Horses Archive - Dyfed Shires

Dixie

‘Our Suffolk Punch Pearl’

Stats

Name: Donhead Hall Dixie Pearl
Born: 04/06/2015
Sex: Mare
Sire: Whatton Freddie
Dam: Donhead Hall Virginia

Dixie’s Story

We were very excited to welcome our first ever Suffolk Punch to our Welsh farm in late 2021!

Dixie ironically didn’t come to us from the east of England, but from Dorset! But she is one of only approx. 300 breeding Suffolk Punch mares in existence and is therefore one of what is regarded as a ‘critical’ breed of animal on the UK Rare Breeds Survival Trust watch list.

Dixie settled in well on our farm. She has a very calm and pleasant temperament and having previously been broken in to drive, has already shown her ability, by dong some light shaft work on our farm!

In 2022, she surprised us all by foaling unexpectedly to a healthy Suffolk colt who we named ‘Big H’, in memory of Howard Lewis of our farm, who had peacefully passed away that very Easter.

But Dixie had so much more to offer and in 2024, having crossed her with our grey shire stallion Atlas, she foaled with our very first ‘Shuffolk’ who we named Dyfed Prince.

We very much hope that Dixie will continue to flourish on our farm for years to come!

Atlas

‘There’s a New Grey in Town’

Stats

Name: Metheringham Upton Atlas
Born: 25/03/2020
Sex: Colt
Sire: Metheringham Upton Ferguson
Dam: Metheringham Upton Dora

Atlas’s Story

This young man was born on the 25^th March 2020 and came from Nottinghamshire in England aged 8 months.

A striking young grey foal, the colour is clearly in his genes because Atlas has a rather special connection to our farm. Through his Mam Dora, he is descended down from Dyfed Grey Prince, his great-grand sire, who was one of the first generation of the Dyfed bloodline to be born on our farm in the early 1980s and who we sold as a young stallion to the Metheringham Stud almost 40 years ago!

Born days into the first nationwide lockdown, he was named ‘Atlas’ as he was born with the world on his shoulders! It is perhaps apt then that this young man has gone ‘full circle’ and now lives at the birthplace of his forefather!

Atlas settled in really well in his new home and became big pals with ‘Jonesy’ – a right couple of ‘likely lads’!

Atlas has since become our worthy in-house stallion and is now a striking grey who still enjoys the attention lavished on him by all!

Jonesy

‘Our Cheeky Chappy!’

Stats

Name: Westfield Indiana Jones
Born: 20/04/2020
Sex: Mare
Sire: Trem Y Wyddfa Huw’s Curiosity
Dam: Oakridge Hope

Jonesy’s Story

‘Jonesy’ arrived in a blaze of energy and self-confidence when he arrived in Eglwyswrw from Yorkshire in the early summer of 2020 in the middle of the original national lockdown as a foal at foot with his mother Oakridge Hope.

His father Tremywydda Huw’s Curiosity was the 2018 Shire Horse Champion Senior Stallion so Jonesy has big genes in him! So it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when he arrived on the farm as, large and strong young foal, full of character and promise!

He quickly made himself a popular attraction when we opened for the summer – greeting each visitor as a new friend to give him some fuss! He was clearly besotted with young Guinevere who he followed around all summer long and would then become big pals with Atlas who arrived in November of 2020 – they became our new ‘likely lads’!

But Jonesy’s very willing disposition meant that a greater calling would soon arise. In the early Spring of 2024, along with Dyfed Merlin, he left us for London to become a new trainee Drum Horse in the Household Cavalry!

We are looking forward to future updates on our Jonesy’s progress as he settles into his new life in the big city!

Hope – RIP

‘Our Yorkshire Rose’

Stats

Name: Oakridge Hope
Born: 18/05/2004
Sex: Mare
Sire: Lancashire Supreme
Dam: Oakridge Charity

Hope’s Story

Hope arrived in Eglwyswrw in the early summer of 2020 in the middle of the original national lockdown.

She arrived from Yorkshire with her young foal at foot – ‘Jonesy’ having been born in Yorkshire in mid-April.

At the time of her arrival, she was not in the best condition – she was lean and clearly, at the good age of 16, having to feed her new born was taking it out of her more than usual. She settled in well on our farm and out on the grass filled out once again.

She successfully foaled on the farm and gave us Dyfed Samuel in 2022 but she sadly passed away a year later in 2023.

But this independent and self-confident old girl is very fondly remembered and can look down with great pride at her boy Jonesy, who has since left the farm in early 2024 for London, where he is now in training as a potential future Drum Horse in the Household Cavalry!

Dyfed JR

‘Our Crown Prince…or Princess!’

Stats

Name: Dyfed JR
Born: –/04/2007
Sex: Gelding
Height: 18.0hh
Sire: Primrose Tom
Dam: Dyfed Countess

JR’s Story

JR was born on the farm in 2007 and was named after our farm patriarch John Rees Lewis who was affectionately known to the family as JR.

The 2nd born to Dyfed Countess, JR is a 3rd generation of our bloodline born on the farm and a younger brother to Celt, or ‘Major Mercury’ Household Cavalry Drum Horse.

JR was a popular member of our equine family and before he was gelded, sired Dyfed Epona born in 2010 through Cotebrook Dark Lady (Bonus), Derwen Fawr Rhiannon born in 2011 and Dyfed Willa Rose born in 2013, both through Metheringham Upton Pansy.

Once gelded, JR became our ‘Princess’ – loving the attention and fuss of our farmyard visitors! Never one for work if it could be avoided, JR preferred the adulation of his many fans!

A New Life!

But just like his big brother Celt, opportunity came knocking. Along with his big farmyard friend Caerberllan Joseph, JR left us in early 2017 for a new life as a trainee Drum Horse for the Sultan of Oman!

Delivered with Joe to the Sultan’s British base in Wargrave near Reading, both were then flown out from Heathrow Airport to Muscat for a new life!

Amidst great wealth, JR and Joe are now being well looked after in purpose built air conditioned stables! JR is doing well in his training and we receive regular updates from the Arabian Peninsula on his progress.

We are incredibly proud that the shire carrying our patriarch’s name has gone to follow in his brother’s big hoof-prints as another Eglwyswrw globe-trotter!

Dyfed Grey Celt – Major Mercury

‘A King Amongst Gentle Giants’

Stats

Name: Dyfed Grey Celt
Born: 20/06/2005
Sex: Gelding
Height: 17.2hh
Sire: Springbank Storm
Dam: Dyfed Countess

Celt’s Story

Born on the 20th June 2005, Dyfed Grey Celt was the first foal born on the farm in 11 years. Little did we know what was to follow!

He was a surprise to us even back then. He was premature and was Grey – despite his Dam Dyfed Countess and Sire Springbank Storm both being black!

Shown in hand from a young age, Celt had a quiet temperament which would work in his favour when the Household Cavalry advertised for a new Drum Horse in 2008. That October aged just 3, he began a new life in London as a trainee Drum Horse!

Life in the ‘Big Smoke’

Celt debuted for the Queen on a State Visit for the Emir of Qatar in October 2010 and made his mark at his first Trooping of the Colour in June 2011.

Officially named by the Queen as Mercury, the ‘Messenger of the Gods’, he was given the rank of Major – the highest given to any animal in the Army!

In over 10 years in the Household Cavalry, Major Mercury became the leading Drum Horse and was the ‘big brother’ to all of those new trainee horses…including our Ed, in the years that followed.

Adref – Back Home

Celt sadly passed away in August 2021 and returned to the farm of his birth in October for an emotional home-coming and burial alongside his mother Dyfed Countess, in the company of over 100 friends who came to witness a unique equine farewell for a horse without compare.

We will continue to honour his memory and his incredible life of service and we welcome those who wish to come and visit his birth and final resting place in the shadow of the Preseli Hills.

Llamas & Balwen Sheep

We enjoy keeping an array of animals on our farm and we endeavour to do our bit to support many rare breed favourites.

Balwen Sheep

Long-term residents are our hardy Welsh Balwen Flock.

They are so rare, they were nearly wiped out entirely by the ‘Big Snow’ of 1947! A popular sight on the farm comes each Easter time with lambing season. Those white socks, white faces and long white tipped tails are the cutest thing imaginable!

Llamas

For over a decade, the ‘Guardians’ of our flock were our faithful Llamas Anna, Efa & Lisa who warded foxes away from our small corner of north Pembrokeshire since they first came to the farm in 2010!

Not necessarily the most sociable of our farmyard friends, they are nevertheless fascinatingly curious of all of the comings and goings on the farm and would expect you to come and say hello whether you want too or not!

Now in 2025, Anna Llama continues to keep our farm and flock safe.

Guinevere

‘A name fit for a Queen, named by The Queen’

Stats

Name: Dyfed Guinevere
Born: 21/04/2020
Sex: Filly
Height: —
Sire: Milnerfield Jack
Dam: Dyfed St Helena (Santes)

Guinevere’s Story

This young lady was born on the 21st April 2020 – the first foal to our 12 year old Santes.

Sharing her birthday with Her Majesty, we approached Buckingham Palace to invite Queen Elizabeth II to choose a name from a shortlist offered and we were delighted when she accepted!

Keeping with our ‘Camelot’ theme which has seen previous foals on the farm named Lancelot, Merlin & Morgana, Her Majesty chose the name ‘Guinevere’.

She would grow into a strong-willed and independent mare, just like her mother and in 2024, Guinevere became a Mam herself when she foaled for the first time to Dyfed Galahad – making Santes a ‘Mamgu’ for the first time!

Donkeys

Meet Our Donkeys!

We may major in Shire Horses, but ever since we first opened in 1992, we have always had donkeys…and they’re multiplying!

The Originals

From our ‘original’ Jack who came to the farm in 1992 as a young man, to ‘Sugar & Spice’, they have always proved popular with our visitors.

In 2014, Mai and Bella joined us as young 2 and 1 year old sisters to keep Jack and Spice company in their latter years and whilst the boys moved towards retirement, the girls quickly became stars of the show at ‘Donkey Grooming’ time!

Our 2018 Babies!

In 2018, both foaled for the first time to give us or first EVER baby donkeys on the farm!

Mai delivered gorgeous Gwen on the 4th July and exactly two weeks later, Bella delivered cute Enya on the 18th July. Sharing the same father, Cardigan based Jasper, both are half-siblings and half-cousins to each other!

Our 2020 Babies!

In 2020, it was Bella’s turn to foal first, delivering little Eli on the 11th June – named in memory of our late Aunt Elinor Lewis who shared his birthday. Eli is a full sibling to Enya!

Mai then delivered to us our first ever Skewbald a week later on the 18th June! Sharing his birthday with world famous rugby referee Nigel Owens, we named him Owen to match him up with his full sibling sister Gwen!

Eli and Owen spent the 2021 season with old boy ‘Spice’ who was glad of the company after our original Jack passed away in peaceful retirement in January 2021 in his early 30s. It was lovely to see Spice so energetic, trying to keep the young whipper-snappers in check!

Now in his late 20s, Spice passed away peacefully in November 2021 after that one final summer back with the public on the farm. He and Jack will be greatly missed, but their legacy lives on with the young ones now taking centre stage!

In March 2022, Eli & Owen left us together for a nearby new home just across the Preselis at Mynachlog-Ddu. We look forward to hearing news of their new lives together just across the Hills!

Ianog Prefix

Our Eglwyswrw born donkeys have been registered with the Donkey Breed Society with the ‘Ianog’ prefix after the name of our nearby family farm Mirianog – it is the prefix that our late patriarch J.R. Lewis used for his registered mountain ponies in the 1960s and 1970s. The prefix has been dormant for over 40 years but now returns to use with our donkeys!

In Loving Memory…

‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’

We Will Remember Them

Over the past 40 years, many shires horses have lived and worked on the farm. Indeed, 25 of them were born here! They and those that came here from further afield have left their unique hoof print on our soil and in our hearts in that time.

In the early years, John Rees Lewis began his ‘Dyfed’ line of Shire Horses with the mares Stuntney Deborah from Shropshire and St Juliet’s Harmony from Cornwall.

Since then, Dyfed born horses such as Dyfed Grey King, Dyfed Major and Dyfed General have left our farm for foreign climbs in America, Germany and Austria.

We will always remember our show-stopping Dyfed bloodline matriarchs Dyfed Duchess and Dyfed Countess. We will never forget those loyal and trusted workers Tom, Duke and Macs who worked and welcomed visitors to the farm.

We are very fortunate to be in regular contact with new owners of our more modern horses such Dyfed General, Dyfed Epona and Dyfed Lancelot to name a few. We enjoy hearing about their new lives.

Whilst visiting the farm, you can also visit the final resting place of many of our equine family. A Preseli Hills standing stone has been placed for us to remember just some of those gentle giants who once trod the green grass of north Pembrokeshire and who have since moved gently into that good night.