Your Committee

Your Committee were elected at the AGM on 12th January 2008.  They are: 

• President - Lisa Bell
• Vice President - Lesley Bell
• Secretary/IT coordinator - Alison Downing
• Treasurer - Lorna Armstrong
• Northern Area Coordinator - Rosie MacDiarmid
• Social Secretary - Helen Sanger
• Press Secretary - Faye Hedley

Introducing Your Committee

Lisa Bell

Obsessed with Exmoors since 1997, I was bored one afternoon during the first week of maternity leave and decided to start an Exmoor Pony riding club in Scotland!!!  Needless to say, I have not attained 'boredom' status since, and will never admit to it again if I do!

My first Exmoor, Seton (93/29), chose me in autumn 1998 was rapidly followed by brother Uxellon (93/33) and Mum Hovera (93/8), sadly no longer with us.  Voritia (93/38), sister to Seton and Uxie, arrived as a wedding present from a "good friend."  She nearly caused a divorce several times before redeeming herself by being awarded Supreme Champion at the EPS Scottish Area show in 2006, and has gone from strength to strength with her showing career ever since. 

The boys on the other hand, are my trusty steeds and best friends.  They have turned their hooves to everything I have asked them to do, and when the winter woolies are falling, they simply get Dysoned!

The rest of Chez Bell includeds a very patient husband Jon (usually to be found looking cold and bored while I do another something stupid with the ponies!), baby Sam and Isla dogs, both of whom are currently accompanying their Dad in looking bored while Mummy rides!

Lesley Bell

I started riding when I was 12 at a local riding school (thanks Gran!).  Had a Part Bred Arab grey mare for a few years when I was early 20's then nothing until the twins were old enough to ride.  I took a few lessons at the same time and had my 'bad habits' sorted out.....or rather..... was taught properly!

The rest is history.  Mid life crisis combined with a passing comment - If you EVER want to sell him (Struan), give me a call - led to Struan joining the family, closely followed by Rhea (on loan to Colin), Gemma (a gift to Colin) and then Cara (Gemma's daughter).....then BB (on loan to Colin for a short while before we decided she WASN'T the pony for him)....and then Oak....

Oak arrived and we were hooked on Exmoors....

Disciplines - Endurance and being a Happy Hacker

Alison Downing

I first met Exmoor ponies in 1989 (gulp!) when I was a willing victim for my friends' assessment trek as instructors for the Dick Vet Trekking Section.  I tagged along with my friends throughout their time at university, becoming an unofficial third instructor on most of their treks, getting to know all the ponies and LOVING trekking in the summer from Snoot Youth Hostel! It didnt' take long for me to fall in love with the Exmoor character and I stayed involved with the ponies after finishing my degrees and staying in Edinburgh (I think I'm on my fourth set of vet student friends thanks to the ponies!).

My first pay cheque meant my first Exmoor Curdiff, a mare from Peter Dean, who I bought in foal. At the time I bought her there was one other pony already on the radar, in fact had been ever since he was conceived.  Pendragon was born in 1995 and was the first foal by Heathpool Marischal, a stallion I absolutely adored.  I met P on day 6 of his life and was lucky enough to be able to buy him as a yearling.  I broke him in myself and now aged 12 he's happily competing in riding club events, endurance rides and taking part in anything else that takes our fancy!

Not willing to stop there I acquired other mares and have now bred 13 registered foals.  An awful lot of them seem to end up in the trekking section which is lovely since I still get to see them and hear about their exploits.  I currently am hoping for more foals this year and have also sent Pendragon's full sister Rhona down south to a gorgeous stallion my friend currently has on loan. Watch this space!

Lorna Armstrong

Ghost written by Ali (Lorna you can blame me for inaccuracies or embarrassment!)

As far as I know the first Exmoor that Lorna met was Pendragon, during a Connected Riding course I took him to.  During one of the groundwork sessions where people are encouraged to help, Lorna beetled over and the rest is history!  We kept in touch after the event and she soon started coming out to help me with bringing on Dunedin, joining us on P on hacks as moral support for both of us.

Since then she appears to have developed the same healthy obsession we all have with the breed!  I can highly recommend her as chief groom or handler in the show ring, definitely get her to do the catering if you do hire her for the day!

Rosie MacDiarmid

I first met an Exmoor when I was about 10 at my local riding school, however being a typical 'ponies are only for people under the age of six' type of place I never got to know her very well.  Having indeed stuck to horses through my first degree, my next encounter with Exmoors came when I started vet school and met the Dick Vet Trekking herd.  13 mealies later I was well and truly converted.  My first Exmoor came along under slightly false pretences, I was supposed to be looking for a safe, sensible additions to the trekking herd.  Instead I met Zephy (Coed-Y-Wern Zepherine 49/51) and fell in love with her very pretty head over a stable door in Shropshire.  Second pony Wederhale (14/90) was bought from Peter Dean in late 2005 as a 'replacement' for my boyfriend...don't ask! I can't say she's been any less trouble but I wouldn't be without her! Wederhale was supposedly in foal when I bought her but kept me waiting (and waiting) through finals, graduation, final year holiday, grad ball and a week of locuming before finally having baby Amelie (419/1).  Last in an ever increasing list is Heathpool Yew (93/41) who I've loved ever since he was a tiny foal (I have a soft spot for his mother, Quickthorn) and bought him last summer after passing my finals.  I hope eventually he might make a nice ride and drive pony - I figure at least one fo them should earn their keep!

Outside of Exmoors (yes there is a world, it's just a very small one) music is a big interest for me. I play fiddle with Edinburgh based band Annasach as well as a few other ceilidh bands.  I'm hoping the musical display team (once up and running) might be persuaded to do a display to funkiy fiddle music.... maybe that's just me?

This coming year is an exciting one for me, Zephy is (fingers crossed) in foal to Heathpool Xenophon, so I'm looking forward to the pitter patter of tiny hooves.  I've recently started work as a vet in a mixed practise up North and hope to move the girls and boy up there soon.  I'm really pleased to be involved in the riding club, I've met so many great people and got so much out of the ponies so far and am looking forward to having a likeminded group of people nearby to help, support and advise me as my babies grow up.

Faye Hedley

My love of Exmoors started in 2006 by joining the Edinburgh University Exmoor Pony Trekking Section (EUEPTS). Since joining I worked a lot with youngsters of the herd and this year took the committee position of Youngstock Co-ordinator.

In October last year I gave in (it wasn’t too hard!!) and bought my first pony. Ulgrave (14/53, also known as ‘Tangle’) came to me as an unhandled yearling and is now one of the cheekiest ponies I know. As well as having mastered hoofpicks, leading and learning polos weren't poison, she has a massive sense of humour, helps groom you and thinks open arms to herd her mean you really want a hug!

Outside of ponies I’m a third year Zoology student at Edinburgh Uni and also have a hamster known as ‘the hoff’ despite the fact she’s a girl!