WE live in the townland of Clonmore, near Moate and have been involved in breeding both Irish Draughts and Connemara ponies over the past 20 years. My day job is a butcher and wife Nuala works in admin in a local college.

Nuala’s family had a background in Irish Draughts and I decided that, after a lifetime of playing football for my native Moate All White and later Castledaly GAA teams, I would pick up a new hobby and interest.

Our first breeding mare was an Irish Draught, by Creggan Emperor, who we purchased in 2000 from Nuala’s sister, Patricia Hennessy.

Patricia continued to breed Irish Draughts with the Creggan prefix, like their father Michael and his brothers had.

Later, we decided to dip our toes into the world of Connemara ponies and we haven’t looked back since.

Our first Connemara pony was named Misty Lady, a 13.1hh flea-bitten grey mare by Abbeyleix Owen. We bought her, in-foal, 20 years ago and she has produced 10 foals for us since.

As hobby breeders, with a small flock of sheep over the years, we’ve been lucky to have another five broodmares join the breeding programme at various stages.

1. Proudest breeder moment?

We may not have a singular moment, but without a doubt, one of the proudest moments for any breeder has to be seeing a newborn foal safely delivered in the sometimes harsh springtime conditions and later on, the results of that broodmare.

It might be in the showring, performance or at Pony Club, but equally, it could be in her having bred a much-loved family pony.

We could not forget when Clonmore Geallóg Bán, who stands at Cloontuskert Stud, passed his colt inspection in 2021. He gave us many enjoyable days out as a foal and it’s great to see his stock on the ground now.

Also, all Connemara pony showing enthusiasts are always seeking that elusive red rosette from the Clifden Show and we were delighted last year to take the blue ribbon with Clonmore Marble.

We both really think highly of him and we hope to see him out and about in the next few years, no matter what discipline he turns his hoof to. Hopefully, some day, we’ll clinch that red ribbon.

2. Your favourite broodmare?

Hillside Rose. We were very grateful for the chance to have been able to purchase her from the late Connemara legend, Jarlath Grogan, a gentleman known to so many.

We first met Jarlath when travelling to Bekan to use his Mountain Cascade on Misty Lady in 2010. It was on meeting him again at Claregalway Show in 2019, when the opportunity to purchase Rose came about.

The deal was done there and then on the day and we agreed to pick her up in the winter, when her foal was weaned.

I had always admired Village Boy and, having him in the damline, was a huge attraction for me. She has bred some fantastic stock for both the Grogans and ourselves and we think she is producing great true-to-type ponies, just like herself.

Sophia and Katie Doyle enjoying their day out at the HSI stallion inspections at Cavan where their father David’s Cloncastle Ambassador was awarded Class 1 \ Susan Finnerty

3. What’s your template for a Connemara pony?

For us, it’s the true-to-type nature that we look for: correct limb conformation with a short cannon bone, but lots of substance. A nice head is always a bonus. Arguably, a pony with good presence too, who catches your attention when you enter the field or indeed the showring.

4. Describe your winter regime for keeping Connemaras.

As a hardy breed, they don’t require much effort, especially in the flat midland countryside, a far cry from the harsh landscape of their native Connemara.

If we are keeping a foal or two, we will usually winter them inside, but everything else gets wintered out. Plenty of ad-lib hay/haylage over the winter will do them fine. Then, mares preparing to foal in the spring typically get rolled oats for a week or two to give them an energy top-up.

5. Clonmore is yours - thoughts on prefixes?

It is a great way of being able to identify a pony, as seeing a specific prefix links it straight away to its breeder.

It’s special to see something that we may have bred out at a show, event or even mentioned as a relation in sales etc.

We’d be disappointed if someone tried to change the prefix on something we bred, as it’s our breeding history - weaving our identity into the history of the Connemara pony.

6. If you could have bred any famous horse/pony?

For me, it’s Cul Bán Mistress. She is a great pony, who promoted the athletic versatility of the Connemara, proving that our native breed can keep up with the best worldwide.

And Nuala would pick Heather Honey, the small chesnut mare ridden by Paul Darragh on that Nations Cup three-time dream team. Small chesnut mares can do big things!

7. Best advice you ever got?

“Have the best, breed the best and hope for the best”.

8. It takes a team - who’s on yours?

Like her Father Ted counterpart, Nuala lives up to the name ‘Mrs Doyle’, and does, in fact, keep us constantly supplied with tea!

Between that and making sure we have clean shirts for the show season, she keeps things running behind the scenes.

Our three sons, Alan, David and Colin, all help around the place, but it’s David and Colin, who really have an interest in horses and ponies. David is a constant help and support and Colin helps out when he is home from Dublin.

We’re lucky to have six grandkids and our eldest, Katie, has been a great addition at the shows the last two years, showing some of the mares for us.

9. Breeding Connemara ponies - would you do it all over again?

Absolutely, we would do it all again. They are not hard to keep and work with.

The social aspect which the pony has given us has been fantastic, providing so many opportunities to meet so many people. Only last weekend, we got to meet up with breeders at the CBPS Christmas Show.

We’ve made so many great friendships over the years, due to the pony itself. It’s no wonder the pony is beloved worldwide.

10. Favourite Christmas song?

Merry Christmas Everybody, by Slade.

A happy Christmas to everyone and we hope to see you all again in 2025.