David Lamb British Equestrian Oil Painting Shetland Groom With Ponies Dinky & Sparky
David Lamb Original Oil Painting Dinky and Sparky Shetland Ponies Signed Framed
An original British oil painting by Yorkshire artist David Lamb, painted in 2022 and entitled Shetland Groom. Depicting two Shetland ponies named Dinky and Sparky beside the River Worth at Oakworth, West Yorkshire, the signed painting retains original exhibition documentation and newly established historical information supplied directly by the artist's wife.
Highlights
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Original British oil on canvas, painted in 2022.
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Signed LAMB, lower left.
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Original handwritten title Shetland Groom.
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Depicts two individually identified ponies, Dinky and Sparky.
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Dinky, a chestnut Shetland pony, was reported to be 40 years old in October 2026.
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Sparky, a skewbald miniature Shetland pony, is now deceased.
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Original setting identified as a paddock beside the River Worth, Oakworth, West Yorkshire.
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Painted from a photograph of ponies belonging to friends of the artist and his wife.
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Background figure identified as the daughter of the ponies' owner.
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Exhibited at the 2022 Gargrave Art Exhibition.
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Artist's earlier People's Choice award documented in Gargrave exhibition material.
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Original artist's title card, contact card, exhibition label and Friendly Framing label retained.
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Firsthand artist-family correspondence dated 25 October 2026.
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Canvas 46 Ć 35.5 cm; framed 52 Ć 41.5 Ć 2.7 cm.
Introduction
A charming original British equestrian oil painting portraying two Shetland ponies, Dinky and Sparky, standing together in a peaceful rural paddock beside the River Worth at Oakworth, near Haworth, West Yorkshire.
Painted in 2022 by local artist David Lamb, the composition records two much-loved animals belonging to friends of the artist and his wife.
Catalogue Details
Artist: David Lamb, British, born in Haworth, West Yorkshire.
Title: Shetland Groom.
Date: 2022, confirmed by the artist's wife.
Medium: Original oil on canvas.
Signature: LAMB, lower left.
Subject: Dinky, a chestnut Shetland pony, and Sparky, a skewbald miniature Shetland pony.
Location depicted: Paddock beside the River Worth, Oakworth, West Yorkshire.
Source: Painted from a photograph.
Frame: Rustic warm-toned wood-effect frame.
Catalogue Note
The painting depicts two Shetland ponies standing closely together in a traditional Yorkshire countryside setting.
The chestnut pony, identified as Dinky, stands beside Sparky, a skewbald miniature Shetland whose contrasting white and darker markings create an attractive visual balance.
Their compact proportions, thick manes and expressive faces are carefully observed, giving each animal a distinctive character.
Behind the ponies, a timber field shelter, fencing, mature trees and green pasture establish the rural setting.
Small yellow flowers animate the grassy foreground, while a figure appears near a gate in the distance.
New firsthand correspondence from Geraldine Lamb, the artist's wife, has established that the painting depicts an actual paddock beside the River Worth in Oakworth, the village neighbouring Haworth.
The ponies belonged to friends of David and Geraldine Lamb and were painted from a photograph.
Geraldine identifies the chestnut Shetland as Dinky, who was reported to be 40 years old in October 2026, and the skewbald miniature Shetland as Sparky, who has since died.
The distant figure is identified as the daughter of the ponies' owner, who was married to a farmer.
These details establish that the composition records real animals and a recognisable location within the Worth Valley rather than an imagined countryside scene.
The painting therefore possesses both artistic and personal documentary interest as a record of local rural life.
The Artist ā David Lamb
David Lamb is a self-taught British amateur artist born in Haworth, West Yorkshire, and associated with the Worth Valley and the Keighley area.
According to firsthand correspondence from his wife, Geraldine Lamb, dated 25 October 2026, David paints primarily for pleasure.
His artistic subjects include landscapes, dogs, horses, wildlife and portraits.
He particularly enjoys depicting the scenery of the Worth Valley, the landscape surrounding Haworth, Oakworth and neighbouring villages.
Geraldine confirms that his paintings are generally developed from photographs.
David has participated in local exhibitions for many years and belongs to a longstanding local art group whose members pursue their own work and exchange observations rather than receive formal instruction.
Published Gargrave Art Exhibition material records that David Lamb of Keighley received the People's Choice of Best in Show award in 2015.
Following this recognition, he was invited to present a dedicated display of his paintings at the 2016 Gargrave Art Exhibition.
Geraldine has independently confirmed that David was subsequently able to present his own small exhibition in a room adjoining the main exhibition hall.
Regional newspaper research also records a reported association with Bingley Art Society and a 2012 Buckingham Palace Royal Garden Party invitation for David and Geraldine.
His precise date of birth and complete exhibition chronology remain unconfirmed.
Original Signature and Title Card
The painting is signed LAMB, lower left.
The original handwritten artist's title card identifies David Lamb, the title Shetland Groom and oil as the medium.
An earlier asking price of Ā£150 appears on the card and is retained as historical documentation only.
The original artist's contact card and associated exhibition material remain with the painting.
The title, subject, date and original location have now been supplemented by direct correspondence from Geraldine Lamb, the artist's wife.
Provenance
David Lamb, artist, born in Haworth and associated with the Worth Valley, West Yorkshire.
Painted in 2022 from a photograph of Dinky and Sparky, two Shetland ponies belonging to friends of David and Geraldine Lamb.
The original scene depicts a paddock beside the River Worth, Oakworth, West Yorkshire.
Gargrave Art Exhibition, 50th Anniversary Exhibition, July 2022.
Subsequent private ownership, United Kingdom.
Acquired by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTDĀ®, October 2026.
The painting's subject, date, location and original circumstances were confirmed in direct correspondence from Geraldine Lamb, the artist's wife, dated 25 October 2026.
The complete intervening ownership history has not been independently established.
Exhibition History
Gargrave Art Exhibition, 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Gargrave Village Hall, North Yorkshire, 14ā17 July 2022.
The painting retains its original gold-bordered exhibition label, with a catalogue number appearing to read 60.
Geraldine Lamb confirmed on 25 October 2026 that Shetland Groom was included in the Gargrave exhibition in 2022.
She further explained that exhibitors could submit three paintings and that David had previously received the visitors' favourite-picture award, leading to an invitation to display his work separately.
The surviving exhibition documentation and family correspondence provide complementary evidence of the painting's exhibition history.
Frame and Presentation
The painting is presented in a rustic warm-toned wood-effect frame.
An original trade label identifies:
Friendly Framing, 310 Ovenden Road, Halifax HX3 5TJ.
Telephone: 01422 252120.
The precise framing date remains unknown.
The original artist's title card, contact card and Gargrave exhibition label remain associated with the work.
Dimensions
Framed: 52 cm Wide Ć 41.5 cm High Ć 2.7 cm Depth.
Canvas: 46 cm Wide Ć 35.5 cm High.
All measurements are approximate.
Condition Report
The original oil painting is presented in attractive overall visual condition, commensurate with its age.
The painted surface retains its detailed composition, original texture and visible artist's signature. Minor surface characteristics and handling marks are present, with no obvious significant paint loss, tears or major structural damage apparent from the photographs.
The canvas remains stretched over its wooden support. The rustic frame displays minor surface marks consistent with use.
The original artist's title card, contact card, Gargrave exhibition label and Friendly Framing trade label remain associated with the painting.
No independent conservation examination has been undertaken. Please examine the detailed photographs, which form an integral part of the condition description.
Published References and Primary Sources
Gargrave Art Exhibition, 2022 Golden Anniversary, exhibition documentation.
Gargrave parish-magazine material, July 2016, recording David Lamb's earlier People's Choice recognition and subsequent exhibition invitation.
Original artist's handwritten title card, contact card and Gargrave exhibition label.
Friendly Framing trade label retained verso.
Geraldine Lamb, personal correspondence with Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTDĀ®, 25 October 2026, confirming the artist's birthplace, working practice, painting date, pony identities, original location and exhibition history.
The correspondence constitutes firsthand family testimony and is retained as part of the painting's research documentation.
Shipping
Worldwide shipping is available.
Owing to the framed presentation of the artwork, it will be professionally packaged using appropriate protective materials and dispatched fully insured.
International buyers are welcome. Please contact us for a destination-specific delivery quotation or to discuss any particular shipping requirements.
Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution
The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTDĀ®, recording the artwork's catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, exhibition history and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.
Attribution and Research
The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis, dating and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTDĀ®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available physical evidence, historic inscriptions, comparative research, published reference material, firsthand correspondence from the artist's family and our experience within the international fine art market.
These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. The identification of the ponies, original location and circumstances of creation is supported by firsthand correspondence from Geraldine Lamb, the artist's wife, dated 25 October 2026. As with all works of art, future documentary discoveries or additional information may refine or expand current interpretations.
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