The Highland Pony Society Annual Dinner Dance weekend was held near Inverness on 14 November 2009. Twenty members enjoyed a fascinating visit to Highland Wineries at Moniack Castle, by Beauly. An interesting presentation and DVD were followed by a tasting session when we enjoyed tipples ranging from Silver Birch wine, which purported to help baldness, to Ginger whiskey, for which an addiction could easily be acquired! The huge range of preserves included accompaniments for the Christmas turkey and much more and some early Christmas gifts were bought! The raw materials included rowanberries, elderberries, sloes, brambles and silver birch sap all freshly picked in season from the estate.  

The Drumossie Hotel on the Perth road south from Inverness was the splendid dinner dance venue - a delightful and recently renovated hotel set in perfectly manicured grounds. For those who stayed for a night or two, the accommodation was second to none and the reduced rate for our members most welcome. The function room was as perfect as any could be for our dance. Tables surrounded a ideal sized dance floor with plenty of room on a raised dais for the band – The Hale Jing Bang” – who led fast and furious dancing throughout the evening. We had been promised first rate catering and we were not to be disappointed with each of the four delicious courses being served professionally under the eagle eye of the manager, Duncan Craig whose wife was in labour with their second child at home not far away! She finally produced an 8lb 5oz baby daughter, Eilidh Lily. Members had been so generous in bringing prizes for the amazing raffle and we were glad to give Eilidh an adorable monkey as her first present! 

An excellent crowd of 120 attended with seven members flying in from Germany and several making long journeys from the furthest parts of the UK. The dance has been voted by some as the best they had ever attended and there were several requests that we return to Drumossie as soon as possible!