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? News from all over the world is welcome. Email Donna Duckworth with the details and any photos to connemaras@windstream.net. Show results, results of inspections, new foals or unusual adventures especially welcome! The sire and dam of any ponies should be included. Please note that any professional photos must be accompanied by a photographer's release before they can be used.

Raleigh, NC: At the North Carolina State Fair there was a Connemara Division for the first time ever on the weekend of October 18. Entrants came from as far away as Florida for this USEF recognized event. Results were as follows:

Purebred Mares, 3 and over:
1) Oakfields Hazel Sparrow (*Hearnesbrook Dunoon x Oakfields Maria
Sparrow), owned by Susan McConnell.
2) Oakfields Diamond (Kingstown Joe X *Templebready Ruby), owned by Susan McConnell.
3) Seaborne’s Dory (Seaborne’s Schooner X Aladdin’s Delaney), owned by Denise Hill.
4) Oakfields Fuchsia (*Hearnesbrook Dunoon X *Aille Freesia), owned by Susan McConnell
5) Seaborne’s Telltale (Seaborne’s Schooner X Aladdin’s Delaney), owned by Denise Hill.
6) Seaborne’s Jamaica Bay ( Seaborne’s Flagship X Bergerac’s Taneishta Rig), owned by Denise Hill.

In the Halfbred Mares, 3 and over, Seaborne’s Nautica (Seaborne’s Schooner X TB) took first place. She is owned by Denise Hill.

In the Purebred Colts or Geldings, 3 and over, the results were as follows:

1) Seaborne’s Schooner ( Balius Brannigan X Hideaway’s Greystone Covergirl), owned by Denise Hill.
2) Conneleigh Kevin McMor ( Greystone Dallen McMor X Conneleigh Lucy McNell), owned by Leslie Presson.
3) Kyldeere’s Killybegs (*Kilfenora Windy Isles X Aluinn Torrence), owned by Allen Jorsey.

In the Halfbred Colts or Geldings, 3 and over, Seaborne’s Mariner (Seaborne’s Schooner X TB) was in first place while Kynynmont O’Quinn was in second.

Oakfields Hazel Sparrow was the Division champion, with Oakfields Diamond the Reserve. Allen Jorsey, who was on the cover of the last American Connemara, won the Connemara Costume class with Killybegs.

In the ridden classes, Oakfield’s Fuchsia swept the winning spots, taking the blue in Connemara Over Fences, 2-2’6, Connemara Hunter Hack and Connemara Under Saddle. *Kilfenora Rosie O’Day (Windy Day X Kilfenora Rose) was second in all. She is owned by Denise Hill. Jamaica Bay was third in the Connemara Over Fences, but Hazel Sparrow was third in the other two. Hazel Sparrow was forth in the Connemara Over Fences while Seaborne’s Telltale was forth in the Hunter Hack and Under Saddle classes, and fifth in the Connemara Over Fences.

Washington, DC: The get of the late Connemara stallion, Greystone Ian McVai, have excelled at the Washington International Horse Show Local weekend which took place October 17-19 at the Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Qualifying classes for the WIHS Local Finals at the Verizon Center as well as the invitational USEF Zone 3 Childrens & Adult Finals were offered. Get of the late Connemara stallion Greystone Ian McVai consistently demonstrated the talent and temperament that he passed on to his offspring.

In the Local Pony classes, the half-Connemara Cedar Spring Erin McVai and rider Jessica Chappell captured the Championship in one of the Large Pony sections, winning a first and second Over Fences and fourth Under Saddle. The six year old bay mare’s full brother Cedar Spring McDreamy carried owner Maggie Pollard to the blue in the Medium Pony Under Saddle class. These two ponies are by Ian out of the Welsh mare Cymraeg Rain Or Shine.

In the USEF Zone 3 Large Childrens Pony Finals, Prom Night distinguished himself by winning the first Over Fences class with owner Claudia Fass and being named Reserve Champion. Also by Ian, he is out of Spring Fever, she being by the imported Connemara *Bobby Brown. The second Over Fences class was captured by Wellen Golden Glory with owner Peyton Smith up. A half Connemara, this Ian daughter is out of Good As Gold, a crossbred daughter of Cymraeg Rain Or Shine. Also showing his jumping talent, Cedar Spring McDreamy placed second and fourth in the Medium Childrens Pony Over Fences classes.

Berryville, Va: Deb Norman is a new member of the ACPS Board of Governors. She has owned Connemaras for about 20 years beginning when she lived in Louisiana. She and her husband, David, own Glendale Farm in Virginia. She sent the following report of a trail ride arranged with Julie Skaife. Julie recently was in the ACPS news of 8/31/08. Deb says, “The call went out to Connemara trail riders in Region 3. With the marriage of our youngest daughter behind us and the empty nest upon us, David and I promised each other that we were going to have more fun. This ride seemed like a perfect opportunity.

We emailed Julie, the leader of this adventure, and after much planning we decided to make the Fairhill International Event our October trail ride weekend. We could trail ride AND watch some of our country’s best riders navigate the 2 and 3 star event course. Neither activity was to disappoint. Julie and her husband Justin invited us to stay with them in their elegant 1850’s Herndon Farm. So we packed up our duds and our ponies on Friday and arrived at Julie’s barn just in time to settle them in for the evening and to head for dinner on the water near their home in Cecilton, MD. We got a grand tour of the area, its history, their lovely home and their two sight hounds. We were off to a stellar start.

The next morning we rose early so that we could fit in all of our plans. Julie’s barn was literally across the road from the Fairhill trails. She led us on a very invigorating 3 hour trail ride on her energetic Connemara cross mare, H. K. Sassy Pants who is by M.G. R. M. Brigadoon. Sassy is well named and it was said more than once that Sassy is a “goer”. I rode Sailor, a half bred by the TB, Rockpoint, out of Sandy Creek’s Lovely Cara who is by Lasrachai. David rode his big Irish horse, Patrick. We rode for miles on the most beautiful trails, across wide open fields perfect for galloping, over wooden bridges, over bridges that crossed main highways (that is an exciting first time experience), over bridges that crossed rivers, through giant culverts, through streams. We, like our ponies, did it all. And Sassy and Julie never slacked the pace. It was so much fun. Eventually we got back to the barn and poured ourselves off of our horses and headed for the Fairhill International. The weather could not have been more perfect or the course more beautiful. We ran into old friends, one of which was Carol Kozlowski, Erin Go Bragh’s partner. We ate delicious and usually forbidden fair food, watched dog agility trials and tramped all over the cross -country course with our four dogs. (We had brought a couple of our own to add to the mix). We had the opportunity to see some of our best riders sail over the huge obstacles. Bruce Davidson was even out for a rare appearance.

Sunday dawned bright and cold and we had a fairly lazy morning before our last “much shorter” two hour ride. Julie and Sassy took us to the Fairhill course so that we could get a good look at what it would be like to actually jump one of those gigantic fences. No thanks! We packed up our tired ponies and said our farewells to our most gracious hosts and headed south. We talked all the way home of our adventures, our challenges, our new experiences, and our new friends. We decided that having more fun was a very good idea and we vowed to stick with that plan.”

Colville, WA: Kelsie Staeheli, of Jolley Firline Farm, who has been banned from the barn for some months due to a back injury, finally also got to go for a little ride. Kelsi says, “ …after months of not handling the ponies because the doctor didn't think I should with my protruding disc, the pain had not slowed down and I hit bottom missing the ponies and hurting anyway. So I grabbed the saddle and my two and four legged friends and we rode. It was the first thing I've done in 6 months that did not hurt. It was such a wonderful trail ride, also the first time I've gotten to ride Bien Mallin's Legacy (Landgate Holy Smoke x Bar S Heather ) since purchasing her from Devon Ridge Farms two years ago!” Note: Bar S Heather was the winner of the Broodmare Award given by the ACPS in 2008.

Leetonia, OH: Jill McNicol sent this photo of her daughter’s riding lesson. Meg is aboard Loughin’s Dream Catcher aka Cat (Windy Isles X Balius Miakoda). Cat is in foal to Erin Terra’s Dream On (Fiddler's Sparrow McDaire X Erin Terra's Dare to Dream).

Tryon, N.C: Alice Kraebber reports that one of her ponies, Oakfield's MacInnis, has been on the popular television show, “The Biggest Loser”. No, the pony was not the loser but appeared nonetheless. Alice says, “Several of our ponies are involved in TROT(Therapeutic Riding of Tryon) held next door at FENCE (Foothills Equestrian Nature Center), A member of NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped), the TROT program teaches exercise and games to help strengthen muscles, hand and eye coordination and self esteem. This Premier Accredited equine-assisted therapy improves the lives of those with cognitive, emotional and physical disabilities. MacInnis was featured in a therapeutic session with the autistic son of one of the show's contestants.” Alice also said that they are very proud that MacInnis continues to fulfill the lives of those he touches.

Bremen, Germany: May Reimann of Hohnhorst Stud reports that Hohnhorst Jaro (Hesselbjerggard Justice X Norlunds Madigan [by Tootle U]) was recently inspected and is now licensed as a breeding stallion for both Connemaras and German Riding Ponies.

The inspection took place in Verden, under the auspices of the Hanoveranian Pony Breeding Society.

Jaro is the half brother to several ponies in the US and Canada bearing the Hohnhorst prefix.

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