Welsh Ponies are.....

Sometime before 1966 the Orears had taken some Welsh Ponies home to care for from their old friend Perry Carlile. Later they became interested in the Welsh ponies and leased five from Perry.

In the early 1960's J.D. became really sold on the breed and while on a family vacation visited the Farnley Farm at White Post, Virginia. There they purchased a filly from a pen of yearlings. This was Farnley Het (Farnley Conqueror x Farnley Wimple), a chestnut with a blaze, white stockings, fire in her eye and a spirit to challenge the imagination.

This mare became one of the foundation mares for the Dandardel ponies. Het has raised 17 chestnut foals, two of the mares are still in the herd. Through the years she was successful in the show ring in halter, mare and foal and western classes. Her offspring were consistent winners in the foal classes. Het died in 1992 at the age of 27 years.

One of the mares leased was Vaynor Tango (Vaynor Goldie x Vaynor Swift). She was imported from South Wales. During the 1960's she was owned by Perry Carlile and cared for by the Orears. After Perry's death she was purchased from his estate. During the years she has raised 14 foals, 2 of the mares are still in the herd. Tango died in 1981.

Over the years J.D. always has been on the lookout for outstanding ponies to improve his herd. Some of them include ponies from the following studs: Farnley, Coed Coch, Twyford, Rowfantina, Shenandoah and Perhyn. Most of those ponies' history and names can be found in the trees on this site. To find out more about a particular pony, click on its name where a link is shown. Information will come up on that particular pony.

Shari Beecher has been around horses and ponies sense she was nine years old. In her adult life, she managed a horse-drawn carriage service in Columbus, Ohio. The type of horses she worked with were Drafts. Shari had sixteen horses to work with on a daily basis. Then she met Kurt.

Shari and Kurt got married and moved to Oklahoma. A year and a half later Kurt and Shari started a horse drawn carriage company, Heartland Carriage company. The company was started with two rather large Belgians, Buster and Billy. Unfortunately Buster and Billy were too green to be put out on the street. So the search was on again to find street safe horses.

In Kansas, is where they met Dan and his two Welsh ponies Dandardel Julie and Holts Dancing Betsy. Dan had used Betsy and Julie for his carriage service in Oxford, Kansas for nine years. Upon the decision to retire, they decided to sell off the carriages and horses. The Beecher's acquired a team of Welsh ponies, but not before promising Dan that Betsy and Julie would be spoiled rotten. (That was the first time I saw a grown man cry over ponies!)

After using Betsy and Julie a few months, seeing how smart they were and their cute personalities. Kurt and Shari decided to find out who bred them and their background. The ponies had been bred by J.D. Orear and John Holtmyer. Visiting with both of them, Kurt and Shari were amazed at the breeds history and versatility. Thus making their decision to breed Welsh ponies.

The Beecher's believe that Betsy and Julie didn't end up with them by luck, they believe that God himself had placed them in their care. Kurt and Shari are sure that they are Heavenly creatures. That is why they registered the Heavenly prefix in 1999, and started the HeavenlyPony website. And everything after that is in God's hands and will always be. :)