Connemara Pony Festival Report 2016

As the dust settles on another festival the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society offers its thanks to all who took part in the 93rd show.  Luckily the weather held for most of the showing period and this allowed exhibitors and spectators to enjoy the occasion.  We had worthy champions in the likes of Lackragh Beauty crowned the Supreme Champion, owned by Fiona & Tomas Grimes, Bob Marley at eighteen years young taking home the title of Clifden High Performance Champion, Pataire Crawford at 15 years of age cleared the wall at 1.47 riding Ardfry Skye to be crowned the winner of the Puissance competition. Beechmount Lulu owned by Michael Philbin was the winner of the four year old performance mare championship on Wednesday.  Thank you to Alana Cazabon and Carn Verdon Boy who treated spectators to a musical dressage demonstration on Wednesday.

Congratulations to our best dressed winner, local lady Mrs Josephine Wallace and to our sponsor Millars, Clifden and Judge Ms. Mandy Maher.  A huge well done and thank you to Mrs Mary Carey who takes care of the Domestic Arts each year.  Well done to all our Irish dancing winners and thank you to Ms. Bernie Curley for all her help.

Thank you to all our Judges for their dedication and time.

Wednesday: Mr. Ian Fearon and Ms. Pauline Dahill

Thursday: Mr. Sean King, Mr. Val Noone, Mr. Feichin King, Mr. Joe McCann, Mr. Henry Kelly and Mrs Gill Glynn

Friday: Mrs Christina Fletcher, Mr. Gerard McPolin and Mrs Patricia Byrne

Many will have missed the Inter provincial competition on Saturday which was kindly sponsored by Irish Horse Gateway but this new competition was a real highlight with the Ulster team getting the better of Munster by a mere second in a jump off against the clock.  Its definitely a competition that is here to stay.

Thank you to all who helped during the festival and in the run up (too many to mention here), our show committee, course builder Mr. Charles Hanley, and most importantly to all our sponsors, without whom the Connemara Pony Festival could not take place.

Please find photos of all our Champions from the festival below.

Wednesday Champions

Winner of the Irish Connemara Green Hunter Final

Kindly sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland

Pony: Tulira Foxhunter

Owner: Ms. Serena Cookson  Rider: Antonia DeBurgh

L-R: Mr. Ian Fearon (Judge), Ms. Serena Cookson, Ms. Angela Hemphill , Ms. Pauline Dahill (Ride Judge) and Dr. Jack Murphy (HSI)

 

 

 

Winner of the Four Year Old Performance Mare Championship

Kindly sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland

Pony: Beechmount Lulu

Owner: Mr. Michael Philbin

 

 

 

Winner of the Three Year Old Loose Jumping Final

Kindly sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland

Pony: Rushaun Gwennic

Owner: Mr. Coleman McDonagh

L-R: Mr. Coleman McDonagh & family, Mr. Ian Fearon (Judge) and Dr. Jack Murphy (HSI)

 

 

Thursday Champions

Junior Champion

Kindly sponsored by Mr. Michael Lee, Leagaun, Moycullen, Co Galway

Pony: Gurteen Jennifer

Owner: Cathal Mullen

L-R Judges: Mr. Val Noone & Mr. Sean King, Mr. Brian Mullen, Mr. Pat Mullen, sponsor Mr. Michael Lee and Mr. Hugh Quinn (Galway Irish Crystal)

 

 

Champion Foal

Kindly sponsored by Windmill Lane Studios

Foal: Atlantic Queen of Hearts

Owner: Esther Feeney

 

 

 

 

Supreme Champion

Kindly sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland

Pony: Lackragh Beauty

Owner Ms. Fiona & Mr. Tomas Grimes

 

 

 

Ridden Champion

Kindly sponsored by Connemara Chamber of Commerce

Pony: Derrivane Boy

Owner & Rider: Ms. Antonia DeBurgh

L-R Mrs Christina Fletcher (Judge) Ms. Antonia DeBurgh, Mr. Sean Cooney (Botanica International Ltd) & Ms. Jackie Webb

 

 

 

Friday Champions

Working Hunter Champion

Kindly sponsored by Gain Horse Feeds

Pony: Blackwood Fernando

Owner: Claire Devlin Byrne  Rider: Alicia Devlin Byrne

 

 

 

Clifden High Performance Champion

Kindly sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland

Pony: Bob Marley

Owner: Anne Stanley    Rider: Shona Lynch

L-R: Mr Gerard McPolin (Judge) Ms. Shona Lynch, Ms. Elaine Hatton (HSI), Mrs Anne Stanley,  and Mrs. Christina Fletcher (Judge)

 

 

Puissance Winner

Kindly sponsored by TG4

Pony: Ardfry Skye

Owner: Claire Crawford. Rider: Pataire Crawford

 

 

 

Saturday Champions

Interprovincial Champions

Kindly sponsored by Irish Horse Gateway

Winners : Ulster

 

 

 

 

Thank you to our Main Sponsors

Galway Irish Crystal

Horse Sport Ireland

Station House Hotel

Thank you to Galway County Council for their support

 

 

 

 

 

Full results available on website