Entries close 31 January 2026: Open to mares 5 years old or over that have had at least one foal and run out for 11 of the last 12 months. There is also a section for maiden mares aged 5-8 years who are known to the Agister to have been de-pastured constantly for three years.
Judges: Nicky Stevens, Heidi Whetren & Luke Blomfield.
“Winter in the New Forest might look bleak to us, but for the ponies it’s just another season they are beautifully adapted to. Bred for hardiness over generations, New Forest ponies know exactly how to cope when the weather turns cold and wet. Their dense winter coats thicken up to keep out wind and rain, and they instinctively seek shelter in the best spots…tucking themselves behind and within gorse bushes, among the trees, and in the dips of the land where the worst of the weather can’t reach them.” Sally Marsh
