THE Burke and McDonagh families have paid a heartfelt tribute to Kilmeen Jane, one of the best-known Connemara ponies on the show circuit, who passed away recently.

Bred by Thomas Broderick, the Clifden and RDS winner Jane was described by Joe Burke as “a very special mare with an incredible life story, travelling the country with Mrs [Breda] Horan to more showgrounds than we could count. Jane had countless different chauffeurs and even more handlers over the years, but the one constant was her showring presence. I’m sure that there isn’t another mare with as many wins and championships to her name.”

After Breda passed away, Jane moved to the Burke’s Cloonisle Stud, where her sire Cloonisle Cashel had stood. “He was one of our stallions, the one who put dad on the map really. Some of the most illustrious performance and showring champions, such as Silver Shadow and Glencarrig Prince, are by him too.

"It was very much full circle, when she came to retire with us, as Cloonisle died quite young and Jane was one of his last offspring.”

Jane was pampered by Joe’s wife Grace and her mother Mary. “Grace had the pleasure of winning at the last Galway County Show with Jane, among many more outings. Fit and healthy to her very last day, Jane couldn’t have had a better life. It’s a rare thing for a pony to have been known and shown by so many, but she was just that: a rare thing.”