Gypsy Horse Links

 It's A Colt! Visit our photo album for our new foal Gypsy Roadrunner.

I've become fascinated lately with a breed of horses new to the Americas: Gypsy Vanners (also known as Irish Tinkers, Gypsy Cobs, Roadsters, or Romany Grai).  It's interesting to note that in Ireland and England, this is a largely unregistered breed, invented by the Romany folk by breeding and cross-breeding with a variety of tough horses -- from Dales Ponies to great strapping Shire horses, and lots of other breeds. Looking at the websites below, I notice a strong tendency for the Americans wanting to get the breed established over here doing the same thing, though the owners of Gypsy King, who first imported the breed to America and are working on starting an official breed society, are going for stringent breed requirements. What follows are lots of links with descriptions.

If you feel your website belongs here please Email Me -- or if your site has been updated and the text doesn't reflect the changes, let me know and I'll be glad to fix the description. I get a lot of kind email from the many people who read this page -- both breeders and people interested in buying a gypsy horse -- thanks for the participation!

International Links

Message Board

Gypsy Horse Lover's Forum on Delphi Forums is now open. The intention of this forum is to foster open and civilized communications among all those who love the breed. Come share your knowledge with those just getting started. Ask questions and get insight from others on everything from transporting horses to their care and feeding. The board has room for every owner to maintain a space where they can talk about their horses, as well as "For Sale" and "Wanted" sections. The place is a little empty right now, but with your help, it'll get to be a gathering place for us all, where we can talk on neutral ground.

American Links

Breed Registries

The Gypsy Cob and Drum Horse Association formed in the summer of 2002, the page includes everything you need to know to join, from rules and regs to forms, plus news and pages for stallions and horses for sale. More breeders appear to be signed up to this registry than any others at this time. Associated with Drum and Feather. Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, established in 1996, was the first breed registry here in the U.S. It was formed by by Dennis & Cindy Thompson of Gypsy Gold, who imported the first Gypsy horses to the U.S.

Horses & Breeders
	Northeast Gypsy Grace Ranch in Jericho, Vermont, has a stallion known overseas as "The Governor" but they call him Beau. They've also got "Legend Boy" and a bit of information about his background, as well as a few more stallions and several stud prospects up and coming. Plus they have a whole herd of mares, so I know we'll be hearing lots from these folks in the future. Wonderful photos of their horses; we are looking forward to seeing more. Emerald Winds Farm has some fine looking Tinker horses, and it's a beautiful website, with photos and background stories. Old Mill Farm in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, focuses on Drum horses as well as the smaller Gypsy-type horses. They have a Drum Horse Stallion, Chew Mill Guiness (whose sire is the fantastic Galway Warrior) standing at stud. Plus, they've just acquired Slainte, sire of our Roady. Their Breed Profile page has some lovely mares, and they have Gypsies for sale, as well. Services include embryo transfer. Capricorn Farms in Germansville, Pennsylvania and has Royal Thunder (stallion) and Snowdrifts Princess Dale (mare). Blarney Stone Acres in West Milford,  New Jersey use the services of Cushti Bok, Smokey, Lad, Valor and they own some good looking mares. Hearts Blood Wyld -- can't tell you much about this one since its java-intensive, sound-file laden pages are too sophisticated for my laptop and medieval 56K modem. But check it out -- the glimpses I got show some lovely horses. (If you, too, have trouble loading their pages, please let them know -- perhaps they'll go for a more modest level of showcase.) Cambridge, New York.
	Southeast Here's the Gypsy King, probably the most famous of the American-based Gypsy stallions -- I've even seen a Breyer model of this one. Their ranch, Gypsy Gold, is located in Ocala, Florida. The Thompsons imported the first Gypsy Vanners to the U.S. (We are devastated to hear that Cindy Thompson died in an accident on their farm in the summer of 2002.) Bit A Both Farm in Florida bought a pair of Gypsy horses from the original importers, the Thompsons. Stallions include Sarsti Gri (aka "Pretty Boy Floyd"), born in Scotland in 1997, and Roamie, born in Florida in 1999 (gorgeous stallions, both) -- and their page shows their foals from 2002 onward, too. Also included are some lovely young vanner foals and fillies on the sales page, and images of this year's foals (well, just one at this writing but more are due). You'll find lots of fine photos of Equirace Gypsy, a mare who is being used in an embryo transfer program; she is being stabled at Gypsy Gold in Ocala, Florida. Vannercentral.com, Chesapeake, Virginia carries many wonderfully clear photos of gypsy vanners organized by the farms where they live -- many in Florida but including those throughout the U.S. -- apparently wherever the author has had a chance to visit. Includes a FAQ. The best part of this site is that it is frequently updated, even including photos of this year's foal crop. A delight! Golden Archer in Florida has a few Gypsy horses, including Kaulo Ratti (who has her own home page), one of the first imported to the U.S., and a Gypsy King daughter. They also do an embyro transfer program with their mares. Some nice photos -- hold on while they load to see a slide show of images all shown in one spot. Painted Gypsy Farm in Naples, Florida, has a young up-and-coming stud named "Dominic" out of Sarsti Gri and Esmerelda of Ocala, Florida. Nice photos of him at various ages -- he's going to make a fine looking stallion. Circle G Ranch in Arkansas has imported "Bakalo". They have some nice photos of her early adventures in her new home; nice photo gallery, lovely mare. Richard and Doro Bergeron, of Virginia, are importing a stallion of a different color -- or rather, pattern. With typical Gypsy Horse conformation, but a blanket of white on his hindquarters, Indigo is really pretty. Some interesting insight into unusual colors and patterns in Gypsy horses can be found here. W.R. Ranch, with two well-separated barns, one in North Carolina, and one in Florida, have some of my favorite-named horses (Panda Rose and Tinker Toy). Nice photos up.
	Midwest Black Forest Shires in Colorado is working towards extending the breed over here, with a focus on the big version, the Drum Horse. In great news, they have imported Galway Warrior, once owned by the Queen of England and used as a Drum Horse. This stallion is really a beauty. They are also breeding their English Shire horse to their Gypsy mares and doing an embryo transfer into some big sturdy Draft mares -- a great way to raise your own Gypsy horse. Includes concise definitions of the various sizes of Tinkers: Pony, Cob, Vanner and Drum Horse. Recently added: images of an absolutely beautiful living wagon (vardo) of the type pulled by Romani horses. Drum and Feather's website now includes photos of their stallion Spellcaster, plus photos of their mares, foals, a sales page, more photos, and links. Also included is a FAQ about Gypsy Cobs. They are located in Danville, Indiana. Gypsy Cobs at Wild Creek Farm in Ohio has a recently updated website with general information on Gypsy Vanners, as well as a page devoted to their handsome stallion, Romany King. Pages devoted to their mares, and horses for sale are well organized with thumbnails that, when clicked on, open in a separate window to reveal a larger, more detailed photo. (Was http://ww.gypsycobs.com/.) River Valley Ranch in Wilson, Michigan owns a strapping drum horse stallion, Breezer Fan Kilewier, registered with the Irish Cob Society. The photos of his sire and dam are also deeply impressive. Bayhaven in Minnesota has a sales page with a couple of mares-in-foal for sale. Cobblestone Stables in Illinois has a page of horses they can import for you. Unfortunately, their stallion, Gypsy Blue, died before making it to the States, and the mare, Millie, he'd been bred to here died giving birth to a colt, Billy. Broken Arrow Ranch in Indiana features Gypsy Vanners on their ads on buyhorses.com. Dakota Winds Ranch, home of Curly Horses as well as Gypsies has a stallion, Jack Flash. They are located in South Dakota. Willow Wind Stable's Irish Tinkers in Michigan. Another site with great photos -- how can anyone resist these horses? Miller Stables in Minnesota boasts Friesan and Gypsy horses. They have a sale page with a  foal on it, and a stallion named Shamrock. Their tale of Gypsy horses includes a few photos of one of the foundation stallions, "The Old Horse." Stout Wild Ranch in Fort Collins, Colorado, has a stallion they've recently imported called Gypsy Magic, as well as a filly, Gypsy Singer. Ponderosa Ranch in Prior Lake, Minnesota, has lots of Friesan horses, but they also feature a Gypsy Stallion nicknamed "Groovy" -- short for Gladstone of Bayhaven. You can find information about him under the "Stallions" listing. They have a mare, too, Lass, due in June 2003, bred to Groovy. They will be glad to import a horse for you, too. Gypsy Horses Worldwide in Baldwin City, Kansas, has the very fine looking stallion Royal Cash for sale, among several others. These folks seem to be soley in the importing business at this time.  Harkaway Farm in southwest Wisconsin specializes in Irish Draught Horses so getting into Gypsies seems a natural. At the moment, Gypsy Horses don't appear on their website, but you can find at least one on buyhorses.com. North Ster Friesans in Wausau, Wisconsin have one mare, Aoiefa, and her colt, a Gypsy-Thoroughbred cross, as well as Tieg, a half-brother to our Roady.
	West Coast Gypsy Vanner Horse West / Gypsy Rose Ranch of Oakdale, CA claim the first Gypsy Vanner in the Western U.S.. Very stylish page with lots of photos. They have a stallion "Romipen" but I am unable to locate a specific page for him within their web. White Stone Ranch in California has a stallion that will be standing at stud this year and offers to help you import your own Irish Gypsy Cob. Stonefield Cobs, in Eugene, Oregon found Gypsy Cobs the same way I did, by looking for a "type" of horse -- in this case, big hindquarters, sturdy bones, and smaller size than a quarter horse, as well as solidly built hooves. In the winter of 2002 they imported a mare, Misneach, in foal for a 2003 birth, to a big gypsy, Drumshambo. Toadstool Farm in Sherman Oaks/Los Angeles is primarily a stallion station. Along with their Gypsy stallion, Finnvarra, they also offer Friesan, Arabian and other stallions. The Gypsy Wizard (a.k.a. "Harry") has his own website -- he is owned by Dillon Ranch, of Prunedale, California. They also have a colt, Gypsy FantaZ, being raised as a stallion prospect. Mares are being added. as well. Some nice photos of very substantial-looking foals are currently up on the mare page. Friesan Forest, in Corning, California focuses on Medieval Sport Horses, and stands (among stallions of other breeds), Gypsy stallion Lord MacLeod.
	Southwest Caravan of Dreams, in Reno, Texas. Finally, a major breeder in my own neighborhood! Their blue-eyed stallion is Frankie. They also have, at this writing, four mares. Aldershire Maximillian is a young, big, good-looking half-shire, half-Gypsy stallion just beginning his career. He now belongs to Sharkarosa Ranch in Aubrey, Texas. Magnolia Draft Horse Ranch in Burnet, Texas own the mare Clononeen Sanas. Epona Stables in northern Oklahoma stands the stallion Clononeen Ard Ri, along with a small band of broodmares including Tessa and Shiabra. Dave and Lynn Gunter of Lafayette California have started with a mare, Genesis (aka Genna).

Just For Fun

Information on the Gypsy lifestyle, from BBC Radio, in Kent, England. Includes both text and sound clips on many subjects, including lots on horses. Zaneville Manor Farm has a Gypsy Flat Cart for sale. (If it goes, perhaps you can talk them into making another). If the images shown in the Gallery are of the cart for sale, it's a beauty. Nick Dow, in England, makes gypsy-style waggons -- you can import one, or buy the plans and have an experienced woodworker -- or even a boatmaker -- make one for you. You can buy the plans in the U.S. through Black Forest Shires. You might want to consider watching the movie "Into The West" (1993). Although the horse with the biggest role in the film, Tir Na Nog,  is clearly not a tinker's horse, you'll see lots of fine gypsy horses in "supporting roles" throughout. Read a review of the movie on video or DVD on Amazon.com and buy it there -- or try it on ebay.  I was graduating high school when the June 1972 issue of National Geographic came out with an article "When Gypsies Gather At Appleby Fair". A little on the brief side, it has only 22 pages, most of them large photos (very little text). Only four photos show Gypsy horses. You can often find this issue for sale on ebay. And here's a webring devoted to Gypsy horses (not much there yet but I'm sure it will grow). Carolina Classic Horse Expo has a page of information on the Gypsy Vanner Colored Cob that has some details I've not read elsewhere, including the fact that the Romany people were originally from India. Gurdy Run Farms has a page on the Gypsy Cob. An article on the Gypsy Vanner Horse written by the Gypsy Rose Ranch people. A history of horses is at the beginning of this page that goes on to talk about gypsy horses as well. Also introduced are some terms not heard on other pages, including Romany Scudder. At the bottom of the page is a section on brasses. The whole is a little hard to read because it uses a spidery black font on a dark background. There are some nice paintings included, though, that make it worth a visit. Nothing to do with Gypsy horses, really, but National Geographic's "Ballad of the Irish Horse" shows a wide variety of Irish horses and the folks who love them -- including race horses, show jumping, steeple chasing, local races, and Connemara ponies. Only once is there a shot of what might be a very small Gypsy pony pulling a vardo that would be much too big for any other breed of that size.

Irish and U.K. Links

• Import your own from William Collard in the U.K or try Gypsy Horse International (same folks).
• The official Irish Cob Society website... in Ireland. The descriptions of standards and colors are quite interesting. Their old website will become a sales page.
• The Gypsy Cob Society, Ltd. of England has a nice looking website. Formed due to new legislation that requires all horses traveling to have passports and unique registration numbers, the society will no doubt do a great deal more for the breed, as evidenced by the amount of information already presented on their website. Sister society to The Gypsy Cob Society of America.
• Lots of fine Irish Cob horses for sale on the Irish Clononeen Farm. You can visit, and get their help in importing a horse from their sales stock. You'll find their farm name on a few of the stallions here in the U.S. too.
• Gypsy Cobs UK has lots of photos and good information. It can be a little slow to load, being so image intensive, but is worth the wait.
• Shantaine Stud, a farm in the United Kingdom which exports Gypsy Cobs to the USA -- a frequently updated website with some interesting tales you won't hear elsewhere.
• Belle Isle Farm on the Shannon River in Ireland usually has some gypsy-type horses for sale. Check closely because although under "Breeds" they have Irish Cob as a different type of horse from the "Coloured Horses & Ponies" -- on their "Sales" pages the gypsy horses are often listed as Irish Cobs.
• Chynwood Stud, in Cumbria, has added gypsies to their miniature horse line.
• Meadow Farms UK has a website with gypsies, with information on the breed, its history, their farm philosophy, and some photos of fine looking examples.
• White Cops Stud on the Hampshire/Dorsett border is a small farm offering Gypsy Horses for sale.
• This one's really nice -- an individual's collection of photos of Romany horses and their caravans --  if you think the horses are fantastic, take a look at the wagons they pull. Makes my feet itch just looking at them.
• Then, if your feet itch like mine and you'd like to actually try traveling Romany-style in a wagon pulled by a drafty horse, here are two places you can book a vacation and do just that: White Horse Gypsy Caravans (in England) and Kilvahan Horse-Drawn Caravans (in Ireland). 
• Clearly a British writer gives some good descriptions of what a gypsy looks for in their Gypsy Cobs.

European Links

• Here are links to the Irish Cob Society's European Branches in various countries: Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands. 
• The Tinkervereniging Association in the Netherlands has about 400 members and organizes rides and drives in the countyside. The website has photos and links and a lot of other stuff I can't read.
• The Norwegian Tinker Horse Association has a wonderful moving graphic on the top of their page, but there's a lot more to their site than that. There are photos as well as a lot of information (written in Norwegian).
• Here's a French home for Gypsy horses. Look for the "La Vente" page if you're shopping. They promise they will soon translate their pages into English. Looking at their graceful logo, it appears there's already a Society established there for the breed.
• Stall bäckersgården seems to be a Swedish page about Tinker/Romany horses -- may not be able to understand what's said, but the photos are lovely.
• I can almost make sense of this Tinkers/Gypsys in Germany page since a lot of it is in English -- English that's a bit broken but way better reading than my attempts at using web-translators to work on the pages above and below. This German page, however, is made a little harder to read because the background is very "busy" and competes with the yellow font. 
• Here's a page from The Netherlands, Tinkerwereld. Once again, we might not be able to read it all, but we can enjoy the photos.
• The Spotted Mate -- A farm in The Netherlands standing one Tinker stallion, Spotted Mate Boris, via artificial insemination (AI). Parts of the site are translated into English.
• Totentinker is a Gypsy Horse site in Norway. Lots of photos of Gypsy horses with snowy backgrounds. Not in English, but when you see a pair of horses stretched out on straw in the sun with snow in the background, you can guess what "sommer som vinter" means.
• Some information on British horse fairs is available, too. Here's an article on Ballinasloe Horse Fair in the West of Ireland. Here are details on the upcoming Appleby Horse Fair.
• Some neat info on gypsy wagons (or vardos).

None of the information on this page should be taken as a recommendation of any kind -- this is just a page of links and it's Copyright ©2003 Linda Blanchard All Rights Reserved. Date Added: December 25, 2001. Last Update: January 07, 2009 .