Hidden Haven Show

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Published: June 15, 2015

Richmond, VA:  At the Hidden Haven show on June 14 at Pole Green Park in Richmond, two offspring of Concord River Roaringwater Bay (Whitewood Galway Bay X Lynnfield’s Proud Hope) did themselves proud.  Balmullo’s Liffey Lad (Roaringwater Bay X Balmullo’s Miss Emma) was the champion of the short stirrup equitation division, and reserve champion short stirrup hunter.  He was ridden by Alyssa Parker.  His half sister Balmullo’s Uproar, (Roaringwater Bay X Wildwych Clio) was the champion of the Maiden Hunter Division.  She was ridden by Lulu Malinowski.  Roaringwater Bay has produced several nice hunter ponies, most notably Ooh La La (registered name, Balmullo’s Azalea [Custusha’s Cashel Rock X Courtney’s April Frolic]), who was tenth at the Pony finals in 2007.

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New Foals in Canada

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Published: June 15, 2015

Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada: Lots of new foals have appeared lately but this photo from Janet Rowe of Muskoka Lakes Connemaras is surely the most endearing. It is the colt foal of MLC Irish Solstice by Morning Glory’s Ilyushin. It was taken when he was one day old. Janet MAY take the prize for the most foals this year in North America with 4. 

Region IV Annual Show

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Published: June 15, 2015

Cleveland, TN: Region IV of the ACPS held its annual show the weekend of June 5 at the Tri-State Exhibition Center in Cleveland, Tennessee. The show was held in conjunction with the Smokey Mountain Horse Show Series and offered a large variety of hunter, jumper, dressage, combined training, trail, and driving in addition to the Connemara and Mountain and Moorland in-hand Classes. People came from all over the region as well as the Midwest with ponies in tow. And with so many classes for ponies of all ages and all levels of training it was a very fun show. It was a rare pony who went home without some accolade.

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Two New Purebred Fillies Born

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Published: April 27, 2015

Exeter, NH and Richmond, VA:  For much of the life of the American Connemara Pony Society some 100 foals were registered annually. However, for the last several years very few Connemara purebreds were born in the United States due, at least partly, to poor economic conditions. The numbers of purebred foals born is now slowly increasing, with two being born last week on the same day. Hopefully the numbers will be back in the 100’s before too long. Sally Oxnard of Paradox Connemara Farm in Exeter announces that the first Paradox filly in 4 years was born on 4/22. Paradox Cadence is by Aluinn Durango (Aladdin’s Denver X *Patty’s Meredith) out of Macbradaigh's Irish Whistle (Maplehurst Michael Macdaire X Elphin Kookaburra). She was delivered at TNT Equine Clinic in due to a placental infection in the mare. Sally says, however, that all is well now and that she thinks the filly is black like her grandsire, Aladdin's Denver.

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Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event

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Published: April 20, 2015

Lexington, KY:  All Connemara eyes will be on Lexington next weekend for the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event.  Sparrows’s Nio, a half Connemara by the legendary Grange FinnSparrow and ridden by Allie Blyksal- Sackson, will be competing at eventing’s highest level against 90 other riders including defending champion William Fox-Pitt and Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II of England. The field includes riders from nine countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, The Netherlands and USA.

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A Horse of a Different Color: Poppyfields Tristan

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Published: April 14, 2015

by Sally Spickard, via EventingNation

"A Horse of a Different Color" features horses and ponies that have been successful in the sport of eventing while representing a unique breed. Do you have a horse that you think would be a great feature subject? If so, email sally@eventingnation.com.

Katharine Stancliff and Poppyfields Tristan at FENCE. Photo courtesy of Nathan Stancliff. 

After years of riding lesson horses, Katharine Stancliff found herself frustrated with the lack of progress her riding was making. Living in Illinois at the time, Katharine decided that the time had come for her to have a horse of her own, so she mentioned the idea to her trainer.

As luck would have it, Katharine’s trainer had a new sales project that had just arrived. He was a 15.3, 8-year-old buckskin Connemara/Trakehner cross named Poppyfields Tristan with long lines of endurance blood coursing through his veins.

“I didn’t look at any other horses. I sat on him, and that was it,” Katharine recalled. “He’d just been a trail horse before, but he’d gone cross country schooling once and seemed to love it.”

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American Connemara Pony Society Adds Sporthorse Registry

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Published: April 14, 2015

by Beth Davidson, via EventingNation

The ¼ Connemara filly, Brambleridge Truth or Dare, at a recognized USEA FEH event in Georgia. Trudy is by the Thoroughbred stallion, Salute the Truth and out of a Halfbred mare by Grange Finn Sparrow.

There have been some recent changes at the American Connemara Pony Society. In addition to registering purebred Connemara ponies and half-bred Connemaras, the society has created a Connemara Sporthorse Registry.

For breeders concentrating on eventing and using Connemaras, half-bred Connemaras and part-bred Connemaras in their breeding programs, this development is fantastic news! Two years in the making, this registry was developed by the ACPS as a means to recognize the importance of the part bred or ¼ Connemara horses.

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New Foal

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Published: March 31, 2015

Plant City, Fl: Beth Davidson has announced the arrival of a half bred filly, Skye, by the TB stallion Artrageous. Happy mom is Loughin's Leighseach (Tre Awain Cavan O'Connor X Heaven’s Ridge Treasa ) This filly is a keeper for Beth’s daughter, who always wanted a filly by "her" pony and by a TB stallion.

Loughin's Leighseach (Tre Awain Cavan O'Connor) had her first half-bred for foal #5!  Welcome to Skye, by the Thoroughbred stallion, Artrageous. Super happy with this friendly baby!

All in the Family

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Published: March 31, 2015

Ocala, FL: Eliott Blackman has what is surely one of the most fun jobs in the Connemara world!! She trains and rides not one, but two, Connemaras stallions. Both were sired by the imported stallion, *Gunsmoke. WH Top Gun is out of Ballywhim Candace (by Greystone Dallen McMor) and is owned by Jim and Nancy Kilcrease. Foothill’s Field Marshall aka Bruiser is out of Foothill’s Maybee (by Aladdin). He is owned by Donna Duckworth. Eliott has been eventing both stallions for over three years now, and has taken both to the USEF eventing championships for the last two years. It is a rare weekend when either one or the other does not bring home a blue ribbon.

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First Foal of the Year

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Published: March 24, 2015

Browns Valley, CA:  The first foal of the year to be reported was born in California last week.  The mare, Redbud’s Titania (*ArdCeltic Art X *Glenormiston Amelia), was bred to the Holsteiner, Ciceras Icewater, and produced a chestnut colt.

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