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.

Vashon, WA: Jasmine, a Connemara/TB by Loyal Pal (TB) out of Aladdin's Iris (Aladdin X Tre Awain Cricket Song [by Tourbillon]) who is owned and evented by Fran O’Reilly has earned Horse of the Year in Area VII. Jasmine won two training level events of which one was a training level 3-day. She won that one on her dressage score of 22.5.

In four outings at Preliminary she won two and was second twice, earning her the honor.

Annandale, NJ: Laura Gurreri has sent a photo of her half-bred, Finn Again. The photo was taken at the Essex Hunter Pace and Finn Again is the big one in the middle. Finn is by Stonybrook Finn McCool (Balius Rhyddspence X Tower Hills Eoghan) and out of a 16.2 hand TB mare. Laura says he is a wonderful horse. Although now gelded, Finn McCool is also the sire of Windy Ridge’s A. J. McCool, who shows as Little Heaven on the pony hunter A circuit. Finn McCool is unusual for a Connemara as they are often one owner ponies…people buy them and realize how wonderful they are and never sell them. Finn McCool had many owners, however, although he is now happily settled in New York with Bliss Siman. Joanie Webster wrote his history for Laura when she acquired Finn Again. The following is some of what Joanie said. “ Finn McCool was originally sold to Wendy Arbuszewski as a breeding stallion. Wendy sold him to a couple in Georgia, the Andersons. However, they divorced and I heard that Finn had been gelded. I lost touch with Finn for a number of years. Then in 1996 I received a phone call from Ann S. Hart, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, asking me if I might be connected to the Connemara gelding, Stonybrook Finn MacCool! She reported that she and her daughter had found him in not very good condition, for sale, in Georgia. In addition to poor condition, he was lame, so she was attempting to find out as much background information on the pony as she could. His lameness, fortunately, was transitory, (which pre-purchase x-rays indicated likely). The Harts, mother Ann and daughter Stephanie, rode him in dressage, hunters, and horse trials, with great success; they loved him! Ann wrote me that ‘Stephanie and Finn won many ribbons together, as well as two year-end Junior Young Rider Awards in 1997 and 1998 from the Gold Coast Dressage Association and a 1998 Bronze Medallion from the ACPS in Hunters.’ Sadly, Stephanie eventually lost interest in Finn--and riding, in general--when she developed severe asthma/allergies and lost her riding coach to cancer. Ann continued to ride and show Finn occasionally, through Third Level dressage. In 2002 I received an e-mail from Bliss Siman. She had been looking for several years for the perfect Connemara pony for herself and had spotted Stonybrook Finn MacCool on a performance horse website in South Carolina! He seemed to be everything she wanted for her dressage interest… Bert Linder and Bliss purchased him in July, 2002, and brought him to their Timbrel Farm in Warwick, NY where he is to this day.”

Alachua, Fl: Deb Norman, new member of the ACPS Board of Governors, recently travelled to Florida for a visit to her stallion, Fernville Matchmaker, who is at Balmullo Farm for the year.

Deb took Matchmaker on his first ever trail ride and said he was fabulous!!

Colville, WA: Kelsie Staeheli of Jolley Fir Line Farms sent the following report. “JFL Finoxen Wind (Wildwych Strider x Wintermist Mountain Charm ) at 10 months old went on his first trailer ride like a pro to his new home. The Balsz family of Evans, Washington are very pleased with their new boy. Mom Jenny said her six-year-old daughter ate Cheetos in the trailer with her newly named pony (she calls him Spotted ), while mom got the pen ready for him. Jenny said Fin/Spotted made it known fast that he was boss of the new herd and made a new friend , all while in the round pen with the horses outside it. Pictures will be taken when the weather is better and all don't have winter coats--people included. Jenny is excited to have JFL Finoxen Wind for her daughter to grow up with.”

Bloomfield, IN: Erin Lemrow writes the following regarding their new mare. “We are entirely ecstatic and grateful to welcome to our farm, Shammer Gypsy
Queen (Ballinaboy Eamon X Kingstown Brigid [by Mervyn Kingsmill]). Finally a dream come true, a DUN beauty and a daughter of *Ballinaboy Eamon previously of Maureen Loughman Abel's sunny ranch in Okeechobee Florida--one of the most beautiful places on Earth! Blessings and thanks to Leigh Ellen Ertle of Big Bear Farm for allowing us to welcome her here to Indiana.” Her photo can be found here: http://willowrunconnemaras.com/

Galway, Ireland: Karen Vicencio has been given a 19-year-old Lippizaner stallion who she plans to breed to several Connemara mares. Karen says, “He's about 15.2. His name is Siglavy Dubovina, Duggy for short. I rode him today. OH MY GOD! I've ridden hundreds and hundreds of horses over the years, including some top dressage horses. None of them felt like this! Loads of suspension, but natural collection. He's terribly out of shape, hasn't been ridden in a year, and he still popped right into piaffe and passage when I asked for it. I don't ride well enough to ride him really, I'm going to have to get some lessons!” The crosses should be interesting!

South Black Forest, Germany: Snow photos are still coming in. This beautiful one is from Elke Bader in Germany. It is Vanity Fair (Bengt X Pilgaard’s Vogue). Elke says, “Vanity is a true champion as she has proved her stunning quality with overall championships, championships and 1st prizes in native Connemara breed shows and additionally against all breeds and within performance breed shows and riding competitions. It is this combination of diverging championships scored by numerous different Irish and German judges that makes her so outstanding within the champion’s league. But what is most important for us is her impeccable temperament with which she is going to be an excellent babysitter for our daughter - teaching her ‘pony’ things in a most kind and friendly way with unbelievable patience.”

Taylorsville, NC: Sue Holland sends this photo of Tullymor’s Shandora (Fieldstream Riley X Tully’s Twinkle Too) enjoying the recent snow in North Carolina.

Richmond, VA: And Alexandra Duckworth sends this photo of Chesapeake Bay (Concord River Roaringwater Bay X TB) in his first ever snowfall.

Interesting Web Sites: If you aren’t acquainted with the All Breed Pedigree site, have a look at

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/

Type in your favorite Connemara’s name and see a 5-generation pedigree. If you don’t have a favorite try Castle Urchin, a many times winner at Clifden.

And if you have a grey pony you will likely learn about melanomas at some point. The following site provides some of the latest information on the relationship between graying and melanomas.

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/08/premature_hair_graying_in_hors.php

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