A Westcountry combination won the Topspec Performance Award at the Dartmoor Pony Society's annual general meeting.

Danielle Balsdon, of Poltimore, near Exeter, won the award with Dykes Heathermead, a seven-year-old by Nappa Country Boy who also won the ridden mare of the year.

The combination had a tremendous 2011 season which included winning the Grand Prix and championships at NPS Area 10, Royal London Show, BSPS Area 13b, reserve supreme at SWPA, supreme at Lydford and a win at Royal Cornwall show.

The stallion of the year and ridden stallion went to Diane and John Jordan's Moortown Countryman, who was third in the Cuddy championship at Horse of the Year show and also took the reserve supreme at Northern Dartmoor and breed show, and the supreme championship at Bath & West.

Elizabeth Newbolt-Young and daughters took the best Devon-bred youngster with Shilstone Rocks Cottage Craft and gelding in-hand of the year with Shilstone Rocks Riverman, while Shilstone Dunnabrook was reserve in stallion points and made a new premium stallion.

Tisha Roberts, of Lustleigh, has become the new president of the Dartmoor Pony Society, receiving the Presidents Trophy from retiring president Martin Ball.

Tisha and her late twin sister Ann founded the Hisley Stud in 1958 with their foundation stallion Jenson. Jenson won 11 major championships including the breed show in 1958, 1959 and 1960 before being exported to Denmark in 1967.

Their foundation mares were Plymouth Rock and Queenie XX111, who bred some excellent ponies, including the stallion Hisley Woodcock, the sire of Hisley Stardust, who was exported to Germany and Hisley Salvo, triple breed champion in 1991, 1993 and 1995.