Pony Profiles: Custusha’s Cashel Rock

Rocky won both the An Tostal and Camlin Trophies in his distinguished career and earned gold medallions from the American Connemara Pony Society in Hunter, Jumper, Dressage and Combined Training. He was the Champion Connemara in-hand at Woodstock in 1977, 1978 and 1979 and in open competition he won championships from the Washington State Horseman’s Council in Dressage, Adult Amateur Hunter and Jumper, and Small and Working Hunter.

A large crowd assembled for Rocky’s retirement ceremony in 1993 at the West Coast Connemara Show. He was preceded in the amphitheater by a stallion parade of all the stallions present at the show, followed by thirteen of Rocky’s get. Rocky entered the ring ridden by trainer/handler Connie Tuor. Elizabeth Hadley, his groom of seven years, removed the saddle and a wreath of carnations in white, green and orange, the colors of the Irish flag, was placed around his neck and he made his last pass around the ring while a bagpiper in dress clan attire played strains from traditional Irish music and piped Rocky from the arena to the strains of “Amazing Grace.”

Rocky has been immortalized as the model for the 1990 Breyer horse, “Rocky, Champion Connemara Stallion.”