Nantwood stud was started when we purchased Stones Cottage Farm in Todmorden in 1998.  At the time we owned one horse (Reuben) an Irish Draught ridden by Rebecca.  Of course one horse was not good enough so a second had to be purchased.

At this time I spent most of my spare time playing golf and Rebecca spent all her time and money on Reuben.  I was reliably informed that the next horse was going to be a 17hh hunter!  Enter Ellen a 14.1hh Welsh cob that Reuben had spent the summer with in a field at the livery yard where he was kept.

She was used as a trail pony and obviously riding school life did not suit her, she looked a little scrawny and was very nervous (in fact it took me over a month before I was able to groom her).  We moved into Stones Christmas 1998, and much t.l.c. (new rugs feed etc ) was showered on Ellen, who after a little research we found out to be Brenmor Ellen (Horeb Euros × Fronarth Lively Maid).  At the start of the showing season Ellen started to shine so a decision was made that I should be allowed to show her in hand (as long as it didn't interfere with Rebecca's riding).  I duly turned up at the first show of the season at Pennine Riding Club never having shown any horse in any way at all before and promptly won the M&M class and I was well and truly hooked.  Ellen went on to be un-defeated at Pennine Riding club for the next two years and finished 6th in the C & D class at the Festival of Champions at Birchinley Manor 1999, and 5th in 2000.

In 2001 a visit was made to the Cob sales at Builth and unable to sit on our hands a filly foal Cefncoch Rhiannon (Annie) was purchased.  In 2002 Rebecca fancied a young mare to be backed and produced and Foxglen Bliss was purchased ( an 8 yr old liver chestnut mare Uplands Cosmonaut × Treneddyn Belle) although she was not young one look at her across the field and Rebecca decided she would be hers.  Spring 2003 saw us purchase Westdawn Welsh Gambler (Gambit) a yearling colt (Craignant Gambler × Gornoeth Ebony).  Which meant we had managed to grow to 5 horses in less than three years.  Rebecca now riding Bliss decided we were going to put Ellen in foal to Synod Replica.  It soon became obvious that we needed more land so the decision was made to move to Wales and Bedw Gwynion was purchased.  We moved in 4 days before Christmas 2003.