Ruth Rogers

TEARS of joy flowed freely at Clifden Connemara Pony show this week when the stallion Glencarrig Knight topped a memorable final line-up of Ireland’s best Connemara breeding stock.

Passion and pride prevailed as the son of Janus and Coosheen Breeze, owned and bred by Ciaran Curran from Leagaun, Moycullen was crowned the 2014 Supreme Champion.

The stallion blazed his trail of success in the morning session when winning the four to six-year-old stallion class and later the progeny class, where he stood majestically beside his son, Castle Diceman and daughter, Amy Curran’s Glencarrig Countess.

Castle Diceman, Michael O’Toole’s stallion out of Village Linnet, had earlier been judged junior champion.

The reserve champion was Carrowkeel Star (Currachmore Cashel-Lishin Star), owned and bred by Tomas and Fiona Grimes from Ballinrobe, Co Mayo. She won the six or seven-year-old class prior to her dam Lishin Star (Glencarrig Prince-Dunlewey Lisheen Liath) being awarded the red in the 10 to 15-year-old class.

For the Grimes family, the sheer joy of this special day at Clifden was shared by their many friends present.

The good wine was kept until last as Henry O’Toole completed a winning double when his great matron of Clifden Castle Urchin (Abbeyleix Owen-Castle Dame) won the 16-year-old and over class.

However the day belonged to the Curran family, who contribute so much to retaining the breed as they continue producing champions year after year. Amy Curran, a daughter of show chairman Gearoid Curran, was the recipient of the William Diamond cup for the best overall pony handler.

The 2014 Connemara Pony Show was officially opened earlier this week by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney.

“The Connemara Pony is a national treasure, part of Ireland’s heritage and is a great source of pride to all involved,” he said at the opening ceremony.