OUR MISSION
The mission of the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center (formerly known as Villi Poni Farm) is to provide safe haven for critically endangered Newfoundland Ponies, to save the breed through careful breeding, and to educate the public to the plight of these creatures.
Our concentration is on education, community outreach, breed preservation, mentoring.
Our efforts are all volunteer, and dependent on donations and grants from the general public.
While our mission includes breeding, we have never sold ponies. We are also not a registry.
Our concentration is on education, community outreach, breed preservation, mentoring.
Our efforts are all volunteer, and dependent on donations and grants from the general public.
While our mission includes breeding, we have never sold ponies. We are also not a registry.
To meet a Newfoundland pony is to know a Newfoundland pony as unique, and not because they are very rare. They capture your heart instantly. Their individual personalities and genuine interest shine through as they welcome you into their world without question. This comes natural, and this is what people need to see, to learn to understand our mission.
About us and what makes us different
The Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center is a registered 501(c)(3) non profit. We aren't your typical rescue, just like the Newfoundland isn't your typical pony. Because of their status as critically endangered, there is a conservation aspect in all that we do and that includes perpetuating the breed. Hundreds of rescues exist to help horses that are in need of rescue, and we fully support and appreciate those efforts, but we are not just rescuers. We are breed stewards. As such, our responsibility includes not just helping Newfoundland ponies in difficult situations, but bringing the breed back from extinction without compromising what makes this pony so special.
The center has several stallions: Ammy's Honour, who is our farm ambassador; Osceola's Lucky Ace, a 2016 colt whose family lines were nearly extinct, Cabot's Stormin' Sam, born to us in 2019 and who fathered his first foal in 2024. Emilio's Honour is still growing and we hope to have him breeding in the next year or two. We have posthumously collected and stored semen from proven Vinland's Cabot Chapman, son of a foundation stallion, a beautiful pony who passed away in 2022. And thanks to two USA breeder's emergency cooperative efforts, we have posthumously collected & stored semen from proven stallion Macosa's Dream. This fall a very important rare line stallion will be joining our effort. We will announce when he is settled in.
Being true breed stewards, and understanding the importance of saving and carrying every Newfoundland Pony's genetics into the future, we NEVER geld/neuter our colts/stallions. We also don't overbreed, ie breed just to increase numbers. Without breed stewards homes for them readily available, where not everyone will breed, those pony's are essentially lost to the cause of beating extinction of this most important landrace breed.
We do NOT advocate breeding for the show ring. First of all, only 17% of horse owners show. Blue ribbons don't save breeds.
In fact the pursuit of winning/competition damages breeds as history has shown with the majority of breeds alive today.
This happens in other species as well. Look up "100 years of Dog Breeds." www.thescienceexplorer.com/how-popular-dog-breeds-have-changed-after-100-years-of-breeding-1029
Almost all modern equine breeds have genetic and/or temperament issues. Some breeds are not expected to survive much longer. Not only is this irresponsible, it is cruelty to breed animals who will have a lifetime of suffering, simply because their owners compete and need to win. The Newfoundland Pony has zero genetic or temperament issues.
The only thing the critically endangered Newfoundland Pony should be bred for, is to compete against Extinction.
There was a period, shortly after it was realized the pony was nearly gone from the island, when people were breeding like crazy but not always ensuring safe, breed-responsible homes for these offspring. Increasing numbers was the goal which at that time was understandable. However breeding for numbers is NOT the answer. Not every owner wanted a stallion for their child, despite their docile, sweet disposition. Plus having stallions near mares can be challenging. For a while, gelding to create an "Ambassador for the breed" was a thing, and becoming popular, trending toward creating a breed consisting of many sterile Ambassadors. The cause to save the breed lost bloodlines because of that. Mares were also not being bred. Someone once told us that they would never breed their mare, because she was so rare and something could happen to her. Reminding us of what happened to the Shakers, clearly education is important in order to save this breed.
Ponies also have a tendency to be passed on as pets from one home to another home and yet another, over and over. Many ponies became lost to the cause, including their identity as a Newfoundland Pony.
All of this is why we advocate being responsible breeders. NOT breeding for numbers, but ensuring they are in the right homes, and breeders staying responsible for the life of that pony. That, is exactly what we do. When life happens, we are there for our ponies. However, we also never sell ponies. We own them for life. We have foster situations, and lease situations.
The pony's gene pool is still diverse but if this trend to geld, to not breed, continues, the pony will be in much worse danger.
The center has several stallions: Ammy's Honour, who is our farm ambassador; Osceola's Lucky Ace, a 2016 colt whose family lines were nearly extinct, Cabot's Stormin' Sam, born to us in 2019 and who fathered his first foal in 2024. Emilio's Honour is still growing and we hope to have him breeding in the next year or two. We have posthumously collected and stored semen from proven Vinland's Cabot Chapman, son of a foundation stallion, a beautiful pony who passed away in 2022. And thanks to two USA breeder's emergency cooperative efforts, we have posthumously collected & stored semen from proven stallion Macosa's Dream. This fall a very important rare line stallion will be joining our effort. We will announce when he is settled in.
Being true breed stewards, and understanding the importance of saving and carrying every Newfoundland Pony's genetics into the future, we NEVER geld/neuter our colts/stallions. We also don't overbreed, ie breed just to increase numbers. Without breed stewards homes for them readily available, where not everyone will breed, those pony's are essentially lost to the cause of beating extinction of this most important landrace breed.
We do NOT advocate breeding for the show ring. First of all, only 17% of horse owners show. Blue ribbons don't save breeds.
In fact the pursuit of winning/competition damages breeds as history has shown with the majority of breeds alive today.
This happens in other species as well. Look up "100 years of Dog Breeds." www.thescienceexplorer.com/how-popular-dog-breeds-have-changed-after-100-years-of-breeding-1029
Almost all modern equine breeds have genetic and/or temperament issues. Some breeds are not expected to survive much longer. Not only is this irresponsible, it is cruelty to breed animals who will have a lifetime of suffering, simply because their owners compete and need to win. The Newfoundland Pony has zero genetic or temperament issues.
The only thing the critically endangered Newfoundland Pony should be bred for, is to compete against Extinction.
There was a period, shortly after it was realized the pony was nearly gone from the island, when people were breeding like crazy but not always ensuring safe, breed-responsible homes for these offspring. Increasing numbers was the goal which at that time was understandable. However breeding for numbers is NOT the answer. Not every owner wanted a stallion for their child, despite their docile, sweet disposition. Plus having stallions near mares can be challenging. For a while, gelding to create an "Ambassador for the breed" was a thing, and becoming popular, trending toward creating a breed consisting of many sterile Ambassadors. The cause to save the breed lost bloodlines because of that. Mares were also not being bred. Someone once told us that they would never breed their mare, because she was so rare and something could happen to her. Reminding us of what happened to the Shakers, clearly education is important in order to save this breed.
Ponies also have a tendency to be passed on as pets from one home to another home and yet another, over and over. Many ponies became lost to the cause, including their identity as a Newfoundland Pony.
All of this is why we advocate being responsible breeders. NOT breeding for numbers, but ensuring they are in the right homes, and breeders staying responsible for the life of that pony. That, is exactly what we do. When life happens, we are there for our ponies. However, we also never sell ponies. We own them for life. We have foster situations, and lease situations.
The pony's gene pool is still diverse but if this trend to geld, to not breed, continues, the pony will be in much worse danger.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Emily Aho
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Emily Aho, President
Teri Muskavitch, Treasurer
Jean Ford, Secretary
Jacqueline Evans Belrose, Member at Large
Bridget Fallon, Member at Large
Aaron Leather, Member at Large
Karen Nelson, Member at Large
Faith Williams, Member at Large
Every year since 2015, thanks to our supporters & followers, we have received Top-rated Nonprofit recognition by Great Nonprofits for which we are very grateful. Thank you. To learn more about this accomplishment and to support our efforts, please go to https://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/write/newfoundland-pony-conservancy-center