By Galen McBride

For Connemara breeders, one of the summer’s highlights is the Region III Connemara Pony Society’s annual futurity and show held under the spreading oaks at Glenwood Park in Middleburg. This year, however, from Aug. 4-6, the members of Region III (Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia, and North Carolina) enjoyed the honor of hosting their parent club’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. More than 200 attendees and 100 ponies from 26 states and five countries participated.

Susan Rinehart’s committee began working on the project even before the 2005 Region III show was over and their efforts clearly paid off. The extravaganza featured three days of demonstrations, clinics, exhibitions, and educational hands-on clinics highlighting the versatility and athleticism of the Connemara pony.

On Sunday, spectators were treated to a Stallion Parade that brought 17 top representatives of the breed, from as far away as California. Two of these, Cashel’s Rock of Ages and the imported *Sydserff Avalon, both owned by Kathy Lucas of Gately Farm, Orange, Calif., performed a pas de deux on the flat and over fences which left the audience spellbound. Courtney Yeager on Shammer Jack presented another dressage exhibition with a beautifully executed musical freestyle.

Imported Connemara stallion *Gun Smoke struts in the stallion parade.
Gunsmoke is owned by Vanessa & Charlie Morgan of Foothills Farm in Athens Tennessee.
Photo courtesy Marilyn Cheek.

Of the many superb stallions exhibited in the Stallion Parade, the imported *Gun Smoke attracted special attention. A 14-year old, 15h. buckskin, *Gun Smoke was bred in Ireland, where he was inspected and approved as a breeding stallion. The Clifden winner received the highest marks of all Connemara stallions presented the year he was performance-tested as a four-year old. He currently stands at Amethyst Acres in Buchanan, VA.

Costume Classes and Fun for Everyone

The younger set enjoyed a variety of performance classes and gymkhana games, including Marian McEvilly’s trick pony stallion, Patty’s Look at Me. Only a 3-year old, Look at Me is already an accomplished showman and a fine ambassador for his breed.

Ponies exhibited in the Costume Class - a hallmark of every Region III show - provided a first hand look at the famous Connemara temperament. Covered with clambering kids and complicated costumes, the ponies bravely plodded on, apparently enjoying every minute. Sam Davis’ *Callowfeenish Thunder (Thunderbolt x Callowfeenish Coleen) has been at it for more than 20 years, with each costume more elaborate than the last. This year, decked out as a fishing boat filled with children, "Torr" got a standing ovation.

The granddaddy of costume ponies, Sam Davis' Callowfeenish Thunder,
became a fishing boat for the Gala. Photo courtesy Marilyn Cheek.

Another immensely ambitious costume was Pat and Judy Brescia’s reprise of last year’s "St. George and The Dragon." Pat appeared in full, authentic Medieval armor, astride his war charger, purebred gelding Blue Ridge Dulaney. On the ground, waiting to be rescued, was Judy "The Damsel" Brescia leading a smitten "Dragon." A.K.A. Blue Ridge Conor Larkin, who normally holes up in his cave in Lovettsville.

Pat Brescia of Lovettsville reprises his St. George costume on
Blue Ridge Dulaney. Photo courtesy Marilyn Cheek.

Participants agreed that the clinics provided outstanding learning experiences for breeders and exhibitors. Some, such as Frances O’Reilly’s class on dressage for eventers, were geared specifically to Connemaras; others, like Carol Noggins’ display and seminar on poisonous plants, had value for every horseman. Attendees universally praised Canadian Judy Wardrope’s workshop and demonstration on functional conformation, describing it as "the one that everyone should see."

Tracy Morgan, internationally successful combined driving competitor, offered a seminar on hitching and driving singles, pairs and more complex hitches.

Louise Mellon's team from Aiken, SC, demonstrate a unicorn hitch
of three Connemaras. Photo courtesy Marilyn Cheek.

Allison Stroud, Muffy Seaton, Kathy Sparks, Sam Davis, and Louise Mellon all brought their ponies to assist in the demos. Spectators especially appreciated Mellon’s unicorn team of matched greys. Morgan commented that the lead pony, Silver Lining, had to be “absolutely fearless” because younger, less experienced ponies would follow his example. “Driving a unicorn is much more difficult than any other. It’s a real feat of horsemanship,” she observed. The team was driven by Vance Coulthard.

STEP RIGHT UP: Hayselden Perseus, Connemara stallion owned by Sam Davis of Front Royal, VA, winner of the Upperville Carriage Grand Prix in 2004 and reserve in 2005, with Phil Knox as whip at the American Connemara Pony Society's 50th anniversary celebration. Photo courtesy Anne C. Hindman.

Sam Davis brought her lovely dark dun stallion *Hayselden Perseus to the celebration. He was exhibited on Sunday in harness, driven by Phil Knox who came all the way from Chesterfield, ID. Muffy Seaton, who moved to Aiken, SC, a few years ago, brought her young driving stallion, Morning Glory’s Ilyushin for the demonstration.

The 50th Anniversary event also hosted the annual ACPS awards presentation. In a ceremony at the Gala Dinner held Saturday evening, Catherine Mack was honored with the APCS Crestwood Service Award, presented by last year’s winner, Anne Frey. As one of the foundation American breeders, Mack is considered a “grande dame” of the breed and one of its staunchest supporters. The award recognizes an “individual’s lifetime efforts on behalf of the Society and towards improving the breed,” explained Katherine Wilkins of Blue Ridge Farm. “It’s like being inducted into the Connemara Hall of Fame.”

“For once in my life,” said Mack, choking up, “I was speechless.”

The ACPS Hall of Fame Performance Awards were presented by Mary Delton. *Canal Laurinston, owned by Joanie Webster, won the An Tostal; Ballywhim Merrianne, owned by Haley Jacobi, won the Camlin; and Hideaway’s Flicker, owned by Kathy Mathers, won the Halfbred. Pat Norton-White presented the Annual Breeding Awards. The *Tooreen Laddie and the Broodmare awards went to Greystone Dallen McMor, owned by Leslie Presson, and *Coosheen Penny Royal, owned by Leigh Ellen Roberts, respectively.

Culpeper residents Justine Weaver (L)on Sycamore Ridge St. Chelian and Caitlin Shipe (R) on Sycamore Ridge Irish Liberty in the Crepe Paper Pairs game.
Photo courtesy Marilyn Cheek.

Other special dignitaries recognized Sunday afternoon were D. J. Moore of Tre Awain Connemaras, St. Charles, MO, and Maggie Ohrstrom Bryant of Locust Hill Farm, Middleburg, introduced as an ACPS Founder. In the mid-1950's, Bryant imported many of the first Connemaras to the US and bred the first two Connemara foals ever to be born here, Whitewood Irish Adam and Whitewood Irish Eve. Her dream of a national society has come of age. One of the outstanding stallions in the Stallion Parade, Gun Smoke, traces back to the Bryant’s foundation imports.

Along with the many American breeders and exhibitors at the Celebration, there was a sizeable Canadian and UK contingent. The famed Connemara author Pat Lyne brought her latest book, As I See It, which sold out almost immediately.

Two competitors awaiting a games class.
Photo courtesy Marilyn Cheek.

Tom MacLochlainn, President of the [Irish] Connemara Pony Breeders Society, also attended, in part to share the ICPBS’s offical approval of the new Canadian Connemara Pony Society. MacLochlainn served as a judge last year for the Region III show. He said, “I come here to America to get ideas for our own show back home. Americans place so much more emphasis on performance in their horses, and they are also maintaining the colors in the breed. Almost all Connemaras in Ireland now are greys.”

Many of the foreign visitors were particularly interested in the ACPS’s inspection process. Ponies at four Virginia farms were inspected on Monday, Aug. 7, by a team dispatched to the region. The inspection process continues to evolve as time goes on and breeders become more comfortable with it. The new Canadian group will also be establishing a similar program to meet the Irish and EU clubs’ requirements.