THE Connemara Pony Show has been secured at Clifden Showgrounds for 2025 and beyond, following the establishment of an independent show management entity made up of a board of trustees.

The news comes following the Annual General Meeting of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society (CPBS) last Sunday, January 12th, where the proposal was put to the members, adopted and, thereafter, ratified by the newly-elected council of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society (CPBS).

The new independent show entity, known as ‘Connemara Pony Show - Clifden’ has a board of trustees composed of representatives from Connemara Chamber of Commerce, equine representatives, local political representatives, and community leaders. The trustees, together with a dedicated wider team will assume full management and running of the show going forward.

Chairperson of Connemara Pony Show Committee is Mary Coyne, a breeder from Cashel in Connemara and a past council member and former Treasurer of the CPBS. She is also a director of Horse Racing Ireland and the Health Safety Authority, among others. Mary explained the purpose and goal of the committee is to guarantee a four-day schedule of events at the showgrounds in Clifden in August.

John Sweeney, President of the Connemara Chamber of Commerce, also gave context to the agreement with the entity prosed as a company limited by guarantee with the imprimatur of the society.

President of the CPBS, Daragh Ó Tuairisg, told The Irish Field that the council reached out to the local councillors after last year’s show. “We are working on greater involvement between the society with the town; we want the grounds to be open to the town and to benefit everyone,” he said.

Agreement

The board of trustees met with the CPBS executive again immediately before last Sunday’s AGM and, during the AGM, the proposal was adopted by the membership and thereafter ratified by the newly-elected CPBS council. The CPBS and the Connemara Pony Show, Clifden then released an agreed statement on Wednesday.

The statement read: “In its centenary year, the annual Connemara Pony Show at Clifden is now set for its most exciting event ever. Over the past few months, detailed discussions have been ongoing between the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society and a newly formed and independent show management entity on a potential path forward for the much-loved Connemara Pony Show at Clifden.

“On January 12th, an agreement in principle was reached between both entities on how the Show (and related events) will be run and supported for an initial period of three years, starting in 2025. At the recent AGM of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society, a proposal from the new entity for the transition and management of the Clifden show was outlined by the CPBS executive committee to the CPBS membership. The proposal was adopted by the membership and thereafter ratified by the newly elected CPBS Council.”

Pivotal

Ó Tuairisg commented: “This partnership is pivotal in delivering a successful show in its centenary year. The CPBS acknowledges the Connemara Pony Show at Clifden as Ireland’s premier Connemara Pony event. We are confident that this new agreement will not only honour the legacy of this iconic event, but also ensure its continuation as a cornerstone of not only Connemara, but also Irish equine culture for many years to come.”

Mary Coyne commented: “Following successful discussions with the CPBS, our dedicated regional committee now look forward to delivering the famed Connemara Pony Show at Clifden for the benefit of the Connemara Pony community and wider region.”

The news puts an end to any concerns that the show would be moved from Clifden, following the postponement and subsequent relocation of the performance days of the 2024 show due to bad weather. The show will run from August 19th to 22nd, 2025, with a full schedule due to be announced at a later date.

Close to 200 members attended the AGM last Sunday, which was preceded by an Emergency General Meeting (EGM).

The following were elected to join the council of the CPBS: Eamon Spain, Alan Woods, Cathy Morrissey, Roger Brady, Pearse Gibbons, Pat Collins, Fr Christy McCormack and Johnny Brady. There was no candidate in Ulster to take the vacant seat.