The Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society was originally established in 1923 for the purpose of taking steps that would lead to the preservation and improvement of the Connemara Pony. Prior to this the work was undertaken by the Congested Districts Board, which was established in 1891. The Boards objectives were to try to encourage the people living in the over populated areas of the western seaboard to improve their way of life. As one of these measures the board had introduced a variety of different stallions into Connemara to improve the breed. Many of the stallions introduced by the Board were considered to be very unsuitable for crossing with the Connemara pony and the results from crossing with the native mares were very unsatisfactory.

The report lay unheeded for many years until the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society was formed in 1923 and one of Ewart’s suggestions for the improvement of the breed was acted upon when the Society decided to select the best mares and stallions from within the breed to form the foundation stock for the Stud Book.

It was felt that there was plenty of “old breed” to be found in the heart of the pony districts of Connemara , and it was the opinion of the Society that the best results were likely to be obtained by breeding only from carefully selected native stock.

An inspection programme got underway in April 1924 offering 125 free nominations of £1 to brood mares of suitable types selected at centres throughout Galway . These inspections were central to the foundation of the Stud Book and have continued to be an integral part of the monitoring and safe-guarding of the breed up to the present day.

The first Connemara Pony Show was held at Roundstone on 15th August 1924 and there were 500 entries overall, 150 entries in the Connemara Pony Section. The opening ceremony was performed by Prince Ranjitsinhhi, renowned cricket player, who had recently come to live at Ballynahinch Castle . The Connemara Pony Stallion Class and RDS Silver Medal was won the Society’s own stallion, Gold Digger (5), with Cannon Ball (1) aged 20 taking 2nd place. The second annual show was held at Recess, with the 3rd to 23rd Shows being held in Carna.

One of the primary function of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society is the maintaining of the Connemara Pony Stud Book. All sires and dams are recorded in the stud book. It is also a function as a register of all births of Connemara Ponies throughout the 32 counties of Ireland . This book encapsulates the breed standard and rules for the parent society and all societies worldwide. This book is a continuous record since 1923. The Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society has 21 volumes of the stud book. Since 1992, both a hard copy and computerised version of the studbook are produced.

The Society acquired the present showground in the 1960’s to stage the Connemara Pony Show. Over the years this voluntary society was inundate with queries from the general public, schools, breeders and overseas visitors for information on the breeding lines of the pony, factual information about the pony, information on breeders of the past, how ponies were bred in the past, their use and contribution to the local economy, famous Connemara ponies, the type of habitat, environment and landscape the ponies thrived in. Many people enquired about how they would have been used by farmers, fishermen, etc. (prior to the introduction of mechanisation).

All the building work is now completed and the Society want to further develop the heritage centre / museum. To this end the Society is working in close co-operation since 2002 with Ms. Marie Mannion , Heritage Officer, Galway County Council to develop a viable and sustainable heritage centre / museum. We have also been in communication with the National Museum of Country Life, Turlough Park House, Castlebar, Co. Mayo and Mr. Robert Heslip, Ulster Museum regarding the development of a sustainable management plan for the heritage centre / museum.