Woodstock, VT: The rain went away and it was a beautiful day for the Region 1 show at the newly remodeled Green Mountain Horse Association’s complex. Seventy plus ponies turned up to strut their stuff, the most for any region show so far this year. In the mare championship class Tower Hill Breeze (* Kilfenora Windy Isles X Tower Hill’s Kathleen [by Chiltern Copa]), owned by Sally Oxnard was the champion with Gloria La Croix’s Folklore Grainne (*Kilfenora Windy Isles X Folklore Honor Larkin [by Tre Awain Cavan O’Connor]) the reserve. In the stallion championship *Coral Bobby (Coral Dun X Sandy Dawn) was the champion with Ripleigh-Go-Bragh (Hideaway’s Erin-Go-Bragh X Tre Awain Toura Loura) in reserve. The champion gelding was Bantry Bay’s Kenny (Concord River Clipper X Bantry Bay’s Dr. Rose) with Cybatina Cian O’Cham (*Annilaun Oscar X Concord River Chamois) in reserve. The Grand Champion was Tower Hill’s Breeze with Coral Bobby in reserve. A complete report will appear in the American Connemara. (Photo credit to Donna Duckworth)

Woodstock, Vt: On the Sunday with the show still going apace, inspections were held. Inspectors were Donna Duckworth, Marynell Eyles, Kathy Sparks, and Joanie Webster. Coral Bobby (Coral Dun X Sandy Dawn), champion stallion of the show, was made a Premium stallion while *Smokey Valley (Glenvalley Grey X Smokey Aine) achieved Premium mare status. Many other ponies were approved.

Woodstock , Vt: On Saturday night after the show an awards banquet was held. Robin Groves, who is heading to Poland for the World Driving Championships with the half bred Thor’s Toy Truck, gave a talk about Thor’s unlikely career. She said that Thor ran wild with a herd of Saddlebreds until he was 5 when he caught the eye of Lana Wright. He was sent to Robin for training, but Robin said he had NO brakes and NO steering…she advised that he be sent back before he killed someone! She was prevailed upon to persevere, however, and in 2007 Thor became the National Singles Champion. And now he is going to Poland as one of only four US horses.

Fairhill, Md: Julie Skaife has sent the following report from her new home in Maryland where she recently won her division at the Fair Hills Horse Trials. “ I was finally inspired to say hello to old friends back in CA and Karen Vicencio was keen for me to share with you the recent success I've had with my mare Sassy, whom she bred (MGRM Brigadoon x Sis Q Glamer [TB]). Life has been non-stop since we moved to Maryland from CA. It has been almost two years now and I can't believe how time has flown by. The
first year was dominated with the stress of selling our home in CA, my husband looking for a job so he could come out and join me, then house hunting for the right home here and finally settling into our new jobs. For all those in California I am sorry to say that I don't miss it one bit......green grass.....enough said, LOL! So the last two years I've been mostly trail riding with Sassy, I board her right next to Fairhill and the trail system is fabulous!Finally feeling settled this year I was keen to get back out there and compete. After riding on the buckle it was harder than I expected to get our dressage form back, those old habits had crept back in. But my trainer whipped us into shape and, excited about the upcoming season, I pulled out the omnibus and planned my whole competitive schedule. We had a schooling show planned in May and two USDF shows in June, our goal was to get our USDF All Breeds at First Level. However, when I was loading my trailer to go to the schooling show I discovered my dressage saddle stolen! Ha - my planning did not account for this! All of us have been through the saddle fitting trauma and I can't tell you the drama I had finding this saddle, so I was devastated to discover it stolen. Plus I can't afford a new one....but long story short (that is what credit cards are for) and after trying lots of used saddles I bit the bullet and indulged myself in my first ever new saddle. But I was to wait 2 months for it to be made...and I'm still waiting. We did make it to one of the USDF shows in a borrowed saddle but it just didn't feel the same and so I decided to wait until my new saddle came in before we resumed any recognized dressage. Instead I thought we'd have a go at eventing, particularly since we are in such fine event country and after all that is what I bought her for in the first place. We had a blast on our first cross country schooling and so I made myself a new competition schedule (I can't help myself..I have to have a plan!). Our debut at Beginner Novice at Fairhill was so much fun and we should have won had it not been for the fact that Sassy ran off with me x-country after fence #3 and ran right past #4. Obviously way too excited about galloping and jumping - her two favorite things - at the same time! With more brakes we were better prepared in July and won at Fairhill on our dressage score 31.5.” Julie would like to hear from Connemara owners in Maryland to plan a group trail ride at Fairhill.

Bloomfield, In: Foal reports are still trickling in! Erin Lemrow of Willow Run Connemaras reports the following: “Firstly a gorgeous filly foal, Rosewood's Rathfridagh, by Willow Boy (Chiltern Colm X Sillbridge Miranda[by Thunderbolt]) and out of Rosewood's Twilight (M.G.R.M. Brigadoon x Tintern Rosalynn Robuck[ by *Tulira Robuck]) was born at Darian Hall’s Rosewood Connemaras in California this July. AND I was so surprised and tickled to find a CHESTNUT filly foal with chrome born to our own Tower Hill's Cailin (Chiltern Copa X Tower Hill’s Megan [by Tower Hill’s Skibbereen]), also by our stallion Willow Boy. We have named this flashy RED filly, Willow's Ballykiss Angel after my favorite TV programme. All in all it has been a hot, but rewarding summer.”

Alachua, Fl: And on a cool August night at Balmullo Farm, Ruby, Percheron mare owned by Vanessa Morgan, gave birth to Balmullo’s Wondy Pierre, sired by Balmullo’s Liffey Lad (C.R. Roaringwater Bay X Balmullo’s Miss Emma [by Aladdin]), now a gelding.

Wondy was sired during Laddie’s salad days when he jumped a fence into the mare pasture and managed to find a way to breed Ruby.