Ashbrook Orga with the red rosette in Cork last Summer

The 2012 ISA yearbook is now available and after the long 6 month break from showing it brings a frisson of excitment to see that the new circuit is just around the corner. The main point of interest this year is that the Clifden Show has been dislodged from its usual third Thursday in August slot to the 8th, 9th and 10th of August. The change is probably good news for the Cashel Show on Sun 5th August and Carraroe Show on Monday 6th August as they will undoubtedly become a focus for early arrivals for Clifden.

It’s also a really big year for Oughterard this year, celebrating its 50th anniversary. One not to miss on August 25th and 26th. Eyrecourt show is also back again this year in September, after its very successful beginning last year. So its something, somewhere, every weekend. If only we could do something about the price of diesel!!

The fun begins on the first weekend in June at Westport while the same weekend sees the 3rd Connemara World Show at Boswell. On the home page you will find the link to the 2012 show calender, taken from the ISA list which will be of interest to Connemara exhibitors everywhere.

For your copy of the ISA yearbook (€6) see www.irishshows.org or email michaelhughesisa@eircom.net and compliments to the ISA on a superb production.

See you in June! And don’t forget Cashel and Carroroe if your an August visitor.

Picture: An Capaillín 2012

When Little Model (by Little heaven out of a Connemara mare) represented Britain in dressage at the Rome Olympics in 1960 he showcased to an international audience the talents and versatility of the Connemara X. Dundrum (also by Little Heaven out of a Connemara mare) of course did it even better in the showjumping arena.
In a thoroughly researched article in the latest edition of An Capaillín, Carol O’Connor traces the rise of Portersize Just a Jiff with Camilla Speirs to Olympic qualification in 3 Day Eventing. The 12y.o. bay gelding is out of a thoroughbred mare Mizen Talent and by the Connemara stallion Crosskeys Rebel(S1.997). The latter traces back to Little Heaven, making it a distant relative of the great stars mentioned above.
All eyes will be on him in London during the Games and fingers will be crossed throughout the Connemara Pony World. Congratulations to Camilla on her acheivments so far and the very best of luck in the challenge ahead. The invaluable exposure for the breed will be welcomed!

An Capaillín 2012 is available from the CPBS (0905 21863). It is packed with interesting material and wonderful photos. Included is a very useful list of all stallions, listed by county, as well as details and photos of the young ones approved in 2011.

Council member Anne Reade informs us that the CPBS is again sponsoring Performance Connemaras this year.
Generous cash prizes will be given to the highest placed Connemara competing at Novice (€150) and Pre Novice (€100) levels at the end of the 2012 eventing season.

In Showjumping the CPBS is donating €500 to the highest placed full-bred Connemara pony in the Starfinder League.
And Finally the Society will also sponsor the highest placed Connemara in the Dressage Ireland Winter Finals and National Championships.

Michael Joe with a cart load of turnips

Nóra with a mare and foal

Michael Joe with one of his beloved draught mares

As many of our readers know, the second chapter of The Moycullen Ponymen is devoted to the life and times of the caraeraí, the carters who worked daily with their ponies and carts. Michael Joe Keady, a lifelong caraer from Drimavohane, was a valuable source of knowledge and anecdotes when the Moycullen Ponymen was been written and is extensively quoted.
His only Connemara pony was Mountain Pride (1608). Never bred she was a bad tempered black mare and a terrific working pony, acclaimed for her speed and stamina on the road. Michael Joe worked her for several years before changing to Irish draughts which he worked for the following forty years. He jaunted, posted, carted, tilled and harvested with them. Michael Joe still breeds a Draught foal every year. Maybe he needed the bigger animal to match his own great strength and physique. He remains a consummate horseman. His wife Nóra is equally knowledgeable and passionate about horses. Reflecting on his lifetime working horses on his land in Drimavohane he said “I loved every minute of it, I’d do it all over again.”

Gura fada buan sibh beirt.

Tullykyne Princess

Princess' son Tullykyne Prince by Hazy Match

Princess' daughter Síoda by I Love You Melody

We hear from Myles Feeney in Tullykyne, Moycullen that he is leasing his Ashbrook bred mare Tullykyne Princess (Kestrel 1st X Tulira Robuck) for the coming year. Princess and her foals have had a lot of success in the show-ring but Myles feels that he does not want to breed another foal in the present climate. The leasee will keep next year’s foal and get the mare in foal again before Myles takes her back. It seems an ideal arrangement to suit everyone and maybe an interesting model for other mare owners who are not keen to have foals but would like to keep their mares breeding without cost. Interestingly Kestrel who is California owned is leased to Jocelyn Davies at Devon Ridge Farm in Canada where she is a valued brood mare.

Young Ashbrook geldings on winterage

Ashbrook Glen (Meelickisland Pearl and Glencarrig Prince)

We head into Winter after six consecutive days of sales at Clifden and Maam Cross. As prices for ponies continue at a low we will take a break from them to celebrate Moycullen’s historic breakthrough on the hurling fields. Last Sunday in Athenry, Moycullen Intermediate hurlers defeated Killiomardaly in their County Final and were thus promoted to the Senior ranks for the first time since 1979. Moycullen won a splendid final powered by a dominant half back line of Seosamh O’Fatharta, Mark Lydon and Tomas Ó hUigín, the faultless accuracy of Eanna Noone from placed balls and the finishing finesse of Conor Bohan.

Moycullen is now the only parish in Galway to boast two senior teams-hurling and football, not to mention a basketball team playing in the National Superleague and one of the best handball clubs in the country. Maybe we will just forget the ponies for the coming year and follow the fortunes of the sportsmen in their quest for further glory.

The first step is to establish which shipping Agent you wish to use. In conjunction with them the procedure is as follows:

All animals entering the US must have negative results for the following – Coggins, Piroplasmosis, Dourine and Glanders. You must arrange for the vet to visit the pony and take four red-top vials of blood from the pony, which are then sent to the US Department of Agriculture in the United States for testing. As soon as you have received conformation that the results are negative, your Agents can then proceed with his arrangements. They will also arrange for the vet to complete all the necessary Health Papers.

Most bloodstock shippers have a truck leaving for the continent every week or fortnight and can easily arrange co-loads with other agents in Europe for a flight. The Ponies would take a ferry from Dublin to Holyhead in the UK and then travel down to Dover, where they will rest for 10 hours before taking a ferry to Calais in France. They then continue their journey to a stabling facility such as the Amstel Horse Hotel near Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. They will rest here for a further 24hrs before going to Schipol Airport to be loaded onto the flight for the USA. They are normally accompanied by a professional groom to ensure proper care and safe delivery.

‘Contagious Equine Metritis’ is a sexually transmitted disease that is spread by breeding horses. Therefore, sexually immature horses, fillies, geldings and spayed mares are exempt from CEM Quarantine upon arrival in the United States – i.e. CEM quarantine is not required for colts/fillies under 731 days (2 years of age), but all colts and fillies over 2 years of age must complete the CEM quarantine process. All ponies are required to complete quarantine (3 days) prior to being released to the owner. Ponies over the age of 2 years may have a 3, 7 or 60 day quarantine imposed. May I suggest anyone interested reads from the following link: vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh/quarantine.cfm.

The approximate cost of shipping to the USA is €6000. However like everything else price comparison is advised.

It is also important to note that passports and insurance are a necessary prerequisite.

I hope this explains the whole process. If you have any further queries please contact me at info@irishpony.com.

• The Kingdom of Belgium is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations including NATO.
• It covers an area of almost 12,000 square miles, and it has a population of about 10.7 million people.
• Belgium is a federal state. There are three Regions in the country – the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region, and the Brussels-Capital Region.
• The Flemish Region is largely Dutch speaking, while the Walloon Region is largely French speaking.
• The linguistic split is also a divisive political one. Each Region has its own parliament, with the parliaments of the Flemish and Walloon Regions also representing those of Flemish or Walloon identity within the Brussels-Capital Region. Public institutions in Brussels therefore often offer a bewildering complexity.

What does this have to do with Connemara Ponies?

• The Connemara, as it does in so many different countries and climes around the world, is doing quite well in Belgium too. There is a Belgian Connemara Pony Society that only last year touted the success of the 14.1hh mare D’Jill in becoming the first European pony to win the British Society’s Performance Awards
• The Belgian Society, however, became identified by breeders from the Walloon Region as being predominantly representative of the more northern, Flemish, breeders and ponies.





• As a result of this, the Belgium ASBL Connemara Pony Association (BCPA) was founded in 2005 and was recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Walloon Region.
• The BCPA are not yet a member of the International Committee of Connemara Pony Societies.
• The BCPA have been successful in organising their own shows and inspections over the intervening years, and keeps its own stud book.
• Click on the the thumbnails below to have a closer look at Davidoff and Chamade de Renival, to ponies bred by Antoine Rens, one of the leading lights of the BCPA.

Davidoff de Renival

Chamade de Renival