SHAGGY-HAIRED Dales pony Bolam Molly is starting a new life in sunny California.

The two year old pony, from a prize-winning County Durham herd, has been airlifted to the West Coast of the US after an American breeder took a fancy to the hardy North-East breed.

The Dales pony, which is bred as a rugged farm workhorse used to high winds and cold weather, will have to get used to warmer climes.

Owner, Keith Metcalf, who has farmed at Blue House Farm, Bolam, near Darlington, for 39 years, was approached by Californian breeder Anna Hill after she visited one of the region's regular foal shows, at Barnard Castle, in November.

"She asked about one of our foals," said Mr Metcalf, whose herd has won many prizes in shows all over the North-East and North Yorkshire.

"I wouldn't sell her that one but I told her we could let her have a two-year-old."

Mr Metcalf's pony, which goes by the show name of Bolam Molly, is one of four Dales ponies to be purchased by Mrs Hill.

She has also bought three foals from the herds of County Durham breeders Norma Thompson and Tommy Sharp to introduce in the US.

Molly was driven down to Kent in a horsebox and taken across to Holland before flying out to Los Angeles from Amsterdam.

Mr Metcalf said: "Molly had to be blood tested before she could be taken out of the country. She will have to be in quarantine for three weeks once she gets over there."

He is not surprised that the Americans are showing an interest in a long-established and attractive English breed.

"Dales ponies, which are native to this part of the world, are really small carthorses, they were bred to work on farms," said Mr Metcalf, who is on the Dales Pony Society Council.

"They used to pull carts and help herd sheep. Shepherds used to ride on them as well," the farmer added.

Mr Metcalf said he will miss Molly but there are plenty of other ponies left behind, including Molly's 'grandmother', Bolam Lady Diana, who was born the year of the royal wedding and went on to win lots of prizes.