ASGARD WELSH STUD

            Asgard Welsh Stud is one of the oldest active Welsh breeding farms in Wisconsin.  Located among the beautiful rolling hills of southeastern Wisconsin, Asgard stud and its famous herd of Welsh is a family enterprise owned and managed by sisters, Valerie, Maureen, and Deborah Lapicola, all Life Members of the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America.  They also founded Welsh of Wisconsin (WOW) 20 years ago to encourage the promotion and enjoyment of Welsh.  Maureen and Valerie breed both Sections A and B, while Deborah channels her energies into the Mountain Pony exclusively.  Each maintains her own herd of breeding stock, although Valerie and Maureen own some Welsh in partnership.
            We began our farm with the Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A), Grasanjo Melody, our first Welsh and now a beloved and retired matron (aged 33 in 1993).  Her daughter, Asgard Lovely Thomasina is with us also.
            We had a very definite idea of what we were aiming for even in those early days, and have maintained that ideal over the intervening years.  Our goal is to breed Welsh that fit the breed standard, have excellent conformation and are athletic.  We insist on a proper balance between these three aspects, however, breed type is always paramount.  We found our ideal Mt. Pony mare in the beautiful LaFayette’s Sandy (Heatherstone Tarnish x Indiana Criban Darlene).  Sandy, now deceased, is the female foundation of Asgard Stud’s Mt. Pony program.  In her show career Sandy was winner at Calgary, Canada, Grand Champion at the Tulsa State Fair, Supreme Champion, Broodmare Champion, etc., of WOW, Grand Champion of the Louisiana State Fair, and won extensively under saddle and in harness-including all Welsh Pleasure Driving Championships at the Eastern National Welsh show in Herndon, VA.  Rarely is such a combination of beauty, brains, and versatility found in one animal; and she possessed the kindest temperament.  For many years her produce won every Sec A Produce Class offered by WOW.  Now her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are dominating this class.
            At about the same time, we purchased our foundation Sec A stallion, Fairview’s Thos. L. Thomas (Criban Elect x Carolina Moon), foaled in 1955, black, 11:3 hands, now deceased.  Tommy was a great winner in performance and was named Midwest Roadster Champion in 1964.  I felt very certain that this handsome and kindly pony would cross well with LaFayette’s Sandy.
            Asgard Arwen Evenstar, foaled in 1969, (Fairview’s Thos. L. Thomas x LaFayette’s Sandy), has been the bedrock of our Mt. Pony program.  She produced five foals by Meadowlawn Squire, foaled 1969, (Dacotah Glomadh’s Pledge x Grasanjo Big Snow).  We purchased Squire in 1974 to cross on the Tommy daughters and that was one of the best decisions we every reached.  We retained and bred from three of Arwen’s foals:  Asgard Rhiannon Prydferth, foaled 1977, and many times National and Supreme Champion of the breed in hand and performance; Asgard Brilliant Morningstar, foaled 1979 and also a multiple National and Supreme Champion; and Asgard Heulwen, foaled 1985, and a National and Supreme Champion.  In 1981, we leased Lindrith Mike (*Bolgoed Squire x *Clan Dilys) and Rhiannon and Mike’s foal of 1982 was Asgard Song of Rhiannon.  Song has also won a good number of halter championships, in addition to being a superior producer.  We crossed her back to Squire and she produced three foals, all winners:  Asgard Sprightly Squire, colt foal of 1988; Asgard Sultan of Swing, colt foal of 1989 and Asgard Delwen Evensong, filly foal of 1991.
            More recently Arwen’s full sister, Asgard Golden Sand, has entered the broodmare band and is showing great promise.  Golden Sand, a filly of 1980, has produced, to Squire’s cover:  Asgard Bronze Sand, unshown filly of 1989 and Asgard Gold Sand, winning foal of 1991.
            Sandy’s off-spring account for over 200 first prizes and championships as well as numerous WPCSA National High Score awards and AHSA Zone VI awards.  Arwen and Sandy both died too soon and we have never completely recovered from the loss of these two brilliant producers and great friends.
            We moved to the next stage in our Mt. Pony programs with the lease, for two breeding seasons, of the outstanding sire, *Twyford Dollar Money.  Dollar (Twyford Gurkha x Clan Da by Clan Tony) has been a winter at the Royal Winter Fair, American National Welsh Show in Syracuse and the Great Lakes Welsh Event.  We decided to cross him with our outstanding mares.  We felt that Dollar would be an excellent next step in our program because of the many Clan ponies in his pedigree, thus emphasizing the Clan blood in Squire through Squire’s grandsire, *Clan Glomadh. 
            Asgard Rhiannon Prydferth has produced, Asgard Pryderi, 1992 colt, unshown, and Asgard Rhion, 1993 colt, unshown.  Asgard Heulwen has produced the 1992 colt Asgard Helios, and the 1993 unshown colt Asgard Pelydryn.  Asgard Brilliant Morning Star has produced the 1992 filly Asgard Super Star, winner of numerous firsts and championships, and the unshown 1993 colt Asgard Star Trek.  Asgard Song of Rhiannon produced the 1992 unshown filly, Asgard Lovesong, and the 1993 unshown colt, Asgard Silver Dollar.  Asgard Golden Sand has produced the 1992 filly and winner Asgard Sand Dollar and the unshown 1993 colt, Asgard Sand Script.  Because we were so convinced of the importance of Dollar in our program, I bought back in 1992 the delightful mare, Asgard Lafant, foaled in 1978 (Meadowlawn Squire x Heatherstone Lafant by Craven Dandy x Dyrin Bluebell).  She produced an outstanding colt foal in 1993.  All of these foals are by *Twyford Dollar Money.
            The Section B program at Asgard began with the acquisition of Westrums Bay Beauty (Glannant Tango x Westrums Laraina by Grasanjo Dandy) in 1976.  She was an unproven three year old, and has proven to be an outstanding producer.  She has produced size with quality and breed type and has been Supreme Champion of the breed many times over (as have her off-spring).  A partial listing of her foals includes Asgard Arian Telyn, Asgard Queen of Hearts, and Asgard Greylight, all winners, all fillies, and all by Meadowlawn Squire; Asgard Llandovery and Asgard Britannia, both winners and both by Farnley Carillon.  We have retained several of these mares.
            Shenandoah Lamplight (Farnley Lustre x Shenandoah Candlelight) a dun, was foaled in 1972.  Lamplight is the second B foundation mare at Asgard.  She produced 4 outstanding mares for me (all sired by Farnley Carillon) and we have retained three; Asgard Firelight, filly of 1980 and National and Supreme champion; Asgard Columbia, champion filly of 1981; and Asgard Lovelight, filly of 1985 and a winner.
            While we have found Squire to be a wonderful sire of both Sections A and B, we needed a B stallion for our program.  We found that pony in 1977 when we purchased Farnley Carillon.  Carillon, a foal of 1970 (*Downland Drummer Boy x Farnley Belladonna) is an outstanding athlete with a very kind disposition.  His offspring have proven to be the same.
            In 1984 I decided I must have a Section B stallion for Carillon’s daughters.  I was very impressed with the stock I had seen at the Rosedale Stud in Wales in 1981, and found that 1983 had given them exactly the young stallion I felt that I wanted, so *Rosedale Fairy Prince, bay 13 hands, was imported in 1984.  Prince’s sire, Rosedale Mohican (Downland Mohawk x Downland Flair by Downland Chevalier) has proven to be an outstanding sire as well as a great show winner, including two victories at the Royal Welsh as well as being a Lloyd’s Bank qualifier.  Prince’s grandsire, Downland Mohawk, is acknowledged as one of a handful of the most influential Sec B sires of recent memory.  Prince’s dam, Rosedale Fairyland is an outstanding producer.  I have emphasized Downland blood that Farnley Carillon brought to my herd through his sire *Downland Drummer Boy.  Both Prince and Carillon share several common ancestors, such as Downland Serchog and Downland Dragonfly.
            Carillon’s daughter, Asgard Firelight has produced two foals by *Rosedale Fairy Prince:  Asgard Resolute, National and Supreme Champion and sire of the 1993 Junior Champion B Colt at the Tulsa State Fair as well as Supreme Champion at the Great Lakes Welsh Event; and Asgard Valor, unshown B filly.  Asgard Columbia has produced one foal (by *Rosedale Fairy Prince), Asgard Peru, who is a young, outstanding sire in British Columbia.  Asgard Lovelight is in foal to Prince for 1994. 
            I view the Sec B as the quintessential riding pony.  Our aim has always been to produce Sec B in the 13 to 13:2 hand range that have Welsh type, substance, riding characteristics and quality.  In 1991 I purchased the Carolina’s Moccasin daughter, *Erimus Holly Blue and hope that she will prove to be another wise purchase in building our B program.  Holly is carrying a 1994 foal by Prince.
            Our goals have changed very little over the past quarter century.  I think we have achieved the goals we set long years ago in our pursuit of that illusive “perfect pony”.  In the final analysis, the ponies must always speak for themselves.  We wanted to raise Welsh that possessed a full measure of breed type, athletic ability, quality and disposition.  The thrill of sending great animals out to start new breeding programs or enliven a child’s life has never diminished, nor has our commitment to the breed

                                                                                                Valerie Lapicola, Oct 1993