Maria Deacon – Leafycroft Stud
The Society is deeply saddened to share that Maria Deacon has passed away.
Maria joined the Society in 1981, breeding Welsh Section A’s and Section C’s under the Leafycroft prefix. Her daughter Lizzie has written a short piece about Maria.
‘Maria was an extraordinary woman and her passion for equines started when she was young. She rode numerous horses, competing showing, show jumping and even enjoyed the odd days’ hunting.
Maria was married to Peter Deacon for a number of years, they had two children, Christopher and Elizabeth. Together, they conquered the showing circuit, breeding and showing Welsh Mountain ponies and Welsh Ponies of Cob type, to a high standard winning at the Royal Welsh show even when their children were still small and for many years since.
One of Maria’s favourite times was when she judged at Glanusk Stallion Show, the number of section A yearling filly’s forward was remarkable! Maria always liked a small, square pony with little ears, big eyes, high tail sets, hairy legs and clean fronts.
Over the years she had her favourites, to name a few, Bartletts Eliot, Saltmarsh Maryllis, Trefaes Grey Mist and Thorneyside Fury.
Maria was a keen advocate of laughter – she was always bubbly and bright and what a fighter – to have beaten cancer for so long, it says everything about her spirit. Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the young age of 38, after months of treatment she got the ‘all- clear’. Unfortunately, Maria was then diagnosed with secondary bone cancer 8 years ago. It never stopped her doing what she wanted in the early diagnosed years, but as time went on, she had to take a back seat and let Lizzie take the reins. The Lorry driving, foal keeping discussions, breed preferences were shared but all the way she was in charge of all the halters and tack for every show!
Recently she extended the Leafycroft ponies’ prefix to add her granddaughter Eva Deacon, so Leafycroft will continue in her name through her family with all the knowledge passed on from Maria.’
Maria’s funeral to which all are welcome, will take place on the 20th of November at 2.45pm, at Chichester crematorium. The family’s dress code request as Maria’s wishes is no black, but bright colours with a splash of Orange. No flowers but if people would like to donate an affordable gift to the Macmillan Fernhurst Centre it would be most appreciated.