THE annual Dartmoor pony sale at Tavistock Cattle Market last Friday has been hailed as one of the most successful in recent years. More than 150 farmers, families and individuals attended the event with around 400 Dartmoor and Shetland colts, fillies, mares and stallions being sold. It was a welcome change from some previous sales which saw prices slump. This year?s sale was the first under the new horse passport system. Coloured fillies went for 75 guineas, coloured colts 35 guineas, bay fillies 45 guineas and bay colts between 12 and 15 guineas. Auctioneer Chris Clapham said: ?The auction had gone very well in the morning but at the end there was confusion over the passports, but the farmers did very well and the organisation was good.? As buyers needed to put their names on the passports before the ponies were allowed to leave the market, it meant there were some delays. As from February 28, owners have not been able to sell, buy, export, slaughter for human consumption, use for the purposes of competition or breeding a horse which does not have a passport. Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2004 require all owners to obtain a passport for each horse they own. This includes ponies and donkeys.