Connemara Pony Green Hunter Final Click on pic to enlarge
On Wednesday, which has now become the first day of the Clifden Show, a quiet but sunny Show Grounds saw the running of the four- year- old Connemara Green Hunter Class in the morning. As the inaugural Green Hunter Class in 2011 was such a success it was decided to run the competition again this year. The Loose Jumping Final for three year olds was held as usual on Wednesday afternoon.
Niamh’s Weblog went along to have a look at the Working Hunter Class and the Blog’s intrepid photographer, daughter Aideen, is to be thanked for the photos.
Judges Bill Bournes and Heather Wright had to assess a selection of ten well-produced young ponies over a basic Working Hunter type course which asked simple but straightforward questions of the assembled novice geldings, mares and stallions.
These ponies would all have been in their first year of competition, and qualified from a number of Shows.
In this Class a Judge also rides each pony, which is a change from the normal pony Working Hunter format. All competitors are marked on individual jumps as each completes the course, where way of going, pony temperament, manners and type are also counted. An individual Ridden phase takes place immediately in Ring 2 where a certain percentage of the marks are awarded and these are added to the jumping marks. The riding judge then rides and assesses each pony while the Showing- In- hand phase is taking place and final marks are then totted up. All ponies, including the three stallions in the mix, showed good manners
benny Liath and Philippa Scott
and a calm temperaments not always seen in young animals and all performed admirably. Philippa Scott was really pleased when Benny Liath, her mother Deirdre’s gelding by Earl of Newbridge X Traonach topped the lineup. The Co. Mayo family had purchased four foals at the Clifden Mart when prices first collapsed and Benny was one of them, then nurtured and carefully brought on at the family’s Ballina Yard. Loose-jumped successfully at Millstreet as a three yr. old, this scopey pony has already done a few Working Hunter shows this year. He is laid back and ‘ level-headed’ according to Philippa and the Riding Judge found him “very responsive”.
The Judges 2ndchoice was Spring Mist (Lehenagh Mist X Scully), an elegant bay Stallion owned by Adrienne Traynor of Drumree, Co. Meath who also qualified from the Midland Connemara Breeders Show at Mullingar.
In third place was Joan Dahill’s steel grey mare Glencairn Sixpence (Ballymore Paprika X Glencairn Biddy) whose connections had travelled all the way from Lismore in Co. Waterford to compete at Clifden Well done to all competitors.
all photos © Niamh’s Weblog
Report on Clifden Thursday classes coming soon
Niamh's Weblog 
Thank you for applying some time in order to write “CLIFDEN 2012 Green Hunter
Final Niamh’s Weblog”. Thank you so much once again ,Bridgette
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