National Show Pony

National Show Ponies … If A Little More Pony is What You Are Looking For!

The newest small equine recognized by the American Shetland Pony Club is the National Show Pony.   ASPC established the National Show Pony Registry in 2003 to allow small equine fanciers a chance to use their Shetlands or Miniatures to breed hardy sport-type ponies.  Although the original goals for NSPR often centered on creating sporty riding ponies, today’s small NSPR contingent is another versatile small equine option.

National Show Ponies (NSPR) are required to have one purebred Shetland or Miniature parent while the other can be ANY breed or cross. That means one parent has to be a registered and DNA’d American Shetland Pony or American Miniature Horse.

NSPR animals can measure up to a full 14.2 hands at the wither. National Show Ponies are often used under saddle in hunter or western classes including hunter hack and jumping classes at the Congress. The National Show Pony division allows youth and small adults to enjoy riding a pony with Shetland attributes longer than they can with a traditional American Shetland.

More recently, NSPR driving has been integrated into Shetland Pony shows. National Show Ponies are often used in carriage performance classes, CDE competitions and ADT trials.

For those already involved in the ASPC and AMHR, the NSPR provides the only registry where a cross between a Shetland-only and Miniature-only animal is recognized.