Egret Flats Farm is nestled Bear Creek Valley on the Southern Coast of Oregon, east of Bandon.  Here we raise Shire - Arabian crosses (Shirabs), Welsh Cob Section D - Arabian crosses (Welaras), and Shire - Gypsy Cob crosses (Drum Horses), and a variety of organic fruits, especially apples and Asian pears, some organic produce and smooth coat Chihuahuas.

     We started out with a couple of Shires around 1980 in Washington, and then moved them to Oregon in 1982.  We acquired a couple more Shires from Sue Wilson when she ended her Shire breeding program.  They trace their lineage back to Ladbrook Invader, who she imported and was the tallest horse bred in England at the time - 19.1 1/2 hh.  One of the mares we acquired was named Folly Farm Cinnamon Surprise, and she produced 5 offspring, with us retaining the last two, before her untimely death. Her most well known offspring is Laurel's Powerful Paul, now owned by War Horse Farm in Minnesota (www.warhorsefarm.com) We retained the other two.

     After a number of years raising purebred Shires, we changed over to Shire crosses, most notable are those crosses with a Shire mare and a smaller stallion, preferably an Arabian.  One of these crosses (Laurel's Carolina) is presently at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center in California and is excelling in dressage.  We have found that we prefer the cross with a Shire mare to that with a Shire stallion. These crosses have much more suspension and fluidity of movement than the popular Shire or Clyde - Thoroughbred crosses.

     We also have two Welsh Cob Section D mares that we have crossed with our Arabian Stallion.  This combination is little known and called a "Welara" (www.welararegistry.com). Queen Elizabeth noted that they are the "most beautiful of ponies" (the British call their horses ponies even though they are of horse size). They are excellent small sport horses, have amazing extended trots and they do well at dressage and driving.

     In June of 2004, we imported the yearling Irish Gypsy Cob, Clononeen Clover Hill, so that we could breed our Shire mares to produce some Drum Horses (see www.ADHA.com). This spring, as a three year old, he is ready to breed the big mares.  Last year he bred our two Welsh Cob mares, and a very nice Arabian mare.  His first filly, Linzy, is colored like 
him. The second is Lark, a grey and white filly out of a nice classic Arabian mare. The third, Lincoln, is a bay pinto colt out of a Welsh Cob sec. D mare (15hh). We expect a Shire cross (Drum Horse) in the next couple of weeks. See Eleanor in Mares. Cloverhill has shown with these three offspring that he is proponent - they all have heavy long tails, double manes and long shaggy winter coats, as well as his build, and wonderful well know Gypsy disposition.

     Our horses are all pasture raised with other horses so they learn to be horses.  Some of our land is hillside, so they know how to negotiate difficult terrain and mud.  The youngsters are handled from day one and learn to be tied and stand quietly.  At no time are they spoiled or allowed to become pushy.  We feed grass hay that we produce ourselves. Our breeding program is always live cover.  Pasture breeding is most successful, though difficult to accomplish with big mares and a small stallion.

     At present we have several youngsters for sale, three Welsh Cob x Arabian crosses, two Shire x Arabian (Shirab) fillies and a 13-year-old Shire x National Show Horse cross.  Please contact us for further information.  We welcome visits and it is good to let us know when you are coming.

John Bealey and Jolly Hibbits-Bealey

egretflats@harborside.com or 888.748.0949

Member of Arabian Horse Association, Welsh Pony and Cob Society, American Drum Horse Association, USEF, and Life Member of American Shire Horse Association.