Nestling among the hills near the village of Prengwyn, and in the heart of Cardiganshire Cob country, between Lampeter and New Castle Emlyn lies Pantydefaid Farm, home of the Menai Stud. The Stud was founded by my great grandfather John Jones and my  grandfather the late William Jones at the turn of the century, with registrations in the first few volumes of the Welsh Pony and Cob Society Stud Books.

The famous Welsh Mountain Pony stallion Bleddfa Shooting Star was used to cover Clettwr Polly in 1913, the resulting progeny being Menai Queen Bess born in 1914. Queen Bess was mated with the small cob stallion Welsh Rebound producing Menai Queen Bee in 1937. This outstanding mare was not only a prolific show winner in her time but was indispensable for the best part of her life as a means of transport for my grandfather. It is difficult for anybody these days to imagine how this sturdy Section C mare could carry a six foot man weighing two hundred and fifty pounds all day. In fact it was on Queen Bee that I learnt to ride at a very early age. From what I have been told, my grandfather insisted on taking me round the farm with him on Queen Bee long before I could walk. Little did anyone think at the time of the influence this great mare would have on the Ponies of Cob Type and also on the Welsh Cob. Queen Bee no doubt would have had a much greater influence had she been bred from at an earlier age. It was only late in her life that my grandfather agreed to give up riding and allow his favorite mare to be bred from. Put to Caradog Llwyd, who incidentally I had the privilege of showing for his last appearance at the Royal Welsh some fifteen years later, she produced first of all the bay stallion Menai Ceredig who was purchased by the Llanarth Stud where he sired among others such stallions as Llanarth Rhys and the spectacular Llanarth Meteor. Her second mating with Caradog Llwyd produced the dun mare Menai Ceridwen who produced so many good ponies for us including Menai Carys by the seven times Royal Welsh Champion Teify Brightlight. We have one of her daughters and numerous descendants at the Stud. Ceridwen's son Menai Fury was one of the first ponies, and probably the best, that I have had the privilege of showing. One of the great goers of all times Fury was a real crowd pleaser despite being second at the Royal Welsh no fewer than five times, before eventually winning the stallion class. He is probably the most famous and certainly the most influential Section C stallion of all times, siring more Royal Welsh winners than any other stallion, and whose stamp he has left on the Section C's for generations. In fact it is very difficult to find a good Section C without Fury's blood in its veins. His two sons, the brothers Menai Bonheddwr who runs out with his mares at Menai, and the inimitable Menai Furious are carrying on the lineage at the stud. Furious' feats under saddle in the capable hands of Kate Girdler are worthy of mention being Supreme Champion of both Section C's and D's at the Royal Welsh Show for the second year in succession in 1994. He was Reserve Supreme Champion against all breeds at the Ponies U.K. Championship Show having qualified for this prestigious show no fewer than eleven times. Furious in 1994 alone won 10 Championships, 5 Reserve Championships, 23 first prizes and in the Welsh Pony and Cob Society Points awards Furious was Champion Section C stallion, Champion Ridden Mountain and Moorland, Champion overall stallion of all Sections and Champion owner bred. Through Furious' efforts Menai Fury once again, so many years after his death was performance sire of the year for 1994. Not to be outdone by his illustrious brother, Menai Bonheddwr, though used almost exclusively on Menai mares produces a superb crop of foals season after season. His outstanding son Menai Lord Charles, virtually unbeaten as a two year old winning eleven first prizes at twelve shows including the Royal and Royal Welsh and with several youngstock Championships to his credit. He started his career under saddle with several wins in 1999 in the hands of Jo Bond.  No doubt that one day he will take over the stud duties from his ageing father. His daughter Menai Lady Conspicuous crowned a successful showing career both in youngstock classes and as a young mare when she was judged female Champion and reserve overall supreme Champion at the 1999 Royal Welsh Show.

It was a tragic loss to the Stud as well as to the breed to lose the twice Lampeter Stallion Show Welsh Cob Champion Menai Sparkling Comet at such an early age. Comet was out of a remarkable mare Menai Lady Corona a daughter of Trefaes Spark, who left his mark here at Menai, and by Tyhen Comet the stallion that my father the late Willie Jones judged Supreme Champion at the 1969 Royal Welsh Show. My father was the last person to judge both the Cobs and the Ponies of Cob Type at the Royal Welsh on the same day. Sparkling Comet's rare ability to stamp his stock would have had a much greater influence on the breed had he lived a little longer. However there are four of his daughters at the Stud, and two of his half sisters out of the same mare. These are Menai Sparkling Lady and Menai Sparkling Duchess, both by the Prince of Wales Cup winner Nebo Daniel to carry on the work. Sparkling Lady is unique in having won her class at the Royal Welsh as a yearling, two and three year old. Her first foal Menai Sparkling Magic winning his class at the Royal Welsh before being exported to Germany where not only has he been National Champion in Germany on several occasions but was Champion Welsh Cob at the International Show in Denmark in 1992 and in Sweden in 1998. Menai Flying Lady is Sparkling Lady's first daughter; she is by the Royal Welsh Champion Thorneyside Flyer. This young mare is now in the proud ownership and capable hands of Trish Hardy of Ontario Canada where she is excelling in dressage against all breeds. At present there are some 20 Welsh Cob brood mares at Menai, mostly direct descendants of Menai Queen Bee. Our present senior stallion is the inimitable Menai Sparkling Image the eight year old son of Menai Sparkling Comet. Rarely shown due to Stud commitments, he is becoming much in demand on account of his exceptional stock.

Much of the credit for putting the Stud on such sound footing must go to my father whose obvious passion for the Welsh Mountain Pony was unfailing, he was responsible for re-introducing the Section A's to the Stud with a few select mares some thirty five years ago. Since that day fresh bloodlines have been introduced to the stud by purchasing stallions and colts, some of which became very influential sires. Worthy of mention was the outstanding show stallion Gredington Asa. This spectacular moving son of Coed Coch Planed won Championships at all the major shows. Another stallion that left his mark on the stud was Twyford Santa, the bay son of Twyford Gurkha. Santa was sold on to Australia where he became the leading sire in that country for many years. Twyford Marchog left us some superb brood mares before he was also exported to Australia. Having seen the influence of Friars Ranger on my father in law’s Friars ponies, I was very fortunate in being able to bring him back from Denmark for the latter part of his life, he sired what I consider to be outstanding brood mares . There are now no fewer than thirty Section A brood mares and six stallions at the Stud. Sadly no longer with us is Champion of Champions Revel Japhet who retired from the show ring as Supreme Champion of all breeds at the Royal Welsh Show and whose influence through his outstanding daughters will not go unrecognized neither will the contribution of Menai Smartie, Friars Sion, Friars Sianco, Bengad Whitebeam, and the young stallion Friars Generous who’s colt foal broke the record for being the highest price colt sold at public auction at our 1996 reduction Sale.

Twenty five years ago in order to further the interest in Welsh Ponies and Cobs on the Continent, and to enable overseas clients to purchase animals in Wales with confidence, I started a new business of providing an Export Service for overseas clients called P.J. Exports. From modest beginnings P.J. Exports has exported hundreds of Welsh Ponies and Cobs all over the world. November 14th 1994 saw the biggest shipment of Welsh Ponies and Cobs to have crossed the Atlantic for 35 years, and the biggest shipment ever by air when no fewer than 32 Ponies and Cobs from all Sections arrived safely at Toronto for distribution through North America, of these 15 were Menai bred. Since then we have been responsible for the safe shipment of over 300 horses and ponies of all breeds including bloodstock to Canada and North America.

The 14th September 1996 will go down as a significant landmark in the history of the Stud. A major portion of the Stud came on offer without reserve. Two records were broken when the outstanding son of Menai Sparkling Magic, H-S Martino was sold to the Larsen family in Denmark for 15000 gns. and the outstanding son of Menai Marina and Friars Generous, Menai Mountbatten was sold to the Rookery stud of Mrs Robina Mills for 3000gns. In total some 90 ponies and cobs found new homes in five different countries.

We will endeavor to continue breeding ponies and cobs in all Sections that are of true Welsh type and character, and with the confirmation and straight movement to excel in any sphere. As we enter the new millennium we can look back with pride at 86 years of continuous breeding with the same female line, bred by three generations of the Jones family here at Pantydefaid. With such depth of breeding we have laid the foundations for other studs to build on. We wish our many clients from all over the world success and happiness with the ponies and cobs that we have bred.