Pony lovers celebrate Connemara’s hardy breed

THE celebrated Connemara Pony Show went ahead in glorious weather at Clifden in Co Galway yesterday after a night of heavy rain.

But the hardy ponies, with origins believed to go back 2,500 years to the days of the Celtic warriors, have typically endured much more than the vagaries of the weather.

Minister of State Frank Fahey, who officially opened the show, put the role of the Connemara ponies in context when he said they were great ambassadors for Ireland and the type of horse that can go anywhere, live anywhere, do not require luxurious food, and have remarkable staying power.

“Many of the dry stone walls in the West were built from rocks moved by Connemaras fitted with creels.

“The ponies also dragged seaweed from the shore to fertilise the barren fields and carried the turf cut from the bogs to heat the dwellings.

“Their strong, sturdy legs could manoeuvre through rough terrain that might deter a different type of horse,” he said.

Those traits of hardiness, versatility, agility, good temperament and jumping ability are reflected in today’s Connemara, the only native pony breed and one of the country’s best known brand names.

Buyers, who kept a close eye on the 486 entries in 28 classes at yesterday’s show, are prepared to pay good money for quality stock, a fact likely to become clearer at today’s annual sales in Clifden Mart.

Six years ago, colt and filly foals were selling from €100 to €200 at the October sales. Last year, one foal fetched €5,300 and, on average, foals were making from €1,600 to €2,500.

The future looks encouraging too, with the Connemara Pony Breeders Society, set up in 1923 to encourage and promote the distinctive breed, now having over 250 stallions and 1,500 breeding mares registered.

The Irish Horse Board joined Galway Irish Crystal as co-sponsors of yesterday’s 81st show, the 57th to be held in Clifden.

New terracing and upgraded arenas, developed with the help of a €50,000 grant from Galway Rural Development Leader Company, enabled visitors to view the judging in greater comfort than before.

Delegates from most of the Connemara breed societies in 17 countries across Europe, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada attended the show, organised by a committee headed by president Dermot Power, chairman Henry O’Toole and secretary Niamh Philbin.

Closer co-operation between all the societies and the promotion of the Connemara Pony worldwide were the main themes when the delegates held their international committee annual conference in Clifden earlier this week.