2001 News
2001 was a busy year for Region 11 (Western Canada).
A team consisting of Avenn's Cairbre Maccarthy, Eden Winston, Traa-di-Lioor Mick and Avenn's Golden Legacy, was sent to world famous show jumping venue Spruce Meadows, Calgary, to compete in Battle of the Breeds. Team Connemara Pony was 2nd in jumping, 3rd in precision driving and finished up 7th. They were also part of the Irish Sport Horse booth at Spruce Meadows promoting the Connemara Pony to an expected 45,000 visitors.
Emily Cena also attended the High Country CDE in Calgary with Traa Di Lioor Mick. Avenns Cairbre Maccarthy has been winning big in the Jumper ring, making Champion at 2 large shows in Alberta.
Orchard Hills Secret Garden, the beautiful ¾ Connemara Pony, ridden by 12 yr. old Georgia Bailey showed in the 3' Derby at Southlands Summer Classic in British Columbia (against 30 competitors, mainly adults on large horses.
Brian Donegan in Strathmore, Alberta welcomed a new filly by Maplehurst Michael MacDaire on April 28th, 2001. He is the new owner of Elphin Lorcan, now coming four. He has 5 purebred mares in foal, and is raising purebreds and some pure welsh and connemara part-breds (16 in total!). He is breeding for the hunter/jumper market, and his stock is very popular. He is raising halter quality young stock with excellent movement and bone. He will be trying A.I. from a showjumper stallion in Ireland.
Congratulations to Brian, his first half-bred 2002 foal (a lovely colt) was born on March 20th in -30C temperatures.
Brian had a purebred filly born April 4, 2002, out of Drogheda's Lavender (Bay Connemara) and by Elphin Lorcan (bay Connemara). This filly is a chestnut (a rarity for the breed) and she should go liver chestnut like her granddam (Bally's Fancy China) and her grandsire (Maplehurst Michael McDaire, a grey who was born chestnut).
I have heard from Irene Dunic who is owned by Skyview's Corona, she is by Greystone Creggan-Winter and out of Skyview's Carina, who is by Custusha's Cashel Rock.
She is another happy Connemara owner. "We have had Corona just over a year now, she is five and my daughter is a novice rider so this past year, both pony and child have been learning & teaching each other (with supervision). It has worked out so well, I never dreamed it could. We bought Corona with the plan that I would school her for a while, she was only green broke, but after a couple months I barely rode her. Anyway, this past weekend we did a big trail ride to support our VRDA and Jillian & Corona came, pony was wonderful, never batted an eye about the large group of strange horses or the rough terrain we traveled on. Our plan this coming year is to hopefully do a few schooling shows, I'm just letting Jillian decide how much "serious" stuff she wants to do, otherwise trail rides & more schooling always good."
Stacey Paxton of Cochrane, Alberta is busy with 3 ponies. Two belong to Doris Davidson of Kelowna, British Columbia. Both of Doris's ponies are for sale. Derring Do is a 14.2 hand black 3/4 connemara 1/4 TB. He is 11 and has competed in the States at the intermediate level. Stacey plans to show him in jumpers this season. Gately's Anlon is a 14.1 hand bay with four white socks. Affectionaly known as "Niblet", this pony is 7 and is currently working on the basics and has some jumping experience.
Stacey's personal mount is Dain's Daeshar "Davey" who is a 6 year old 15.1 hand grey gelding. He was also bred by Doris Davidson. The focus this year is on dressage. He is going to start the season off at basic 2 and 3. Stacey evented him last year at the pre-training level where is placed 4th and then 1st at the two events he competed in. She plans to event him later in the season and perhaps do some hunter/jumpers. Davey also represented Team Connemara at Spruce Meadows last September in the jumping phase.
Melanie White of M & M Farms Langley is very busy this foaling season. She is relatively new to Connemara Ponies, and very dedicated to the breed. Melanie is presently leasing Bien Mallins Rory O'Sullivan.
She is developing quite a herd. Melanie owns:
Update: Melanie's Thoroughbred mare foaled a half Connemara colt by Annilaun Oscar. Melanie completed the foaling season with 2 beautiful fillies and 2 handsome colts.
Edith Millar, of Cochrane, Alberta owns a 5 yr old half-bred by Lynfields Cormac MacCarthy. Her mare resides with Doris Jacobi and has produced 10 lovely foals by Cormac.
Helen Gordon owns a 3/4 bred gelding by Lynfields Cormac MacCarthy. She purchased a half-bred mare, Tulie, from Doris Davidson in 1981. Tulie was broke to drive, then bred to Cormac. In 1986, she produced a colt who was subsequently gelded. "Tarmac" was broke to drive in 1990. Tarmac, in Aug. 1991 participated in an Alberta Combined Driving event. Helen and Tarmac were 6th in the Preliminary class. Since then he has done little work. Helen lost her mare to laminitis in Sept. 15, 1997. She was a quiet loving pony, and greatly missed. Helen is hoping to get organized for driving maybe even do another driving event.
Ruth Wagner is busy using her ponies in her CEF Western Riding Program. They are very valuable additions to the program. They are hardy, versatile with lots of endurance. She is too busy using her mare to spare her for breeding. Ruth owns Avenns Faerie Wind, a 1991 black/bay inspected and approved mare. In addition to being in big demand for her lesson string, she hopes to do some reining. Ruth also owns Tadonne, also known as Snickers, a Connemara Pony/ Arabian cross. He is a lesson horse, and also shows in local horse shows and is used in riding clinics.
Congratulations to all Region members on a happy and healthy foaling, AND competition Season!
Thistle at one month with her mother, Pearl. Thistle is now owned by Bridget Wingate of Alberta.
