ALL ridden classes scheduled for the annual Connemara Pony Show in Clifden have been postponed. On the eve of the first day of the show, organisers announced they were forced to postpone Thursday and Friday's events, the ridden and performance classes, due to adverse weather.
This year's show was touted to have record entries, with thousands of entrants, supporters and other visitors due to descend on the Galway town this week and with hotels booked out months in advance.
The announcement followed a controversial Facebook post from the Connemara Pony Breeders Society (CPBS) yesterday (Sunday), which prompted a barrage of criticism from entrants and locals.
The post outlined new rules forcing exhibitors to unload ponies at one location, the mart in Clifden, park elsewhere, and then return to the mart to collect their animal before walking it down a back road to the showgrounds. The post said anyone who failed to comply with these instructions would be disqualified.
However, it was later confirmed on Tuesday that the usual parking facility known as 'Joyce's field' will be available to exhibitors and they can take ponies from there to the show.
Entrants in the show received the news about the postponement by email early on Monday evening.
The email stated: "Due to adverse weather conditions and in the interest of health and safety, the Show Committee and the CPBS Executive have taken the decision to postpone all classes scheduled for Thursday and Friday, 22nd and 23rd August at the Connemara Pony Show in Clifden.
"The Wednesday schedule will run as planned – CPBS Show Committee would ask that all those travelling and participating on Wednesday to please ensure they check travel conditions in the Connemara area before setting off on their journey.
"The postponed classes from Thursday and Friday - Ridden, Working Hunter and Puissance, will now take place on Saturday, 28th September, the most suitable date the ISA could give us, and they will be held at the Galway Equestrian Centre, Peakroe, Athenry, Co Galway."
The loose jumping and in-hand classes will go ahead as planned on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Clifden Pony Sales due to take place this weekend will also go ahead as planned.
President disappointed
Speaking to The Irish Field on Tuesday was CPBS president Daragh Ó Tuairisg who said he was gutted by the decision and that it was not taken lightly. He also said the committee would be working to ensure the showgrounds could be improved to withstand weather events in future and there were no plans to move the event out of Clifden permanently.
"It's very disappointing, everyone was really, really excited for the running a successful show - exhibitors, breeders, the show committee here, our sponsors, our volunteers and our staff," he said.
"The factors that led to this is the weather that's forecast. We have a lot more access now to information related to weather tracking systems that are showing Ernesto approaching the country and with that, the concern was, the ground here is soft, we're going to have large numbers of ponies on display tomorrow (Wednesday) and particularly with with the warm up being in ring two, ground conditions would have deteriorated very quickly and will be unsafe.
"Our duty of care is to our competitors and the welfare of their ponies. We took that responsibility on board. This wasn't decision that was taken lightly. This was decision that was made for the safety of everyone and their ponies."
With regard to the change in location, Mr Ó Tuairisg said the move was to ensure no further weather issues could come into play.
"We've expected the month of August would have been good (but) unfortunately, that good weather we've been waiting for it all year hasn't materialized (and) we can't be putting the show at further risk. So we looked at it and having liaised with the O'Brien family at Galway Equestrian which has all weather surfaces we can ensure that the show can be run.
"We want to put it right, and we want to make sure we don't have this again. We will do that by looking at facilities (in Clifden) and seeing where we can get funding. We look forward to running the show here in Clifden, that's our facility, we'd like to be able to use them, and not only that, we'd like to be able to develop them and move forward and have a better facility.
"There's a beauty about it. There's something about coming out the N59 to Clifden, enjoying the craic here in the in the town, meeting friends - that's part of who we are as a people, it's a social occasion, and it's an immense benefit to the circular economy and the greater Connemara area.
"That's something we want to continue and build on. Unfortunately, we've hit this hiccup. We need to work hard now and see how we put it right, so that we don't hit this roadblock again."
Rocky road
The news is the latest in a series of bumps in the road for this year's show, with an arena surface quality issue putting it in jeopardy earlier this year and a number of subsequent disagreements among the directors of the society being aired publicly.
Mr Ó Tuairisg said entry refunds would be available to those who can't attend the Athenry show or had stables booked via the CPBS. He said further compensation for those who had spent money on travel or accommodation was not the responsibility of the society.
Reaction
Reaction to the postponement has already begun to flood in, with Jenny StowDow posting:
"Absolute insanity. They simply can’t behave like this. It has cost hundreds, nearly even thousands to book stables and classes for several ponies plus accommodation for three nights. They had better have seriously tight event insurance, because we’ll not be going away quietly."
Maia Avery posted: "I am on way to ferry from England with two ponies entered for four classes over both days! Cottage booked, stabling booked, ferry booked, vet checks done and currently on the M6 to the ferry. Who is going to refund all of this?"
A spokesman for the Clifden Chamber said the news was a 'huge disappointment'.
"It's particularly disappointing to see the Connemara Pony show, which as been held in Clifden for 99 years, being moved out of Connemara," they said.