Bartley O’Sullivan Lecture (Scroll down for picture gallery)
Mare bloodlines, both those enduring and those now lost, were the topic of this year’s Bartley O’Sullivan lecture at the Station House Theatre after the Colt Inspections on the Friday. Sweden’s Jennie Hagenbald, a genetitist by profession, gave a erudite and well-researched presentation on the difference between the present gene pool relating to Connemara mares both in Ireland and abroad, and those mares of past decades, some of whose bloodlines have died out completely. 
Illustrated by lots of old photos and graphs the talk is to be published by the Society later this year to complement the booklets already available on the previous talks of Lib Petch and Pat Lyne. Jennie, who garnered most of her early interest in the breed from conversations with Pat Lyne, hopes to have an even wider selection of photos for this coming publication which will be available from the Society Office later in the year at www.cpbs.ie.
Connemara Society Awards
The President of the C.P.B.S Dermot Power was pleased to present Awards to both Breeders of note and owners of Performance at the Awards Dinner at the Station House Hotel.
Breeders Awards Joe Gorham of the Kingstown Stud, one of North Connemara’s foremost and best known breeders, and former member of the Council of the Society. Silver Fort (Rory Ruadh-Fort Hazel) was one of his favourite mares and his ponies were three times Clifden Supreme Champions.
The late Paddy King was famously known as the founder of the Village ponies line, which is now worldwide with ponies still winning countless prizes. Many will remember Paddy, a kindly gentleman, standing Smokey Duncan (Westside Frank–Smokey Jane Grey) .in the early nineties. His brother Christy accepted the Breeeders Award on his behalf.
Pat Lyne is best known for her prolific output of books on the Connemara pony and also for her inspiration in setting up the Museum in Clifden . Pat has promoted the pony in written form and as a Breeder and Judge for many years. However she was unable to travel from Wales for the presentation and her Award was accepted by her good friend Padraig Hynes on her behalf.
Ado Kenny is renowned as the Show commentator with the golden voice. In recent years he claimed he was retired but only choose to do the Shows he liked.! Clifden and Roundstone have long been his favourites. The Society presented his Award in recognition of the many years of good quality work he has done for the breed.
Performance Awards The owners and breeders of two stallions and a gelding received Performance Awards
Carol Seigne bred Templebready Fear Bui (Moyglare Samson –Ballinaboy Jonquil) who was foaled at her West Cork home in 1985 and bought at an early age by his present owner Dan O’Brien. He has been popular as a sire of Thoroughbred mares and showjumpers and International Event horses. Fear Bui is in the back-breeding of numerous good performing Connemaras Rosscon Sunrise, a multiple Supreme Champion in hand and under-saddle is one of his progeny.
Bob Marley, now 12, was bred by Norma Cook out of her good mare Garryhack Pride and his sire was the premier performance Connemara pony Ashfield Bobby Sparrow. He won the Ridden Connemara class when he first sparkled in the RDS as a four year old. He also won the Working Hunter Championship there in 2005 and was Equitation winner and Champion at the RDS in 2007. He travelled to England last year (2010) and won 5 of his 7 classes including the Dressage Championship with his current rider India Dawson, who was present in Clifden to accept the Award on behalf of owner Anne Stanley
Galway’s Bertie O’Halloran was delighted to receive an Award for his young home-bred stallion. Young Walt ( Castlestrange Fionn-Dangan Suzy) Young Walt took the Junior Connemara Performance Championship for 5-7 year olds at Dublin’s RDS Show in August in 2010. You will remember that his rider Padraig Flanagan also rode the Senior Championship winner Cashelbay Prince, making this a unique double for this young rider. Young Walt has taken several Championships in his short performance career, the Ridden stallion class at Clifden.where he was Reserve Champion, the Powers Quarry Performance and the elementary Dressage at Oughterard in 2010, and he was also the top Irish Pony Society Performance Champion.for 2010.
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