Hi Sarah,
Here is a post I posted about this program back in July 08. Should help explain some things regardign this program for you.
Good Morning,
Was asked to post this here as well. There was a discussion on the L'il Begiinning board on the Miniature side. Just some more update to this thread....
The NSPR (National Show Pony Registry) is a new division of the ASPC/AMHR/ASPR. It was created three years ago for those folks who were breeding their Shetlands to larger ponies to create a pony that a child could step up to before they moved onto a "big" horse.
When the BOD decided that there was a need then they set the parameters for this program....You can have one parent registered AMHR, ASPC, or ASPR. The other parent could be one of the following:
AMHR x ASPC, AMHR x ASPR, ASPC x ASPR, AMHR x ?, ASPC x ?, ASPR x ?. The question could be a registered horse, POA, Welsh, Hackney, etc. I was working with a registered Paint mare who was 14.2 and was breeding her to my Shetland stallion. The requirement of this program was that no NSPR could go over 14.2 in height. This IS NOT a breeding registry but a registry for performance only ponies. All horses involved will be DNA'd.
Since some folks were breeding AMHR to Shetlands this gave them an avenue to put those off type (papered ponies) in a sister registry and not loose their idenity. It never was intended for the smaller horses but will have some anyway. If my registered Paint had her foal my foals registration would show her sire registration and her dam's registration. If only one parent registered and the other a grade pony, then you would have seen one side registered other listed as grade.
The ASPC Congress is where these ponies are to be shown, and any club that wanted to put NSPR classes into their show premiums they can. Most of these classes are Pony Hunter Hack, Pony Western Pleasure and Pony Pleasure Driving.
Also, according to the rules: Great care will be taken with the classes and rules, in order that these animals will be able to go from a show approved by ASPC to another Western, Hunter, or Carriage show and not have to change rules, equiptment, or training.
Again, Since this is a performance only division it was created for those folks who were breeding their Shetlands to other breeds. We just lost one fine example back in May. "Theodore O'Conner" was a Shetland, Arabian and Thorougbred cross, stood a little over 13 hands and loved the cross country course. He was the USEF Pony of the Year last year. I had been following his success until recently when he bolted from his barn in May, fell and cut the tendons in his back legs. Had to be humanly put down. A small pony with a BIG HEART! He didn't know he wasn't as big as his counterparts but could do the same stuff they could do.
Personally, I would love to see this division grow. I know it was origially set up for our youth who want a larger pony, but as you can see with "Teddy" a woman up to 5'5 could ride him. I would love to go back to ridding again and can see this division take hold with the women of the ASPC/AMHR (men too that were small enough) but most of the time it's the women who love to do this sort of stuff.
Thanks.
Hope this helps.
Karen
just was curious-Sarah
