Full summer sunshine made a late but welcome arrival at the famous Connemara Pony Show held in the Showgrounds at Clifden, Co Galway yesterday. Aside from the pleasing weather conditions, two factors were obvious; there are some very competitive breeders determined to sustain the quality of the breed and there are some very fine ponies about.
Clifden, now in its 80th year, is the showcase for this native breed that, having established itself across the world, is seen here in its natural home, complete with a mountain backdrop.
Long regarded as a valuable working member of many Connemara households, this tough, athletic and versatile pony, is a small horse with big presence.
Each class, including ridden and in hand, was watched by knowledgeable and opinionated spectators. While the ridden classes were well supported, the many experts and the masses tend to be drawn like flies to the in-hand judging arena. True to tradition, the main performance yesterday was class 8, for stallions of four years and over, won by Glencarrig Prince, owned by Gearóid Curran. The 18 assembled gentlemen conducted themselves as exactly that.
Overheard conversations run along the lines of "I won the filly foal, the champion foal and the mares aged six and over" - a statement made with impressive composure by John MacLoughlin, a breeder who farms full-time in Letterfrack.
As a show, Clifden manages to create an easygoing relaxed atmosphere; Irish dancing goes on in one corner while children's face-painting draws queues as does the ice cream van. Never quite a carnival, the show manages to be geared towards serious breeders and owners, without intimidating visitors who come along for the day.
Also competing for attention are the many dogs who try their luck in a variety of classes ranging from specific breed to "The Dog I'd Most Like To Take Home". This is hotly contested.
The adult owners tend to become very intense, while the dogs and the children are far more relaxed. Several of the dogs demonstrated near stoic levels of patience - none more so that the large shaggy black dog who submitted to a fancy dress costume that turned him into some form of alien.
Back to the main business, the ponies. This is Irish heritage at work. Clifden is quite unlike the typical horse show experience. Most of the owners do not ride, but many of them will have grown up with the Connemara pony, watched them work on the farm and in most cases, produce a line of good foals.
Among the onlookers there is a mild sense of two camps; those devoted to breeding, while other voices prefer to see the performance qualities highlighted.
Among the spectators for the ridden classes was Niamh Ó Dochartaigh, author of a book about another very famous horse show - the Galway Show.
First held in 1892 in Eyre Square, the Galway Show was established at a time when serious concerns were held about the quality of horse-breeding in Ireland. "In 1966 when the Galway Show was revived by the Galway Junior Chamber in the Sports Grounds in Galway City, they had big entries for the registered ponies and two years later, they introduced Connemara pony showjumping competitions."
She believes in the performance ability of the breed but fears many good unregistered Connemara geldings are not acknowledged for the performance horses they are.
At Clifden, the ridden classes were well contested. There is no jumping, but it was exciting to see young Niamh Ward, who had earlier won class C - for ponies ridden by a child aged 16 or under - later win the Champion Ridden class.
Anyone harbouring ambitions for their Connemara pony dreams of doing well here. "This is it, you can't get any higher accolade than to win at Clifden," says Henry O'Toole. Yesterday he won the Supreme Champion with Castle Urchin, a four-year-old grey dun mare.
Asked about the shown-versus-ridden approach, he says: "To have good riding ponies, you need good foundation mares. Castle Comet [Castle Urchin's full brother] qualified for Hickstead and Wembley." And the truth is, the Connemara pony is as effective in the showing classes as in the jumping arena.
The Clifden Show remains a showcase for buyers - many of whom will be at the sales today, beginning at noon at the mart.
