IT is often said that the “grassroots” of the Connemara pony breeders are those who provide the old foundation lines that spread the gospel to many parts of the world.

Since the 1950s, when he won his first red rosette at a local show with a yearling he bought himself, John was hooked. “This gave me the taste of success”, and so it started a long line of ponies with the Gentle prefix, many of which grace the studbook today.