of the Darshill herd. By the successful stallion Elsinore Alan Partridge and out of our treasured broodmare Dunkery Quelea, she combines two influential families with a proven record of producing quality stock. America possesses excellent breed character, substance and presence, and represents an important part of the next generation of Darshill breeding. As Shuri's half-sister, we look forward to seeing her develop and contribute her own chapter to the continuing success story of the herd.