The Shetland Performance Display (SPD) Team has made a generous donation of £1,000 to Dorset County Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
The team raised the money by performing at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show and the Dorset County Show in 2023. The team chose to support Dorset County Hospital’s SCBU this year because sisters Delanie and Monroe White, from the Portman Hunt Pony Club, were both looked after by the unit when they were born, along with their brother, Royston. Delanie and Monroe now both perform as part of the SPD team and wanted to do something to say thank you to the hospital for the care they received.
The SPD team is a group of registered Shetland ponies which put on display races, relays and other performances predominantly around the South West of England. They are dedicated to promoting and supporting the registered Shetland Pony, one of Great Britain’s indigenous Mountain and Moorland breeds, as a performance pony. The versatility of the breed means ponies can regularly been seen competing and having fun in all disciplines at a wide variety of events. This also provides opportunities for children who would not usually have the chance to ride Shetlands to take part in the shows, and to raise money for the group’s chosen charities.
The team wish to thank the organisers of the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show and the Dorset County Show who invited them to take part and made these donations possible. 100% of the money the team makes from performing at the shows is donated towards the selected local charity.
The team are always looking for new members and are happy for prospective riders to get in touch. Riders must be over eight years of age and ride and jump to a high standard – Shetlands may be small but they’re certainly fast!
To find out more about the SPD team visit www.shetlandperformance.co.uk/award-schemes
SPD Team cheque presentation at Dorset County Show 2024
Monroe, Delanie and Royston meeting SCBU staff at Dorset County Hospital