THE 15th Midlands Connemara Pony Breeders Show at Mullingar Equestrian Centre had plenty of pride and above all passion. Many breeders from Connemara and all over Ireland travelled to take part in both the in-hand and performance classes

As Colin Doyle from Moate sang Amhrán na bhFiann prior to the Midlands All Ireland Broodmare Championship, sponsored by Willows Ingredients Ltd and judged by Noel Sweeney from Ballyconneely, it was a sight to behold as many of Ireland’s best broodmares and foals gathered together.

Many present agreed that the final line was special with old pedigrees and true to type were the order of the day.

Cathy Snow-Coyne from Letterfrack was awarded the championship with Lough Fadda Kimberley (Glencarrig Prince - Glencarrig Kim).

Henry O’Toole’s Castle Cleo (Glencarrig Knight - Castle Gipsy) won blue, with Padraic Hynes and Canal Linnet (Monaghanstown Fionn - Village Laura) third. A nice touch was the beautiful garland of flowers presented to the winner by the Midlands Group.

The youngstock classes were judged by Patrick Traynor from Ballymena. Lorna Murphy from Galway opened the show winning the yearling colts with Gloves Glen (Gleann Rua Maxwell - Gloves Fairy Hill).

Aoife O’Connor came from Cahir, Co Tipperary, with the well balanced Loughmore Emily (Frederiksminde Hazy Match - Woodend Apple), bred by show chairman Sean Cooney, and took red in the two-year-old filly class.

Patrick McGrath from Cregmore had his two-year-old colt Smokey Dancer (Tempo Active Atlas - Smokey Breeze) in perfect condition when winning the colt equivalent. James Naan from Newtownbutler was unable to attend the show but was well represented by Gillian Kinahan from Clonaltra Stables who collected the two-year-old fillies and Reserve Junior Champion with his Tullanna Lisabelle (Hazy Match - Kilbride Pearl).

Isabel Leonard from Drumree, Co Meath, produced her quality bay three-year-old filly Drumree pickle Parade (Illaunurra Lad - Croboy Jess) and collected the Ruth Rogers Cup.

The stallion classes, although small had select stock, and Joe McCann from Ballyconneely continued his winning ways when he secured the Sean Dunne Cup plus the Junior Championship with the three-year-old Hannah’s Only Dun (Moonlight Silver Shadow - Roan Hannah).

In the four to six age group Eamon Spain’s handsome dun Ardbear Oliver (Clochard Paddy - Ardbear Molly) took red and later reserve overall champion of the show.

Roisin Gannon from Inverin won the Abbeyleix Fionn cup with the much travelled stallion Cornarone Hazy Lad (Hazy Match - Atlantic Collette).

The increased support of the foal classes by sponsors Willows Ingredients Ltd proved a big winner. Damien Gorham’s Downhill Misty Queen won the fillies and Bernard Keaney’s Murvey Jordan lifted the colt class and the Championship.

The young handlers had a beautiful line-up with victory for Lucy Donnan and Aer De L’Aulne.

The mare classes judged by Ciaran Curran produced an outstanding line up for the overall Championship, sponsored by Connolly’s Red Mills, as they went head to head with Eamon Spain’s stallion Ardbear Oliver and Roisin Gannon’s Cornarone Hazy Lad.

All three judges came together for the final judgement that included Peter O’Malley’s Glenlo Lady, (Laerkens Cascade Dawn - Lady Windsor), Dave Sheehy’s Forest Horizon (Fiona’s Man - Forest Sunlight), Jayne Mannion’s Ballinaboy Queen (Gloves Bobby - Casa Lonna) and Christine Mares’ eight-year-old Aer De L’Aulne, exhibited by Lisa Donnan.

The final nod came in favour of Aer De L’Aune sired by Nina Gustafson’s Coosheen Finbar, who stands in Sweden, out of Les De Lauline by Dexter Leam Pondi. Ardbear Oliver stood reserve Supreme Champion.

There was a notable shortage of stallions in all classes – perhaps the mother society might consider a way to improve the breeding stock on the ground and, above all, retain the tradition of the true to type Connemara pony.

The great men of 1923 established the studbook through careful selection of stallions – it is vital that we retain that vision.