The showing society is no longer trading as Ponies Association (UK), following a High Court claim brought by its former chairman and her partner, but will continue under a new name. H&H finds out more about the case...
A major showing organisation has “ceased trading” and transferred its business to a new company following a legal wrangle with a former chairman and her partner.
Ponies Association (UK) closed on 21 May and has transferred to the new company UK Horses & Ponies Ltd on 31 May.
Carol Cooper was a member of P(UK) since its formation in October 1988 and served as chairman from 2017 to 2019. Her partner, Tolga Falahat, joined as a member in 2018. Both memberships were terminated by P(UK) earlier this year.
The High Court claim brought by the pair, dated 7 May, hinged on disputes over the management of the organisation — including whether certain members of the council should legally be allowed to hold the positions they did.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interested in…
Davina Whiteman
Mrs Whiteman enjoyed top-flight success as a rider, producer, judge and trainer and played a pivotal role in the careers
Credit: Peter Nixon
Davina Whiteman dedicated her life to the showing world and enjoyed success as a producer, judge, rider and trainer
H&H’s showing columnist discusses losing the icons who teach us, and timely advice
Joan Lee Smith, the long-time driving force behind the highly successful showing association Ponies (UK), has retired from the board
Ponies (UK) founder Joan Lee-Smith has died at the age of 99. Update: memorial service details now available