Some sad news today with the passing of our lovely little colt foal, JP Dougal. Dougal suffered from an impaction last Thursday and despite immediate treatment and surgery to remove the impaction, he lost his battle one week later. RIP little man.

With the arrival of spring the stud shifted into full swing with new foals arriving, mares being covered for next year's foals and the ponies making a return to the show ring for the first time since the EI outbreak. We took a small team of three to Junee & Cobram Shows last weekend with some good results. All three won their classes at both shows with JP Phoebe being Reserve Champion Shetland and Champion AMPS Exhibit at Junee. Butterfield Krackerjack was Reserve Champion Shetland Male at Cobram Show and Champion AMPS Stallion or Colt, with JP Keira winning Champion AMPS mare or filly. Photos are up on the Show results page. We will also be attending the Vic All Shetland Show and Vic APSB Stud Show later in the year.

The foaling season has been a time of highs and lows for us, starting off with our senior broodmare Laurelwood Imogen delivering a stillborn premature filly around 6 weeks early. On another sad note our maiden mare, JP Phoebe had a bad presentation and very difficult delivery losing a big black colt foal. Thankfully both mares came through fine. Imogen has been reserved by Blackwatch and Phoebe will  be rested for this season.

However, the good news is that we have 2 beautiful, healthy foals. Domino Downs Darcy foaled a top quality chestnut pinto colt by Kanimbla Blackwatch, and Woodview Trinket (kindly on lease from Woodview Stud), produced our first foal by Shady Glen Julian, a lovely black filly. We have one more mare to foal this season - JP Bonita to Shady Glen Julian. Further details can be viewed on our foals page.

There have been a few departures since the last update with two of our favourite ponies making long trips to new homes. Our lovely Welsh Mountain mare, Woranora Caitlin, headed across to Western Australia to take up residence at Aristocrat Arabian Stud. Caitlin has already returned to the show ring with success for her new owners and will be bred to their beautiful resident stallion this season.

Due to a lack of little people to enjoy him, we sadly made the decision to offer our special little gelding Casey for sale. He made the big trip to QLD to his new home at Tremayne Stud just in time to attend the Royal Brisbane Show. Casey and his new rider, 2yo Chelsea Taunton won the Shetland Turnout class at the Ekka and have been having heaps of fun on their show circuit and at Pony Club as you can see by the big smiles. We wish both new owners all the best with their new ponies.

On a sadder note, this spring saw the passing of one of our senior mares. Laurelwood Klementine was laid to rest after a battle with uterine tumours. Sadly her condition worsened and she was no longer happy in her retirement. We are grateful to have Klementine's granddaughter and great-granddaughter, Ugenie and Keira, to carry on her lines.

Welcome to the newly updated Jenssel Park Shetland Stud website. It has been a long time since the last update and all pages have been updated with details of our current ponies. We have welcomed three new boys to the stud - two older stallions, Shady Glen Julian and Kanimbla Blackwatch, and a super young colt, Butterfield Krackerjack. Sadly 2007 also saw the passing of the lovely Woodview Teagan after a short battle with hyperlipaemia. She will be sadly missed.

Congratulations to Jenssel Park Georgia and her owner Amanda Rattray on their recent show successes. Georgia is a daughter of Yeo Lodge Kendal and has recently been awarded Champion Shetland mare at the 2008 Bathurst Royal Show. She was also Champion Shetland Exhibit at Yeovale and Orange Shows and Reserve Champion at Wellington Show. Georgia has also been educated to harness and is performing very well.

Jenssel Park Shetlands have recently joined the new APSB promotional group Small Shetlands of Australia. This group is promoting Shetland ponies measuring 8.2hh and under. Their major show for this season will be the Vic APSB Stud Show with a new, bigger program. Jenssel Park will be sponsoring a new award - the Laurelwood Viking Memorial Trophy, an exhibitor high point score award for the under 8.2hh ring. For more information on the group please visit their website at www.smallshetlands.org.