ONE hundred years on from the formation of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society, the year 2023 saw Connemara ponies continue to demonstrate the dynamic versatility of the breed.

Across disciplines, Ireland’s native pony continues to resonate with a global audience of riders, owners and breeders. With prices staying buoyant across the 17 days of Connemara pony sales throughout the year, some of the highlights demonstrated by pure-bred ponies under saddle act as a testament to the collective and individual efforts made to protect, develop and promote the Connemara over the past century.

Breeders

The role of the breeder has always been fundamental to the successes achieved by this pony over the decades. The annual Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society Spring Weekend recognised the efforts of two breeders who were inducted into CPBS Hall of Fame. Elizabeth Hodgins, a sixth generation breeder, was recognised for her long-time service to the society over the last 65 years. Breeder of Woodfield Sammy (Abbeyleix Owen x Clonlara Nora) the Grade A show jumping stallion went on to be a sire of sires. She also bred the show jumping pony Bang On (Ballinaboy Ben x Mynish Galaxy) who was ridden competitively by Ellen Whittaker for Great Britian.

The second recipient, Robbie Fallon of Cashel Bay Connemara Ponies, was acknowledged for his success as a breeder, producer and international promoter of the Connemara pony.

“My goal has always been to breed ponies that are true to type as well as being able to perform by having enough scope to compete in the higher levels. I think we have done reasonably well at it,” Fallon said. Reasonable is a modest way of putting all that Cashelbay ponies have achieved to date. Robbie cites breeding the winner of the 2022 Connemara Pony Show In-Hand Supreme & Broodmare Champion Cashelbay Kate (Cashelbay Prince x Frederiksminde Mathilda) and Ridden Champion stallion Cashelbay Rocket as ‘the highest highlight’ of his time breeding Connemara ponies. The stallion would go on to be Supreme Champion at the Dublin Horse Show a week later.

“It was a pincher. You wake up and think really? Was that a dream? We are still celebrating it,” he said.

Cashelbay Rocket’s 2018 Horse of the Year Show win with Michael Harty, the first Irish pony and Irish rider to take the Mountain & Moorland Ridden Connemara class, is another career topper for Fallon. To make this result all the sweeter was the fact that both Rocket’s dam, Cashelbay Misty, and sire, Cashlebay Cruise, were also bred by Robbie.

Cashelbay JJ in action at HOYS

Flying the flag

Since the 1990s, Cashelbay graduates have gone on to win at all the major shows across Ireland and the UK. One such pony that has flown the stud’s flag across the channel is the bay gelding Cashelbay JJ. The first pony Robbie brought to show in Clifden was his dam, Ballybawn Cashel. Purchased as a two-year old, the mare is living happily in her 33rd year of life. Described as “a real traditional mare”, Robbie was at a stallion inspection when he first spotted Castleside JJ. Taken by the golden dun stallion there was a 24% chance of breeding a blue eyed cream when used on his dun mare, but Robbie liked what he saw and took his chance to produce ‘Cash’.

“That’s what makes the difference. You have to take certain, calculated chances and it paid off,” he said.

Described as a beautiful dark brown bay with black points as a youngster, he was sold to the UK as a gelded three-year old. Notably quirky from the beginning, the story goes that when he was sold to current owner, Polly Eddis, it took three days to catch him. Despite his quirkiness, Cash has made a name for himself in the UK with Polly’s daughters Lucy and Susie. Proving the versatility of his breed he has enjoyed championship success across the UK and Irish circuit including seven wins at HOYS, two at the Royal International Horse Show and competing to BE100 level in eventing. At 20 years of age he completed his final season as a working hunter pony with current rider Maisie Kivlochan. This autumn saw Cash’s decorated career acknowledge by the Horse & Hound annual awards when the Connemara won the 2023 Agria Horse of a Lifetime award. The award, previously given to the late Queen Elizabeth’s hack Carltonlima Emma, saw horses nominated from a wide variety of disciplines.

What does an award like this mean to a breeder like Robbie? “I couldn’t believe it when I heard. The chance of winning that is so slim. We, as his breeders, are just thrilled to be part of it.”

Having achieved more than most could ever strive for, Robbie is continuing to plan for many more dream days with the ponies of Cashelbay. “When there is a long day and I’m tired Michael will remind me we are only getting started. So we have no plans for sitting back. Even if we aren’t placed at the top we’ve had our day and we are delighted to go out and compete. It’s a great working hobby. We will be going out with Cashelbay Prionsa Óg, son of the prolific Cashelbay Prince and Cashelbay Rocket will hopefully have go at the workers.”

Robbie and Cashelbay Kate, the supreme champion at the 2022 Clifden Connemara Pony Show \ Susan Finnerty

Dynamic

Another son of Castleside JJ who continued to demonstrate the dynamic nature of our native breed was Agharanny Minstrel. The grey stallion bred by Sean Hynes out of Silver Mint lined out with Ciara O’Connor alongside Cornafest Fred (Gwennic De Goariva x Corrnafest Nora) partnered by Ben Connors were two Connemara ponies to represent Team Ireland at this year’s FEI European Eventing Pony Championships. Purchased as a foal from the Clifden sales by Ciara’s grandmother, Noreen, he was a sales topper on the day.

“My mother liked him, he had a nice step and looked to have a nice attitude,” explained Sharon O’Connor joint-owner and Ciara’s aunt. A home-produced star, the stallion has been with the O’Connors ever since.

“He has such a varied career. He has done everything a pony can do. The work went into him – no matter what was going on, if we needed him to, he had to go and do it. We are old fashioned and the breakers all go to the hunting field. I think hunting makes them brave.”

And when she says everything, Sharon means everything. JJ, as he is known at home, has enjoyed countless successes with Ciara’s mother, Edwina, at some of Ireland’s most prestigious competitions having won the Connemara Performance Hunter class at the Dublin Horse Show and back-to-back Working Hunter Championships at the Connemara Pony Show in 2018 and 2019. When Ciara took the reins she started from the basic working her way from 80cms. Progressing through the show jumping levels, a turning point came at a Mackey Bar assessment day where Joanne Jarden said the pair would be ideally suited for eventing. Despite a consistent start and several FEI placings under their belts, a broken ankle for Ciara put the family’s European dreams on hold for 2022.

This summer the O’Connors would see their years of consistency pay off as Agharanny Minstrel and Ciara competed at the pinnacle testing ground of pony power and stamina. Delivering consistent performances across all three phases of dressage, cross-country and show jumping to secure a team bronze medal, they finished in individual 12th place. “It was absolutely fantastic. To be part of the Irish squad was absolutely phenomenal. The atmosphere was electric,” she said.

A true family affair, she continued: “we’ve had a lot of ponies we would have considered a great pony but to me in our house JJ is the pony of a lifetime. He has turned his hand to absolutely everything that was every asked of him and done it very willingly.”

Agharanny Minstrel is a remarkable example of how these native ponies rideability lend itself to all ages and can offer so many opportunities to their riders when the work is put in.

Agharanny Minstrel ridden by Ciara and surrounded by the O'Connor family

Team silver

Two Connemaras also helped secure a team silver medal for France, one being Duncan’s Star, ridden by Laurick Hardy. The bay gelding by Derrymore Duncan was bred by Christy Fitzgibbon out of Ciuin Star. Also, on the team and finishing the highest placed Connemara in the individual standings in fifth place was Babylon Night Graves with Tifaniie Villenton. The grey gelding owned by Jérôme Laclau and Laura Maisterrena was bred by Audrey Dauge, and is by Midnight du Brana out of Courbette de Gere.

Debate continues on the aptitude and ability of the modern Connemara pony to be competitive at the highest level of pony show jumping. Despite the recent proof provided by the likes of Cul Ban Mistress and Ardfry Skye, the performances at this year’s FEI European Pony Show Jumping Championships may help to validate the breed’s continued ability to perform at this competitive level. While Team Ireland swept the gold medals at the Championships, Connemara ponies also made their presences felt under the flags of opposing nations. Aiding in Sweden’s pony team silver medal finish was the Dexter Leam Pondi-sired Deriveur D’Emia, ridden by Disa Hammarstedt. Bred by Emilie Ergand in France out of Mamselle Du Grisy, the grey gelding was the first Connemara pony bred with the D’Emia prefix.

“I started breeding in 2011. When you breed, you try to choose the genetics of the parents to obtain the best ponies that have the ability to reach the highest levels,” Ergand said.

Emmile is passionate about Connemaras, considering them ‘the Rolls-Royce of the ponies.’ To hear this description from a European breeder who is dedicated to our native pony breed is a testament to the work of the CPBS in promoting the Connemara worldwide for the past century.

“I was at the Pony European Championships as president of Pays de Loire Connemara Society”, Ergand explained. “I had sold him as a three-year old to Italy before he arrived in Sweden. To see one of the ponies I had bred win a European silver medal was an amazing moment. I was able to congratulate Deriveur’s present owners. I feel I have done my job as a breeder correctly. And the best is to see his rider so happy with him.”

Rounding out the European podium was Team GB where another Dexter Leam Pondi progeny, Vaughann De Vuzit, helped secure team bronze with Madison Seedhouse. One of the sombre events of the year was the sad news of Dexter Leam Pondi’s passing in November. If this summer medal positions for two of his offspring has done anything it has acted as a proof of the stamp of performance he passes to his offspring, a living testament to his legacy.

Home soil

Champion Working Hunter, Rathnari Connor, owned by Joan Vaughan, ridden by Pauline Dahill at Clifden 2023 \ Rynes Walker

Closer to home, the recent three-day Winter Pony Championships at Cavan Equestrian saw 28 pure bred ponies place across 138cm and 148cm show jumping classes. Four classes were won by Connemara combinations including Lurgan Sallyann, ridden by Elizabeth McMahon, winners of the Saturday 1.10M 2-phase. The Ross Fear Bui mare, bred by James Moran out of Rosie Maria, continued her winning form having topped the CSIP 1.15M Small Tour in Sentower Park, Belgium, earlier in the autumn.

As the showing season in Ireland continued throughout the summer younger ponies dominated some of the season’s major ridden championships. The 98th Annual Pony Show returned to the Clifden show grounds boasting the highest level of entries in the past decade. Cited as the ‘Connemara Pony Olympics’, five-year-old Lough Derg star stood Ridden Champion on the Thursday of show week. Fresh from winning the four and five-year-old class at the Dublin Horse Show, Zoe Price’s bay gelding by Glencarrig Joe out of Sellernane Beauty is the ‘dream come true’ story. Purchased originally from the Connemara Pony Sales for Price’s daughter, he is testament to the quality of animals that are being sold through the ring in Clifden.

This trend of younger ponies winning continued into Friday when an emotional Pauline Dahil achieved a 20-year-long dream aboard Joan Vaughan’s Rathnari Connor when they were crowned Champion Working Hunter pony. The Mark Crosby-bred six-year-old dappled grey gelding by Plume De Kezeg out of Flesk Queen won out over some the most established performers on the circuit in a hotly contested Championship class.

A highlight that will go down in the Connemara history books also took place on the Friday afternoon. As the west of Ireland rain poured down from the heavens, Boulabeha’s Little Princess, piloted by Holly Maher, jumped a record breaking 1.65m to win this year’s Clifden Puissance. The Carol Nielson-bred mare by Prince of Thieves is out of Ashview Lass and now holds the record for the highest wall jumped at the Connemara Pony Show since the first Puissance was held on the showgrounds in 2009.

Grace Maxwell Murphy is all smiles on her lap of honour with the Connemara ridden champion Glencarrig Douvan at the 2023 Dublin Horse Show \ 1st Class Images

Douvan

A name on everyone’s lips this year was of the young stallion Glencarrig Douvan. A son of Glencarrig Knight, owned and bred by Patrick Curran, he had his first true competitive season under saddle with long-time friend of the breeder Grace Maxwell Murphy. The five-year old out of Wyncroft Dawn demonstrated his duality as he competed across in-hand and ridden classes through the season whilst still covering a full book of mares. On a balmy day in Dublin the same steward that gave Grace the Championship nod in 2012 dipped his bowler to the pair.

“To win the Championship in Dublin against all the odds, he was a novice, it was his first real season out and he was covering, was dream come true,” Maxwell Murphy said.

“There was a certain amount of pressure that I put on myself as he is such a nice pony and he isn’t my own, we usually just produce our own and when you are producing for someone else you tend to work harder.

“There’s nothing like getting the nod in Dublin. You never know what will happen in terms of way of going because of the atmosphere. The noise and what they have to put up with, anything can happen. There is no other show in the world like it for atmosphere. The ball really has to bounce your way so many times”.

2023 was a particularly competitive year for Connemara combinations wanting to secure their gold tickets to the RDS as record number of entries lined out for the four performance and ridden qualifiers across the country.

Having achieved so much in his novice year including competing at HOYS and topping the confirmation marks, there are no plans for Douvan to be retired to stud any time soon. Speaking of their future plans Grace explains: “While he has achieved so much do you really leave a pony of that level of talent and capability at home and retire him after his novice year? Myself and Patrick want to enjoy going out showing him. He is such a beautiful pony and there’s so much more to come”. All roads will lead to the Northern Ireland Festival next spring, when all going well Douvan aims to qualify for HOYS for a second consecutive year.

Pure joy! Zoe Price and Lough Derg Star are announced as the Ridden Champions of Clifden Show 2003 \ Rynes Walker

HOYS

The 2023 Horse of a Year Show saw 46 Connemara ponies compete under saddle across working hunter classes, while 11 pure breeds took on show jumping tracks in the Andrews Bowen Arena. Breed enthusiasts plan travel specifically to be ring side to witness the crowing of the Mountain & Moorland Ridden Connemara Pony of the Year. Of this year’s 25-pony class, the Irish-bred Castle Kestrel was the judges’ choice on the day. The grey stallion by Glencarrig Knight was bred in the indigenous home of the breed by Henry O’Toole in Clifden out home-bred mare Castle Melody. Owned by Amanda Sharman, the eight-year old was ridden by Lucy Glover who was also in the saddle when he won the British Show Pony Society Royal Windsor M&M ridden title in May.

The good news stories and results of the Connemara pony under saddle are plentiful and unfortunately on this occasion too many to give individual recognition to all. As the next 100 years of our native pony begins. the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society’s new President, Daragh Kevin Ó Tuairisg, has been proactive in communication with members. In a statement to the members Ó Tuairisg has pledged the commitment of the council to ‘work diligently together with these parameters to fulfil our responsibilities’ as passport delays were a major issue this year for breeders with the transition to SNP profiling a significant contributing factor.

Ahead of the next foaling season breeders are encouraged to complete their foal forecasting forms so the SNP status of both sire and dam can be identified and updated, if required. See www.cpbs.ie for more information.