CRIBAN VICTOR
A FOUNDING FATHER OF THE SECTION B PONY
Submitted by Claudia Novak for the 1986 American National Welsh Pony Yearbook

In the 1930's the Welsh Pony and Cob Society recognized the need for the registration of "ponies of riding type". Up until this time, the Section B designation had been used for ponies of Cob type standing between 12.2 and 13.2 hands. The early days of the registration of Section B "ponies of riding type" held much confusion. Many Cobs and what could be termed by today's standards as "part-breds" crept into the Section B registry. Ponies of Oriental, Thoroughbred, Polo pony and Welsh Cob breeding played important roles in the development of today' s Section B pony. Certainly, the Section B pony had more "growing pains" than any other Section of the Welsh.
     By the 1960' s the type and objective of the Section B pony of riding type was well planted in the minds of breeders both in the UK and the United States. During the period of "growth" for the Section B pony certain stallions have proved to be landmarks. One of these ponies is Criban Victor (1775) (Criban Winston x Criban Whalebone) born in 1944. Criban Victor is the best example of Section B ponies with the "outside" influence of Cob breeding. To quote Dr. Wynne Davies from a recent letter "though if (Criban) Victor had been foaled after (19)50's, he would have been in Section C (registry)". Certainly, the history of Section B ponies would have to be re-written if Criban Victor had not been part of the foundation of this section!
   The story of the Criban stud is one that is steeped well in the history of the Welsh Mountain Pony and Cob. The love of the land which according to old records had been in the family since 1697 was a controlling interest of the family along with their equal love for their livestock and Welsh Ponies and Cobs. Criban Victor was a product of this love. To quote a 1964 article by Nell Pennell, "From this hardy stock the Criban ponies are descended, their records going back for 200 years." Mr. Howell Richards, who registered the prefix Criban with the Welsh Pony & Cob Society, died in 1963 at the advanced age of97. Howell Richards was notorious for his riding talents. To quote the same article written by Nell Pennell, "He rode ponies of about 13 hands. very similar in type to the Champion Welsh Pony of today, Criban Victor. Mr. Richards was a fine horseman, and being a light weight, could easily ride ponies. He had no use for cob or pony that lacked the conformation to be good ride or the limbs and feet to stand the work."
     Not only did Criban use stallions of their own breeding but they went outside and used many stallions. This fact can be proved many times over but an exceedingly good example of this is Criban Victor's sire, Criban Winston. Criban Winston was one of the first sons of Coed Coch Glyndwr (1617) (Revolt x Dinarth Henol). Criban Winston's claim to fame does not just come from his most famous son, Criban Victor, but careful study of the early stud books will prove the tremendous numbers of ponies he sired. Criban Winston influence was felt at Dyrin, Bowlder and Revel along with many other studs as he was a premium stallion for ten years.
     Criban Victor's dam, Criban Whalebone (9138) (Mathrafal Broadcast x Criban Mulberry) was the product of crossing one of the oldest lines of Criban' s Welsh Mountain ponies to that of a Cob. Criban Whalebone was a bay mare about 13 hands. Not only did she produce Criban Victor but also Criban Gay Snip, the grand-sire of Solway Master Bronze. Whalebone did not have a great disposition herself. to quote Dr. Wynne Davis's book Welsh Ponies And Cobs, "When she was five years old and only broken to halter, the Richards brothers decided that she would make a good shepherding pony and endeavored to break her to saddle in one day. Whalebone would have none of this; perhaps she realized that as long as she kept bucking off her riders she would be allowed to return to the hills and concentrate on producing more excellent foals!" Certainly, the heritage of fine performance ponies with marvelous dispositions played heavily in the characteristic that Criban Whalebone gave her progeny.
    Criban Mulberry (Criban Cracker 1308 x Criban Rasberry (7971) traces directly to the stallions Invincible Taffy (593) and Criban Wild Wonder ( 11 79). Invincible Taffy's dam was Chocolate Lass (3442) born in 1905 and out of Ystrad Jewel (273) foaled in 1893. Invincible Taffy was a small pony (under 12 hands) but a pony that could take a rider all day on the hills either hunting or herding. Criban Wild Wonder was a son of the grey mare Wild Flash (3552) foaled in 1897 and one of the favorite driving ponies of the Richards' family because "few ponies could pass her on the road".
     Mathrafal Broadcast (1502) (Mathrafal Eiddwen x Plasgwyn Polly) came to Criban in 1935.  Mathrafal Broadcast was the personal mount of Llewellyn Richards. In 1937, Mrs. Alice McLean of Long Island, New York saw Mathrafal Broadcast and took a fancy to him. Along with eight lovely Criban mares, Broadcast was exported to the United States. Mrs. McLean used Broadcast on her Polo Pony mares but shortly after his importation, Mrs. McLean died. The ponies and Broadcast were sold without a trace. Mathrafal Eidden was a fine example of a Cob being a Royal Welsh Winner four times. Mathrafal Eidden's most famous influence in the Cob world was through his son, Eiddwen's Image (1703) who in turn produced Pentre Eiddwen Comet. Pentre Eiddwen Comet (1796) is the sire of Llanarth Flying Comet, Nebo Black Magic and Parc Welsh Flyer to name only a few.
     Criban Victor was sold to Mrs. Cuff (Downland Stud) at the Criban Sale in November of 1946. Criban Victor was shown at the Royal Welsh in 1947 and then sold to Lord Kenyon, Gredington Stud, where he stayed until his death in 1973. Criban Victor chalked up a very impressive show record winning the Royal Welsh in 1956,1958,1959,1960 and 1964. He also won the Ponies of Britain Championships in 1959, 1962, 1965 and 1966 plus the National Pony Society Shows in 1956,1959,1960 and finally, at twenty-five years of age, the Section B Championship and Reserve Supreme Championship in 1969.
    When you are in the Offices of the Welsh Pony & Cob Society in Wales, Criban Victor still watches you. If you are a stamp collector, you are sure to own a copy of the Criban Victor stamp that was issued in 1978. To the best of my knowledge (my son is the stamp collector!), Criban Victor the only Welsh Pony that has been honored with stamp in his image. FOR a little less than $1, you can purchase from any big stamp collector a memento of a Welsh pony that has been a landmark!
     The influence of Criban Victor on Section B breeding both here and in the United Kingdom is monumental. Except for people that do exclusive linebreeding and in-breeding, Criban Victor can be found in many Section B pedigrees in the U.K. Here in the United States, the influence of Criban Victor can be felt even more. Out of the nine imported founding fathers of Section B breeding in the United States: Bowdel1 Buccaneer, Brockwel1 Spider, Coed Coch Ballog, Coed Coch Blaen Lleuad, Cusop Sheriff, Downland Drummer Boy, Farnley Lustre, Kirby Can Jay and Wickenden Osprey, two are Criban Victor sons (Coed Coch Ballog and Coed Coch Blaen Lleuad). The most influential imported sire of Section B breeding (Cusop Sheriff) is a great-grandson of Criban Victor. Another major imported stallion of influence, Wickenden Osprey, is a Criban Victor grandson. The Section B stallion with more get on the ground in the last ten years, Findeln Blue Danube, is a great-grandson and double great-great-grandson of Criban Victor!

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