Dressage
The 2012 competition season has been brought to an end and among the dressage ponies
four purebred Connemaras nished among the 100 dressage ponies gaining the most competition
points. Most successful of them all was the Blue Eyed Cream Tic Tac (out of
Kohls Rapsodi). A son of Countach Campbell, Tic Tac competed and won at the highest
national level and had the fth most dressage points among ponies of all breeds.
As always the blood of Rory Ruadh was easy to nd among the top dressage Connemaras.
Backens Lotus (by the Elite stallion Rolls Royce out of Princess Jasmin) and the stallion
Golden Garlic (by Juno Rory out of Ambrosia) are both grandsons of Rory Ruadh. They
were placed second and fourth respectively among the Connemaras and 35th and 99th
respectively among all breeds. The fourth Connemara on the top 100 was Kohls Evelina
(by Shirley’s Thunderbell out of Hagens Ellina) placed 76th overall. Evelina also has
strong family ties with the other ponies sharing paternal grandsire with Tic Tac and
maternal grandsire (Blue Chief) with Backens Lotus.
The competition season of 2013 has only just begun with a few competitions held, but
a look into the pedigrees of the ponies gaining the most dressage points makes for some
interesting reading. In 53rd place we have Hagalyckans Choice (out of Kohls Polka) by
Blue Chief (maternal grandsire of Kohls Evelina and Backens Lotus) with Pommac, the
maternal grandsire of Tic Tac as his maternal grandsire. In 59th place we have a son of
Juno Rory, Lidens Cap Rory (out of Lidens Caprifol), who has Countach Campbell, the
sire of Tic Tac as his maternal grandsire. Countach Campbell is also the sire of Carmen
Belle (out of Amorosa) who is currently in place 56. The highest ranking Connemara so
far in place 27 is Okay Cosmos (by Cannon out of Iowa).

Eventing
Four Connemaras took eventing points in 2012. At the age of 20 the stallion Nice-n’-
Curly (by the Elite stallion Nice-n’-Easy out of Corinne II) was the Connemara with the
most eventing points and he took a creditable 6th among all breeds. Second among the
Connemaras was the Danish born Enghjs Mac Neal (by Frederiksminde Hazy Marvel out
of Enghojs Queenie) and third another import, Glendun Lad coming here from Ireland.
The fourth Connemara to take eventing points was Branntomts Julius (by Aladdin) out
of the 2005 national show supreme champion Juvelin. Two partbred Connemaras also
took eventing points in 2012, Mareld (out of Milldred) and Casper (by Cannon), finishing
fifth among all breeds and winning the silver at the Swedish championships.

Show Jumping
No less than 12 purebred Connemaras and 6 partbreds could be found among the 100
ponies with the most showjumping points in 2012. Poetic Annie (by Poetic Justice out of
Myrens Anitra) has for many years been a household name in pony showjumping. In 2012
she won the Swedish indoors Championships, she was third in the popular Ridsport Pony
Cup and participated in the Nordic Championships. She was the Connemara taking
the most show jumping points and fourth among all breeds. Two more Swedish bred
purebred Connemaras made the top 100: Phalcon (by Oxenholm Marble Jr out of Grans
Lady Stella) in place 68 and Holmtebo Our Winnie (by Hagens Zephyr out of Hagens
Ultra) in place 79.
The Irish bred Connemaras show a range of bloodline. Highest placed among the Irish
bred was Lexus Justice (by Westside Fred out of Dunamoney Lass) in 21st place who
among other things was fourth at the Ridsport Pony Cup nals. Another household
name on the Swedish pony circuit is Sceilig Siofra (by Deise Sam Maguire out of Gentle
Jessie) who this year nished 42nd. Tullamore Dew (out of Heather Beauty) in 56th place
is by Monaghanstown Fred, a son of Lexus Justice’s sire Westside Fred. Some Man for
One Man (by Asheld Bobby Sparrow out of Misty Maiden) nished 2012 in 59th place
with the new name Who’s Aero (by Moy Hazy Cove out of Liathgan Ros) in place 69.
French Connemara ponies have had another successful year in 2012. Ix de l’Aulne (by
Dexter Leam Pondi out of Castille de l’Aulne) has been among the Swedish pony elite for
many years now, and in 2012 he was the Connemara winning the second most show jumping
points nishing 8th among all breeds. During 2012 he won a bronze at the Swedish
Championships and participated in the European Championships. Ix’s half brother Ice
and Fire d’Albran (by Dexter Leam Pondi out of Underline of Laps) nished in 28th
place. The new Class 1 stallion Idex du Villon (by Quignon du Parc out of Hilda des
Ludes) nished as number 39 and was very popular with the mare owners, being one of
the Connemara stallions servicing most mares in 2012. The last Frenchman to make top
100 was Lover de Vauper (by Thunder du Blin out of Daphne de la Dive).
Looking at the rst results from 2013 we nd both familiar faces and a couple of new names
among the ponies starting the season well. Poetic Annie is presently the Connemara with
the most show jumping points and we also nd Lover de Vauper, Ice and Fire d’Albran,
Phalcon and Some Man for One Man among the 100 rst. Westside Padraig (by Westside
Fred out of Aran Suzy) did not make the top 100 last year, but has been a reliable show
jumper at the highest level of many years. Among the Swedish bred are Dale Smoggy
(out of Nancy Sinatra) by the Elite stallion Dale Haze and the interesting new name
Lofty Rose of Tralee (by Coosheen Finbarr out of Lofty Rowallane Rose) who in 2012
won the Swedish Connemara Championships for her height category. From Ireland we
have the nine-year-old Ceolan (by Loughlum Sadat out of Bonny) and the interesting new
name Silver Shadow (by Cloonisle Cashel out of Poetic Moonlight) who was imported to
Sweden last year.

Stallion Inspections
Even when held during a very cold March, stallion inspections are always a sure spring
sign. This year nine stallions came forward for inspection, six three-year-olds and three
older stallions, and two could be passed as Class 1 stallions. The three-year-old Aramos
Luxor (out of Rodbella) is a son of Clifden de l’Aulne who was leased to Sweden for the
2009 covering season. With his sires show jumping talent adn a second dose of jumping
genes from his great grandsire Asheld Sparrow it is no surprise Luxor scored well on the
loose jumping.
Also the second new class 1 stallion, Branntomts Gareld has an interesting pedigree. He
is by Garryhack Frederick, a stallion who has been used sparingly in Sweden, but who
both has competed successfully himself and left at least three grade A jumpers among
his ospring in Ireland. Dam of Gareld is Juvelin, the 2005 Supreme Champion at the
national show making Gareld a half brother of the above mentioned Branntomts Julius.
Juvelin is in turn a half sister of the eventing stallion Nice-n’-Curly and Gareld’s dam
line is a succession of mare consistently breeding good performance ponies. True to his
pedigree also Gareld scored well in his jumping.
The ospring of previous Class 1 stallions were also reviewed and two stallions could be
given their premiums. Castleside JJ has ospring doing well both in Ireland and in Sweden
and he was given an A premium for conformation and a B premium for performance. The
above mentioned Silver Shadow came last year to Sweden from Italy and he could now
receive an A premium for conformation. Silver Shadow is ridden by the same rider as
Idex du Villon. Hopefully both boys will be available to mare owners and together with
the new Class 1 stallions of the year there should be no shortage of jumping genes to try
if breeding Connemaras in 2013.

When the stallion came to give his show the custodian simply faced him at the crowd and ran on. A gap always opened to let him show his paces but not without nerve wrecking moments and near misses.
In the early sixties the stallions were finally admitted infield and centre stage but it was on that narrow gravel strip that Carna Bobby and Macdara dominated the fifties. Carna Bobby’s four wins and Macdara’s three were more or less bookended by the halfbreds. Carna Dun was a winner in ’52 and Clonkeehan Auratum in ’59. It is ironic that Carna Bobby and Macdara, the two who did more than any others to establish what is now regarded as Connemara type were not seen in the Clifden ring in their heyday.
The ring itself was different then as well. It was smaller and marked by a rope and timber stakes, giving no support whatever to a leaning spectator. Most importantly however the ponies were lined up on the lower end by the river and not on the higher, drier footing. The arrangements were inevitably reversed but nothing is simple! The river beside the showfield is the Owenglin and when they lost their birdseye view the river gods were not pleased. They hadn’t been consulted. Having waited patiently for years for the ponies’ return they took the law into their own hands. It was 1987. In time honoured fashion when things don’t go to plan they invaded the pitch. The ring was submerged and the judges’ box resembled Noah’s Ark. A standoff ensued until midday when the gods relented and the show went on as it must. People still talk about the ‘year of the flood’. A standout moment like JFK’s visit or Séamas Darby’s goal.
In recent times riders, not born in ’87,have audaciously taken to riding their ponies into the Owenglin during the Friday programme. This may not be wise. Again without consultation. They are playing with fire so to speak. The gods have form in this kind of thing. Expect another flood soon.

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Ruth Rogers, Catstone Lodge, Ballymore, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Ireland
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