2003 News


November 2003

A note from Kathy Sparks: The ACPS Inspection for 2004 is in the process of being formulated. All pony owners interested in having their ponies inspected are asked to please contact: Laura Balding, ACPS Inspection Chair or Liz Platais Inspections, Operations Chair with their location and number of ponies. You may also contact your Region Chair as the Region Chairs were asked to contact their members and report back to the Inspection Committee at the January 2004 Board meeting. Contacts for Laura Balding and Liz Platais are on the ACPS website: American Connemara Pony Society Region 11 Chair, Susan MacDougall: susanmac@intergate.ca

The ACPS Annual Meeting was held in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho this year. Much was accomplished, including a great deal of fun. Some committee meetings were held outside in the sunshine, right next to the Hot Spring pools, then many folks took advantage & went for a dip afterward!

Chris Knox graciously opened her beautiful farm to visitors, her facilities are among the best I've ever seen. Lucky ponies and people to be able to live and ride there!

Thanks Chris!

Serena Statler generously provided a lovely polar fleece cooler for the silent auction held prior to the Banquet. Statler House products are very high quality, please check out the Statler House website at: Statler House

The big item of news from the meeting is that DNA sampling of 2004 foals will commence. Eventually all ponies will be genetically identified. Stallions are already tested, and this will be the next step to include all animals, regardless of gender, in the data base. Should anyone wish, they can have DNA testing on their mares, and for an additional fee (I believe $50.00 US) can have testing completed to determine if the Cr gene (Dilute, or Dun) gene is present. This could be important when making breeding decisions with grey and black ponies, where it is not obvious if they carry the genetic component to produce those lovely duns (and to avoid producing Blue eyed Creams). Implementation of DNA testing brings North America one step closer to "Approved" International status.




Team Connemara competed for the 6th year at the #1 Show Jumping venue, Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament in September. Competitors were Traa Di Lioor Mick, a 9 yr old 1/2 bred (Lynfields Cormac McCarthy x Anglo Arab) and Emily Cena, Eden's Winston, a 3/4 bred gelding (Lynfields Cormac McCarthy x Creggan Winter daughter) and Tiffanie Adams, Bien Mallin's Rory O'Sullivan, a 5 yr old 13.2 hh stallion (Landgates Holy Smoke x Bar S Heather) and Chelsea McNeil, Avenn's Airrin Tara, a purebred mare (Lynfields Cormac McCarthy x Bar S Arrin Gray) and Megan Davies. Team Captain was Brian Donegan, of Drogheda Connemara Farm. Battle of the Breeds is sponsored by Telus, who provides $40,000 in prize money. Team Connemara had a fabulous time, and finished up Reserve Champion! The competition consists of compulsory skills (dressage), Precision Driving, Barrel Racing, Trail (very difficult!) and Jumping (fences up to 3'9").




July 2003

Devon Ridge Farms has had a lot of changes in 2003!

Purchases:
We purchased a Fairyhill Hawk x Kestral 1st weanling filly from California. She arrived in February. Her name is HK Kestral Fair.
We purchased Avenn's Airrin Tara from Debbie Laderoute! She is teaching me to drive and hopefully will be a candidate for our Battle of the Breeds competition.

Sales:

Sold Bien Mallin's High Hope with filly foal to Whitney Edwards in California.

Sold Devon Ridge Benita with filly foal to Fiona Rhodes in Ontario

Sold Devon Ridge Magnolia to Sherry Long Abeson in New Jersey

Sold Fabrianna DR (yearling Connemara/Warmblood x) to Susan Janssens in Calgary.

Sold Devon Ridge Rhiannon to Christine Chatham in CT

(Congratulations to all the new owners!)

Babies Born:
We've had 4 purebred fillies and 1 purebred colt born this spring. We will have 1 filly and 1 colt from this years crop for sale. All babies are by Bantry Bay Dillon (Inspected and Approved)

Spruce Meadows:
We have not committed the team quite yet... we have till the end of July and candidates are to send performance video before we decide on the team... Right now, I am the Team Captain, but this may have to change if I need to ride this year....

That's the current scoop!

Jocelyn Davies, Devonridge Farm, Alberta

PS, I hear that Jocelyn (in August) will be attending the Annual Clifden Connemara Pony Show in Ireland. This is the largest Connemara Pony show of its kind, and is attended by folks from all over the world!




May 2003

From Melanie White, of M7M Connemaras:

Our farm has had 10 beautiful Connemara babies this spring. Our stallion Bien Mallin's Rory O'Sullivan has sired 7 babies on our farm and 2 with outside mares. We are thrilled that Rory and Lasrachai's Blue Shannon have produced a very stunning colt whom we've decided to call Tully. Congratulations Maureen and Lasrachai! Rory has also produced 5 half-bred colts and 3 half-bred fillies. Photos will soon be available on our new web site. We are really delighted with our little man Rory. He has had a fabulous year in both the hunter and jumper rings and has won many firsts and a 3 ft jumper championship. The American Warmblood Society inspected him this spring and awarded him premium American Sports Pony status and made him their grand champion stating that Rory typifies the kind of pony they would like to promote. Yeah Connemaras! by the way Rory has weanlings and yearling for sale if anyone is interested.




Thistledown Ruby MacDaire


Thistledown Ruby MacDaire was bred in Washington, born in B.C., and grew up in Alberta with Bridget Wingate. This well traveled 4 year old pony has now been purchased by Betsey Ambler of North Carolina where she is living at an equestrian centre on an 800 acre estate in the mountains. "Thistle" joins a half bred Connemara mare "River" and will be ridden by Betsey and her young daughter Constance. Their first outing was to a 5-day Monty Roberts clinic.



Eden Chocky


Alberta born and bred Eden Chocky made a long and eventful trip to Santa Barbara, California. She has been purchased by the Friedman family and will be ridden by Kallie and Natalie and their mom Soni. This 4 year old will be trained for hunter classes and will doubtless enjoy being ridden on the beach, which is only 15 minutes away.







Other news. Jocelyn Davies of Spruce Grove, Alberta has purchased Avenns Tara. This pony was previously owned by Debbie Laderoute of Calgary, and together they were short-listed for the Canadian Singles Driving Team and few years ago. This pony will be bred to Bantry Bay Dillon and Jocelyn is looking forward to riding and driving this mare.




From Debbie Bailey:

In the 2nd weekend of May, there were 4 registered connemaras at Maple Ridge Hunter/Jumper Show. Melanie White brought her stallion Rory, and mares, Sassafras, and Cardia. We brought our white pony Prima Donna.

The Connemaras cleaned up winning a few championships. Melanie's stallion got reserve or champion in the green hunters. The only pony against big horses!! And you know how hard hunters are!! Our pony (Orchard Hills Secret Garden) aka Prima Donna, won two championships. Novice MREC jumper and Welcome Jumpers. I know Melanie's ponies won lots but I'm not sure what. We have never had so many connemaras in one show and we were all competing against each other!!!. Rory was a gentleman standing in the warm up ring around all those mares!

If you go to this web-site you will see great photos of them jumping. Aquarius Stable Photos

Their numbers are: 156-Prima Donna; 196-Sassafras; 197-Cardea: 198;- Rory O' Sullivan (I hope I've got the last 2 right-they're both bays!!)

(Thanks for the update Debbie!!)




March 2003

Pearl getting a pat for her in-hand work - copyright Marji Armstrong

Pearl and I completed a 5 day clinic (held at Los Vientos Equestrian Centre, Langley, BC) with Marji Armstrong from Australia. I was thrilled with my pony. I wasn't expecting to be able to accomplish as much as we did. By clinic end, we were doing counter canter on the circle, 4 straight and clean flying changes down the 1/4 line of the arena, a somewhat respectable trot half-pass, travers and renvers. None of which I have ever done (nor has Pearl, for that matter). The clinician said to me "she gives you exactly what you ask for, and she is very balanced." More than one person told me I was a very lucky person to have such a wonderful pony.

Thanks, Pearl!
Susan MacDougall and Coastal Ocean Pearl

Pearl and Susan concentrating in the Marji Armstrong Clinic - copyright Marji Armstrong













February 2003

News from Drogheda Farm!

Brian Donegan has sold 2 ponies to Ocala, Florida, who successfully attended the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto on their way south. Brian has also sold 2 half-bred colts; one a stallion prospect to Ontario, the other remaining in Alberta for the time being. Congrats to the new owners!




ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WESTERN CANADA CONNEMARA PONY ASSOCIATION

The WCCPA meeting is on Feb. 22 at the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

Cold pot luck is at 12:00 noon. The meeting begins at 1:00 p.m.

Please email Statlers@telusplanet.net or phone Serena Statler at 780.662.4149 if you wish to attend.