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.