Paradise, Texas: Heather Cable writes that she just arrived home from the Sunrise Ridge driving trial and had to brag about her pony. She says, “It’s only her second time to compete at a 3 phase event and she really showed improvement. We had torrential rain all day and night before the show and parts of the cones course was flooded as well as a formerly dry creek bed on the marathon course we had to cross.

Nina (Bluebonnet’s Divinity by Bien Mallin’s Little Ben out of a hunter schoolmaster Saltwater Taffy, a Quarab) had never been asked to cross running water before and did beautifully in the wet. We had the fastest time in all of Training Level in cones, and were as fast as or faster than those doing Prelim and Intermediate cones with only one ball down. In spite of a bad start in Dressage, me messing up the test, we received a 61% score, so 8 points better than last year.

The 5K marathon was a blast and my first time ‘gator and I got around with no eliminations, so we ended up first in Training Novice! The theme this year was “Paris in Springtime” and every Hazard on the marathon was a Parisian landmark. Hence the Eiffel Tower in the picture. Next time we are going to mount our “Connemara’s Do it All” bumper sticker on the back of the cart for some breed promotion.”

Grass Valley, CA: The Freeman Family of Free Rayn Hill celebrated St Patrick's Day in style. Leprechauns Emily and Grace visited all the Irish ponies. The mares in the Free Rayn herd, Hideaway's Irish Mist, Wildwych Valkyrie and Free Rayn Conundrum all felt the leprechauns were interesting .... but certainly not enough to interupt their afternoon of grazing.

Only Midsummer Knight - aka Seamus - truly appreciated the Leprechauns visit and posed for photos. He was mostly likely hoping they would buy him a carrot juice laced Guinness!

Harpursville, NY: The Region I & II Equine Affaire Breed Booth Committee Co-chairs, Dianne Crane (Region I) and Cindy Fletcher (Region II) are producing a 2008+ Calendar/Stallion Directory of the two regions' stallions. They hope to raise enough money from the sale of these "calendars" to make the Connemara Breed Booth at Equine Affaire in Springfield, MA self-sufficient. They feel it is important to the Connemara breed (and breeders) to keep a presence at EA and in Booth 2109 of the Breed Pavilion (their old familiar spot where everyone looking for the best ponies will know to look).

Stallion owners have been very enthusiastic about the project. In fact, they will be producing a 2008 calendar/directory with approximately 15 stallions participating. Each stallion, and his get (if he has any), will be showcased on his own pages with information regarding pedigree and contact information listed.

Their plan is to have the Calendar/Directory available for sale by May 1st. If you are interested in ordering, please send a check for $20.00 (plus $2.00 shipping) made out to Dianne Crane, ACPS to:

Cindy Fletcher
Hidden Meadow Farm
399 Welton Street
Harpursville, NY 13787

Please make sure to include your name and address for mailing purposes.

The Hague, Holland: The Dutch stallion inspections took place on April 1. Only seven stallions were presented but nonetheless, Inez Kooij is very pleased to announce that Easter van de Leliaard (Brimstone van Graaf Janshof [X Sticky] out of Easter Daisy [ X Ard Abalone]) was Champion for the 4th time in a row. In Holland stallions younger than 8 years old have to be inspected every year.

After that the judge can decide to give a license for 1 year, 3 years or for life. When they are 3 years old the stallion has to walk and trot on the "street" and in a riding ring. They also have to trot and gallop at liberty. Loose jumping is part of the selection too.

When they are 4 years old (or older if that's the first time they come for inspections) they also have to be ridden in either dressage and show jumping or be driven. The first time they get a license they also have to pass (simple) veterinarion examination.