SPORTS PONY STUDBOOK SOCIETY

  A DEFRA approved Passport Issuing Organisation

Studbook Office: The Last House, Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Bedfordshire MK44 2JJ

Tel: 07703 566066    Email: 

Normal office hours - Monday to Friday 10.30 am to 4 pm

Colour:

Palomino

Breeding:

Westphalian

Sire: Till the Champ

Dam: Kaprice

Damsire: Kirby Cane Bugler

Top Yellow was an International Dressage pony and Westphalian Licensing Champion who was bred by the notable German dressage trainer Johann Hinnemann. Yellow began his FEI pony dressage career for Belgium with Delphine Meiresonne and was also ridden by an Austrian pony rider before he was brought to the UK.   In the UK, he initially acted as a schoolmaster for various pony riders, including Lucie Manna and  Kerry Grant, until he moved to the Wood Family Stud in Yorkshire where, after initially being competed by daughter, Sam Wood, he then focussed on his stud duties and his first UK born progeny date from this time.  Most recently, Top Yellow has been with the Jolleys family and recommenced his ridden career to combine schoolmaster duties with Ellie Jolleys and a successful stud career with his progeny gaining good results in the BEF Futurity Evaluations.  

His final owners, the Jolleys family, wrote this moving tribute:

"It is with the deepest sadness that I am informing you, on behalf of our daughter Ellie of the passing away of the most beautiful pony who ever lived - Top Yellow.  To describe him thus is not an exaggeration or meant in any way to offend or diminish any other pony.  Those of you who have "owned" him (the word "own" seems completely inadequate and inappropriate for an animal of his stature, grace and beauty), or have even just seen him once understand that he had a quality that set him apart.  It is impossible to have seen him once and not be touched by his beauty.  His previous owner, Mrs Yvonne Wood, summed him up perfectly when she said "Yellow was too good for this world".  His vulnerability, his friendly, sensitive and gentle nature meant that every precious moment spent with him was special.  He and Ellie understood each other from the moment they met and life without him is almost unbearable.  He loved being ridden and enjoyed sharing his magic with us.  Yellow died instantly and did not suffer. He is now at peace, resting in his field next to the bluebell wood.  For those of you who knew him but have not seen him for a long time there is a short video of him on YouTube which I think reflects him as he will always remain in all our hearts."

With Eliie Jolleys

Sire:  Till the Champ was Vice Bundeschampion in Vechta in 1987. His sire, Rosedale Tiberius, was a part-bred Welsh, British Riding Pony whose sire, Tanlan Julius Caesar, was a son of the influential Welsh pony, Downland Chevalier.  Rosedale Tiberius sired both Riding and Jumping Pony Bundeschampions

Dam:  Kaprice was a State Premium Mare who, as a 3 year old, ridden by Bettina Hinnemann, was Bundeschampion in 1990. Kaprice is also the dam of numerous other highly successful offspring including the 1999 30-Day Stallion Test Reserve Champion, De Vito (by Dressman I and again bred by Johann Hinnemann), who later represented GB at the Pony European Championships and the successful stallion Donnerwetter (by Dancer and dam sire of SPSS Graded Stallion LE Chiffre).  Kaprice's dam, Gescha was 3/4 Arab, 1/4 Haflinger.

Damsire: 

Kirby Cane Bugler was a British-bred, palomino Welsh Section B. Selected Section Bs were often used when the Germans were developing their Sports Pony breeds.

With Ellie Jolleys in 2010

Photo by kind permission of Ken Etteridge

Trained by his breeder, the famous German dressage trainer, Johann Hinnemann, and his daughter Betinna and ridden by Eva Nolden, Top Yellow won the 1996 German Bundeschampionate (Championships) for Young Pony Stallions.  The next year, now 4 years old and ridden by Betinna Hinnemann, he won again. 

In November 1997, Top Yellow was Champion of the Westphalian Pony Stallion 30 day Stallion Test, with the highest score they had ever awarded to a pony stallion.  Top Yellow was then sold to Delphine Meiresonne who rode him to become the Guelders Champion at L1 level in Holland in 1998.  Competing with Delphine, Yellow received a 9 for his walk numerous times.

In 1999, Top Yellow started his FEI career and, ridden by Delphine, quickly started scoring in excess of 65% including competing internationally for Belgium and winning the Consolation test at CDI-P Hagen.  Since then, Top Yellow was been ridden by a number of young pony riders, first in Austria, then in the UK.

Having had a few years solely at stud, Top Yellow and his last owner, Ellie Jolleys brought him back into work and started competed him again, focussing on BYRDS events and working towards the FEI tests again.  Yellow and Ellie represented their region at the BRYDS Inter-Regional Competition in May 2011.

His offspring have Yellow's friendly nature and calm temperament as well as his amazing paces, soundness, strength and beauty.

He is the sire of the 2010  Mare Grading Reserve Champion, Bathleyhills Marranello (pictured below), bred by Penny Walster out of the Dutch mare Marieke.

To date, all his progeny presented at the BEF Futurity Evaluations have achieved First Premiums and his 2010 fill foal, Bernwode Top Model achieved a High First premium in Dressage.

Progeny:

Bathleyhills Marranello

Bay Filly.  Dam: Marieke. Born 8th June 2008. Reserve Champion at 2010 SPSS Mare Grading. Pictured as foal and 2 year old.

Photo by kind permission of Michael Garton

Photo by kind permission of Julia Shearwood Photography

WFS Top Star

WFS Cinderellow

Bay Filly.  Dam: Banner AP by Laban.  Born 3 Jun 2009. Breeder:  Wood Family Stud

WFS Top Dancer

Chestnut Colt.  Dam: Starletta AP.  Born 23 May 2009.  Breeder:  Wood Family Stud

D.P.U.K. Top Gold

Dun colt. Dam:  Dunnit Again (Connemara x Thoroughbred mare).  Born 2009. Pictured as foal and yearling.

Bernwode Top Model

Palomino Filly. Dam: Bernwode Dorina (Weser Ems by Viktoria's Chirac). Born 11 June 2010. Breeder: Bernwode Stud. Pictured 4 days old.

"Wilfred"

Palomino Colt. Dam: Blaircourt Touchwood. Born 26 May 2010. Breeder: Bathleyhills Stud

Palomino filly

Dam: Bernwode Poppy Red (Pilgrims's Red x Viktoria's Chirac).  Born:  11 May 2014. Breeder: Delaroche Stud & Bernwode Stud

The Sports Pony Studbook Society

Studbook Office:   The Last House, Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Bedfordshire MK44 2JJ

Tel: 07703 566066    Email: 

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Registered Office: The Stables, Higher Farm, Limington, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8EG