Winning ponies take centre stage at Clifden’s Connemara Pony Show

THERE will be a sense of bringing it all back home at the Connemara Pony Show in Clifden, Co Galway, on Thursday.

For the triumph of the breed at the recent European Pony Championships in Moorsele, Belgium, will be hailed in what is regarded as the traditional home of the Connemara.

Ballyowen Maybell Molly, owned by Anthony McCormack, Mullingar, and ridden by 16-year-old Kellie Allen from Kells, Co Meath, took gold in the individual show jumping.

This pair and another Connemara pony, Sillogue Darkie, owned by Eamonn Briscoe, Monasterboice, Co Louth, and ridden by 14-year-old Michael Duffy Turloughmore, Co Galway, also helped Ireland to the silver medal in the team event.

A total of 19 Connemara Ponies, representing countries from all over Europe, competed underlining the versatility of the breed.

Ballyown Maybell Mollie and Sillogue Darkie will be paraded at 1pm on Thursday at the Clifden Show where they are sure to be given a big reception.

More than 8,000 people are expected to attend the celebrated event which will have 23 in-hand classes and 10 ridden classes on the schedule.

The show is sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland, Galway Irish Crystal and the Station House Hotel, Clifden.

Traditionally, a one-day sale was held on the Friday of show-week, but this year there has been a change to that format.

Instead, that day (August 21) will be devoted to showcasing the versatility of the Connemara Pony through a number of performance events.

A puissance competition with a prize fund of €1,500, open to all Connemara Ponies aged four and over, will be one of the highlights.

Connemara Pony Breeders Society president Dermot Power said the puissance will be a huge test of the pony. It will generate considerable interest among owners and breeders in measuring the pony’s extraordinary potential, he said.

With the performance events taking place on the Friday, the annual sales at Clifden Mart have been expanded to two days on Saturday and Sunday.