More Fell Ponies in South Dakota

Lori Welbig at Dakota Fells showing her obvious love of her ponies.

My ponies and I are newcomers to South Dakota, but there have been Fell Ponies in the state for a few years.  The first Fell Pony to arrive was a Willowtrail one:  Kathleen Beech has had Willowtrail Mountain Storm since he was weaned in 2014.  The second Fell Pony to the state was, I believe, Crystal Young’s Stonecreek Onyx whom she brought to Reclamation Ranch, a riding center with a broad spectrum of services from therapeutic riding to coaching to riding lessons. 

At the moment, the largest herd of Fell Ponies in the state is at Dakota Fells, owned by Lori Welbig and Rick Kruthoff.  Lori and Rick graciously welcomed my friend Linda and me to their home and herd.  We split our time between talking over breed characteristics and pedigrees and wandering amongst the ponies.  I very much appreciated Lori and Rick’s sincere interest in the breed and their many good questions, as well as their desire to put their ponies to traditional uses such as packing. 

Lori Welbig and Alison Emslie-Smith’s stallion Hardendale Henry

Lori and Rick also deserve credit in their breeding program.  They have been working with Alison Emslie-Smith of Garrighyll Fell Ponies in Minnesota to bring many of Alison’s imported ponies back into the North American breeding population, further diversifying the bloodlines here.  Rick and Lori have been standing Alison’s stallion Hardendale Henry, and have foals coming next year from some of Alison’s mares.

I have not had another Fell Pony breeder in such close proximity before, so I look forward to staying in touch and watching the evolution of the Fell Pony breed in South Dakota.

© Jenifer Morrissey, 2019