Dartmoor ponies are being sold to Germany ahead of schedule to beat any potential no-deal Brexit paperwork delays.
A West charity has brought forward the sale of the ponies which have become a favourite in Germany,with about 180 saddled up by new owners there.
The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association finds new homes for about 400 hill ponies a year, with about half heading overseas.
READ MORE: {}
The ponies are an emblem of and have become a particular favourite in Germany with about 180 saddled up by new owners there.
‘Dartmoor hillies’ have also gone to Belgium and to France where one has won the national outdoor driving championship.
The demand from Europe is such that Charlotte Faulkner, of the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association hopes that at last the creatures are beginning to be truly valued, seen as essential in ensuring their survival as a feature of the moor.
However, with the possibility of a no-deal Brexit looming at the end of October, the additional red tape that would be needed for the trade to continue – if exports were allowed at all – is a worry for both sides.
“The Germans couldn’t wait for our drift sale at Chagford on October 10, in case all the paperwork could not be done before the Brexit deadline,” said Mrs Faulkner.
Most Read
“It was a bit of a ‘last dash’. The red tape is pretty horrendous now. It could be even worse after Brexit.”