Photo Courtesy American Connemara Pony Society

On two weekends at the end of June and beginning of July there were three United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)-recognized Connemara shows or divisions in USEF-recognized shows. On June 26, the West Coast Connemara Show was held in Pasa Robles, CA, and this year included a USEF- and United States Dressage Federation-recognized dressage show and a USEF-recognized in-hand breed show.

Marynell Eyles was the judge for the in-hand and performance classes. Lone Oak Aidan (Bantry Bay Dillon x Bien Mallin’s High Hope), champion mare, was the Supreme In-Hand Champion with Wildwych Eclipse (Glenormiston Flurry Knox x Wildwych Dreamtime), champion stallion, in Reserve.

The same weekend Chris Knox judged the Connemara division at the Warrenton Pony show in Virginia. The numbers were small in Warrenton, but what the entrants lacked in numbers, they made up for in quality and showmanship. Thurman Bramley (Landgate Bluebeard x Thurman Raven) and owner Barbara Byrd were awarded the new Shanagarry Farm Perpetual Trophy for purebred performance champion. And for the second year running, S.R. Diamonds for Diva, jointly owned by Rosemary Thomas and Marilyn Cheek and ridden by Caroline Shipe, won the Halfbred Performance Championship, narrowly beating Talari's Junior McVai, owned and ridden by Riley Moore, who was reserve. Both halfbreds were sired by Greystone Ian McVai and were out of Thoroughbred mares.



Last, but certainly not least, 18 purebred and halfbred Connemara ponies participated in the inaugural Connemara division at the recognized USEF Northeastern Welsh “Ponies on the Hudson” Show on July 2. The division was judged by Eyles. The Champion Connemara In-Hand went to Ripleigh Go Bragh (Hideaway’s Erin Go Bragh x Tre Awain Toura Loura), owned by Renee Vaughan. Reserve went to Tower Hill’s Breeze (Kilfenora Windy Isles x Tower Hill’s Kathleen) owned by Sally Oxnard. The winning halfbred mare was Ivydell Prudence (Balius Turlough x an Arabian) owned by Paulette Moak, and the winning halfbred gelding was Bantry Bay Michael (Bantry Bay Archie x a Thoroughbred), owned by Candy Verhulst.