The Society is sad to share the sad passing of Margaret Coral North, of the Flashley Stud from Doncaster.

Coral joined the Society as a life member in 1972 with the purchase of her first Welsh pony, registering the Flashley prefix the same year. Among the early purchases to the stud were the mares Ready Token Rhapsody, Gredington Nola and the stallion Revel Tornado. Tornado was purchased from Lt. Col. Sir Harry Llewellyn of the Foxhunter Stud which would be the basis for their friendship with Sir Harry for many more years. The cross between Gredington Nola and Tornado resulted in two successful homebred ponies. Flashley Elise born in 1978, and the cross in 1980 would result in the stud’s own great stockgetter; Flashley Hywel. Hywel was third at the Royal Welsh as a foal, and had a good career as a stallion. Nola also had a good show record, taking second place at the Royal Welsh and winning at many of the local and county shows. A great achievement for a small stud from Yorkshire in the 1970’s and 80’s.

Coral was a founder member of the NCPA Yorkshire Group and organised a stallion parade and premium show at the Doncaster Racecourse on behalf of the Group. She also held dinner dances at the Green Dragon Hotel in Hereford during the weekend of the Fayre Oaks sales to raise money to hold best two-year-old classes in all sections at the Royal Welsh show.

Coral was a proud member of the Society, and supported it wherever possible, including donating to the fund for the WPCS Pavilion on the Royal Welsh showground and was proud of having the stud’s name on the chairs and Member’s board which hangs in the pavilion.

More recently, Coral attended the shows and sales as a spectator, and enjoyed watching her ponies being shown by others, including seeing their ponies in the best hands with Colin Tibbey and Jan Harriss. The Flashley stud will live on with Coral’s daughter, Angela, who has always been involved with the ponies and taken on the day to day running of the stud, continuing to breed and see that the ponies are shown and reach their full potential. Coral was very proud to see granddaughter Isobel taking up showing after she had recently taken a keen interest in the family tradition of Welsh ponies.