It has recently been announced that the RBST approved Doonies Rare Breeds Farm in Aberdeen is to close after 30 years. The farm, which is one of only 2 such approved farms in Scotland has fallen victim to the regeneration and expansion of Aberdeen South harbour and the land is intended to be used for an energy transition zone.
Aberdeen City Council, who own the land and buildings and did not want to renew the lease, have agreed with Graham and Debbie Lennox that the lease will be terminated later this year which means this incredibly popular attraction will shut down in August with all the stock either sold or moved on to new breeders.
The farm was originally operated by the City Council, with Graham as manager, but was due to be closed in 2008 as a cost cutting exercise. After negotiations, and a lengthy public campaign to save the farm, Graham and his family took on the lease along with the livestock and, from 2010, ran it as a visitor and educational attraction increasing visitor numbers by 50%.
Generations of children from local school groups, families and tourists have visited the farm to see the rare and native breeds on display, hear all about the role they played and continue to play, in Scotland’s agriculture and landscape and to learn where their food comes from.
The farm is home to a famed herd of English Longhorn cattle as well as numerous breeds of sheep, pigs, poultry, Clydesdale horses and, of course, Eriskay ponies.
Under the Doonies, and latterly Altens, prefix, the Lennox family bred a lot of Eriskay ponies with their foundation stallion, Auchenbrook Ptarmigan, and mares Misty and Rhona, contributing greatly to the overall population of this native pony which remains a Priority breed for the RBST.
On a personal note, my wife bought our first Eriskay, Doonies Brogach, from Graham in 2005 to be followed in 2014 by Altens Alice. This started our interest in the breed and since then we have gone on to breed two of our own ponies from Altens Alice, using the EPS owned stallion Whitney Harrier. We also have a young stallion, grandson of Ptarmigan, and it is reassuring to know that the bloodlines established by Graham at Doonies will continue.
The Eriskay Pony Society is incredibly saddened to hear about the Doonies story coming to an end and we want to extend our grateful thanks to Graham, Debbie, and their family for what they have done over the years for Eriskay ponies as well as many other rare and native breeds and we wish them all the best for the future.
Steve McMinn, Chair, Eriskay Pony Society.
THE ERISKAY PONY SOCIETY 