Dougal Dick receives the recognition Award from The Scottish Equestrian Association
Dougal Dick has been involved with the Shetland Pony breed since his childhood and has always taken a keen interest in the wider equine world, particularly the native Mountain and Moorland pony breeds, where his contribution was recognised by the National Pony
Society when he was elected as their President.
It is through his Transy Stud of Shetland Ponies that Dougal is best known. The Stud was
founded by his grandfather, Mr William Mungall, in 1896 at Transy in Fife and continued
through his father and mother, Mr and Mrs William Dick, to Dougal thus making it the
oldest established Stud in the world and spanning three centuries. It was founded on the
best of bloodlines with ponies purchased at the dispersal of the Marquis of Londonderry's
famous Stud at Seaham Harbour in County Durham. Over the years many ponies have
been bred and since 1954 there have been 527 foals registered with the Shetland Pony Stud
- Book Society - an average of about 10 each year. The Stud currently numbers around 60
ponies and over the years ponies have been sold to establish Studs throughout the United
Kingdom, Europe, North and South America. The Stud has had a particular influence on
the breed in Holland where most of the best ponies have Transy blood in their pedigrees.
Apart from winning championships at major shows throughout the United Kingdom, the
Stud has regularly competed at the biennial International Show of Shetland Ponies and in
Norway in 2002 and again in Sweden in 2006 won the supreme championship. Dougal has always given freely of his time, knowledge and experience to promote the breed
and encouraged their use as riding and driving ponies. He has served as a council member
of the Shetland Pony Stud - Book Society for many years and has also been President
following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather. He has judged at most of the major shows in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe and as far afield as Australia.
 

Picture courtesy of Scottish Farmer

 Dougal is a modest person and is not known for self promotion. However, when he
published his book on the Transy Stud in 1996, the sub - title stated "The First 100 Years".
Not a boast but a fact that few, if any, other Studs can claim. It gives Dougal great satisfaction that both his daughters, Carolyn and Sarah, are now partners in the Stud and with his four grandchildren also taking an interest in the ponies it looks certain that the Stud's continuing future is secure.
J S. Strang