A COUNTY Durham stud, thwarted by the lack of shows in its home area, brought back trophies from West Yorkshire at the weekend.

Mrs Christine Duke and her husband Chris of the Green Barrow Pony Stud at Staindrop travelled to the Red Rose county show at Birchinley Manor, Rochdale on Saturday.

Their two-year-old riding pony colt, Green Barrow Mr Smee, was champion part-bred Welsh and champion in the riding pony breeding classes.

By Rotherwood Peter Pan out of their home-bred mare Green Barrow Midnight Air, Mr Smee was a consistent winner in yearling classes in 2000 and has started this year in the same vein.

The stud was founded over 20 years ago with Welsh Section B ponies shown successfully on the North of England circuit. The most outstanding brood mare was Waitwith Gemini, by Brockwell Chipmunk, which won many firsts and championships including four Welsh medals.

Her offspring are now competing successfully in Mountain and Moorland classes, dressage and show jumping.

Mrs Duke said: "The riding pony breeding side of the stud started when we bought Fladbury Geisha Girl from the late Mr Arthur Smith of the Wharf Stud. Geisha produced some lovely ponies for us, three of which are still in the stud."

They are Mr Smee's dam, by Yealand Nemesis; Green Barrow Gladness, by Kilvington Scoundrel, their future show brood mare; and Green Barrow Swallow by Small Land Maytino. Sadly they lost both Geisha Girl and Waitwith Gemini in 1998.

"But we still maintain an interest in Welsh Section B ponies with a filly we purchased from Sue Easton of the Gigman Stud in South Wales, Gigman Sandy Pipit by Boston Ballet Wot Not," said Mrs Duke.