One of our dearest and most treasured friends Rod Newbolt-Young, who was the original Company Secretary and helped establish the DPHT in 2004, sadly died on Christmas Eve. Although we knew he had been ill, it was still a shock to us all.

Rod was a wonderful character, those who knew him well will have wondered how he had managed to live so long. He was well known for dramatic escapades, jumping out of planes or off rooves and very nearly drowning in the Fastnet Race. Only Rod could put a ladder inside a wheelie bin and not expect it to, well you can imagine what happened! He was an unforgettable man, whom we are now mourning.

Rod’s wife, the world-famous breeder of pedigree Dartmoor Ponies Elizabeth Newbolt-Young had the vision to see that the unregistered Dartmoor pony herds were severely under threat back in the year 2000. This was when you could buy a Dartmoor foal for as little as a £1. Her passion, drive and dedication helped create the DPHT in 2005. Elizabeth was a Trustee for many years and is still an active member providing us with sound advice. The DPHT works tirelessly to support its Pony keepers to secure the future of the Dartmoor Pony on Dartmoor.

We have asked Elizabeth to be President of the DPHT. We are delighted that she has agreed to our request. To celebrate this position and our charity moving forward in the aftermath of Covid. We will be working with her to record her memories and will be sharing these with you later this year.