Sadly we lost Peter Pan's sire
WESTACRE CONCERTO
Bay 13.2hh (138cms)
(1982-2002)

Frozen Semen by Westacre Concerto
is still available.

A TRIBUTE

It was with great sadness that we had to say goodbye to my beautiful Riding Pony Stallion Westacre Concerto - always known as 'Shirty'. He had been with us here at Rotherwood Stud for over twenty years, a loyal servant, true friend and part of the family.
His breeder Miss Angela Mackley arrived with him as a foal at foot with his Dam Twylands Crescendo when bringing the mare back to stud again to Keston Royal Occasion. From the moment he stepped down the ramp of the lorry I knew he was very special. Shirty possessed that True Pony Character, with elegance, quality, movement, enormous presence and 'look at me'. I immediately declared there and then that he must be mine at weaning time and so he was.
The yard seems so quiet without him, he was such a talker and would call out whenever he heard my voice or his food was a minute late!
In his showing days he was unstoppable, winning all before him including the The Royal, The Royal Welsh (he was Part-Bred Welsh registered as well as N.P.S.), and at both one and two years old he was Supreme Champion Youngstock & Reserve Overall Supreme of Show at the then 'Ponies of Britain'. He was chosen to represent The British Riding Pony in a parade of Stallions at Burghley and how he showed off and enjoyed himself that day!
He has left a galaxy of top-class ponies and sired stock in many other countries including Australia and South Africa. Indeed he was one of the very first English Pony Stallions to ever export frozen semen to Australia. Shirty has truly left his mark as a Stallion.
His blood-lines will live on in the stock he has left behind to carry it toward for future generations.
His own full brother - Twylands Carrillon - was Ridden Children's 'Show Pony of the Year' at the Horse of the Year Show, Wembley in 1985. They were both by the famous Welsh Section B Stallion Keston Royal Occasion who stood here at Rotherwood, until exported to Australia in 1982, and out of Twylands Crescendo. Her dam was Bwich Zephyr, Zip and Zingari.
So the very cream of the pony blood-lines came together in Concerto's pedigree. No wonder he was such a great and truly lovely pony.
Much loved and much missed, but lots of years of happy memories.
Elizabeth Mansfield, Rotherwood Stud. Sept 2002

 
ROTHERWOOD STATE OCCASION
1979-2003
Welsh Section B Stallion

Rotherwood State Occasion, who died on 21st August aged 24 years, will go down in Welsh section B history as one of the five most influential sires of all times following in the footsteps of his ancestors Tanybwlch Berwyn (foaled in l924), Craven Cyrus (f1926), Cuban Victor(f,1944) and his grand-sire Downland Chevalier (f. 1962)
State Occasion was bred by Mrs Elizabeth Mansfield of the Rotherwood Stud in Leicestershire sired by Keston Royal Occasion out of Rotherwood Honeysuckle a daughier of Downland Chevalier, who was Royal Welsh champion as a two-year-old in 1970 and again in 1978
State Occasion was shown very little but was purchased bv the late Mrs Pat Johns-Powell of the Cottrell Stud in Glamorgan in 1981 after he stood reserve champion to his sire at the National Pony Show
His prowess as a sire began almost immediately and he topped the Welsh Pony and Cob Society sire ratings in 1985 a feat which he repeated a further nine times. The previous sire rating winners were his sire Keston Royal Occasion (who was exported to Australia in 1982) and his grandsire Downland Chevalier who was top sire eight times. Often State Occasion would have twice or three times as many sire rating points as his nearest rival but his son Cottrell Artiste came a close second in 1993 and 1994 and took over in 1995!
Possibly his most successful matings at Cottrell Stud were to the beautiful cream mare Downland Almond and, in addition to Artiste, their progeny included the 1995 Royal Welsh Champion Cottrell Aurora who was exported to Australia.
ln addition to his pure-bred progeny. State Occasion was a very successful sire of children's riding ponies such as Cottrell Statement who qualified for the HOYS six times.
After the death of Mrs Johns-Powell in July 1999, State Occasion returned to Rotherwood where he continued to produce exceptional stock including three lovely filly foals this year and there are two mares in foal to him for 2004.
Wynne Davies