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ACPS Inspections Aim to Improve Breed

By Galen McBride

Aug. 7, 2006 - The American Connemara Pony Society conducted four breed inspections in Virginia on Aug. 7, beginning at Katherine Wilkins’ Blue Ridge Farm near Rectortown, then moving on to Catherine Mack’s Aladdin Connemaras in The Plains. In the afternoon, the team visited two Charlottesville Farms, inspecting about 25 ponies in all.

Several Canadian breeders, intent on learning the ropes, attended the Blue Ridge inspection. The Irish Connemara Pony Breeders Society recently approved the establishment of a Canadian society that will also be required to conduct inspections.

Past ACPS President and Inspection Team Leader Kathy Sparks, an 11-year veteran of the process from Unionville, Ind., explained how the American inspection system has changed.

“There are about 3,500 Connemaras living in the US,” she said. “The first year we began inspections, we felt like we had to do everyone as quickly as we could. There were 50 marathon tours. Now, with about a third of the pony population inspected, we have evolved a more regionalized system that’s easier to work with.

“So far this year, there’s been a July inspection in California. From here in Virginia, we will go on to Pennsylvania in September, then the Northeast and Indiana in October.”

In order to preserve the integrity of the inspection process, the inspectors’ qualifications have to be top notch. Joan Webster, team member from California, pointed out that “the ACPS spent 12 years training people to do this job. Team members have been to Ireland, Scotland, France and Germany learning about the different aspects of the program and how the different countries interpret their standards.”

The original purpose of the inspection program was to encourage and educate breeders in properly interpreting the Connemara breed standard. Emphasis is placed on ensuring the continued recognizability, hardiness, serene temperament and world class athleticism of the Connemara pony.

The US is such a large country, with a wide variety of Connemara conformation “types,” that it was especially important for breeders to be able to understand and recognize for themselves what is considered “ideal.”

Two points constantly needing attention by breeders are maintaining true pony (versus horse) type, and size – which should be no greater than 14.2h at two years of age. Many outstanding American Connemaras end up 15h and over at maturity.

Initially, some ACPS members were concerned that American-bred ponies that didn’t adhere strictly to the Irish homeland type would be penalized or denied registration. But institution of a voluntary program offset those fears, while still providing the society with a means of preserving the breed’s basic pony characteristics.

“In America,” Sparks explains, “the situation is different from how the Irish conduct their inspections. The Irish require that a pony pass inspection before it can be entered into their stud book. Permanent registration papers aren’t issued until that point, so, in effect, only the inspected and registered ponies can be used for breeding.

“We have a two-tiered system that isn’t so restrictive. Every Connemara foal born in the US is eligible for registration through use of [DNA testing] and a Temporary Foal Certificate. We’ve established a separate stud book for the breeding stock. Because our program has always been voluntary, and likely will remain so, this encourages people to have their breeding stock inspected. So far, it’s working very well.”

During the early years of the program, the society issued International Passports for approved ponies, such as those used in Europe and the UK. Now, the US system employs a Gold Seal that is affixed directly to an approved pony’s registration certificate and travels with it from owner to owner throughout the pony’s life.

According to the society, “the first inspections were conducted by the president of the CPBS, Eamonn Hammon and his colleague, Dermot Power. American inspectors acted as team members, learning how the Irish Inspectors evaluated ponies, and sharing ideas of how best to communicate the need for an honest appraisal of breeding stock.”

European and UK inspectors evaluated their American counterparts’ ability to inspect their own stock and with the formalization of key policies relating to size and registration, the International Committee of Connemara Pony Societies (ICCPS) granted the ACPS membership status in September 2005.

The Premium Mare program, initiated the same year, is also paying dividends. Mares of exceptional quality and type, or mares who have produced outstanding foals are eligible. To be considered a Premium mare, mares, with or without foals at heel, are inspected at liberty in order for the inspectors to evaluate movement. If the mare scores “excellent” or “very good” in all four evaluation categories – type, temperament, conformation, and movement – she is awarded Premium status.

Registered foals of animals that are not approved in an inspection can become approved on their own merit. And any animal that is not approved, due to immaturity or lack of development, may be represented for inspection at a later date.

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