Welcome to the American Connemara Pony Society Web Site

Do you have news about your Connemara that you would like to share with other ACPS members? Email Donna Duckworth with the details and any photos to duckwort@mgm.ufl.edu. Show results, results of inspections, new foals or unusual adventures especially welcome! Please note that any professional photos must be accompanied by a photographer's release before they can be used.

Cincinnatti, Ohio: The ACPS Board of Governors met on the weekend of January 17 with Sally Oxnard presiding. This semiannual meeting is always held in January in conjunction with the USEF annual convention. Highlights were the USEF Welsh-Connemara Committee meeting, chaired by Connemara breeder Susan McConnell, and the Horse of the Year Awards Banquet. At the very festive HOY Banquet two ACPS awards were given. The first, the McKenna Trophy, goes to the USEF high point eventing Connemara in the US, a purebred or halfbred. For 2008 it went to Take Time (Hideaway's Erin Go Bragh x TB mare), ridden by Carol Kozlowski and owned by Lynn Blades of NY. The Clifden Trophy goes to the USEF High Point Connemara Pony Hunter, purebred or halfbred. This year the award went to First Kiss aka Glynmary May Morning (Loughmor Aran x Sweet May du Langwater), ridden by Kevin and Ryan Sassmanshausen and owned by Micaela Kennedy of Missouri.

Inspections for 2009 were discussed by the Board and it was indicated that there would likely be enough ponies to hold inspections in California (in June with the WCCS), Vermont (in August with the Region 1 show), Pennsylvania in September, and at the annual meeting. The annual meeting will be held from October 1-4 in Fair Lawn, Ohio.

The problem of spam on our website was also discussed and to fix the problem new software has been installed and a new Classifieds section has been formatted. The new Classifieds can be accessed by clicking the Classifieds link on the home page. There is also a link to the old Classifieds system that will remain in place until the end of January while ads are transferred.

Gainesville, Fl: The first Connemara of the year has arrived! Dr. Jackie Cassanova reports that Balmullo’s Aoife (C. R. Roaringwater Bay X Balmullo’s Miss Emma [by Aladdin]) delivered a colt foal on a very chilly January 15.

Sire was Balmullo’s Stormy Weather (Seven Hills Grey Ghost X Courtney’s April Frolic [by Custusha’s Cashel Rock]).

Dr. Cassanova is a small animal veterinarian in Gainesville. For now they are calling the colt Henry, Henry Cassanova.

Atlanta, Ga: We also have a human baby to report. Michelle Haas has given birth to an 8-pound baby boy. Congratulations to Michelle on her new baby!

McDonald’s Corners, Ontario, Canada: Heather Sherratt reports that
Maplehurst Michael MacDaire aka Mick (Abbeyleix Bluebeard X Gilnocky Ard-Righ MacDaire) has been awarded Elite Stallion status by the Canadian Connemara Pony Society. Heather says, “ As part of our inspection program, the Canadian Connemara Pony Society has included an elite program for inspected stallions and premium mares. This program includes requirements for performance and progeny. The requirements for a premium mare are not as demanding as those for a stallion as it is recognized that it is more difficult for a mare to have a performance career as well as produce foals.

“The aims of the program are to encourage breeders and owners to take their ponies out in open competition, promote them as Connemaras and collect performance points, preferably in the society´s achievement awards program. We also hope to encourage owners to have their ponies inspected as the progeny requirement is for inspected offspring only. This is designed as a lifetime award that can take many years to achieve.

“In January 2009, Maplehurst Michael MacDaire was the first pony to achieve this award after his long career, both in performance and in the breeding shed. His successes in eventing, dressage and jumping met the requirements for a career spanning at least two disciplines, and his two inspected stallion sons and several daughters more than met the progeny requirements. Mick was a wonderful ambassador for the breed during his performance career and I would like to thank my daughter, Kirsten Scott, for all the time and work she put into training and competing him. They were a great partnership.

“We hope that more ponies will join this elite group in the next year or two. For more detailed information on the program requirements, see www.canadianconnemara.ca under the inspection program.”

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