WE’RE based in Gurteen Bay, Roundstone, Co Galway, and it’s predominantly my dad Pat, brother Brian and myself involved in Gurteen Connemara Ponies.

Dad bought a filly foal from Eddie Madden the morning of Clifden Show in 1980, out of the renowned Gloves Misty. She subsequently went on to win three Supreme Championships in Clifden in the ‘80s, the only pony ever to do so.

That foal went on to win her class that day in Clifden and was later named Gurteen Misty. All of our current ponies trace back to Gurteen Misty. Her first foal, Coral Misty, was twice Clifden Supreme Champion.

Another daughter, Gurteen Star, was the dam of Gurteen Cathal, Clifden Supreme Champion in 2013. He went on to sire the 2018 Supreme Champion, Slackport Prince, bred by a relative of ours, Marty King. Our favourite pony at home has always been Independent, bred by us out of Gurteen Star and by Murphy Rebel, though she never carried the Gurteen prefix herself (she was born on July 4, hence the name).

She had plenty of success in the show ring in her day and, at 30, she’s still going strong. But it’s her legacy through her daughters, and her son Gurteen Dara, that will leave a lasting mark on the breed. Her daughter Gurteen Roisin is granddam of the 2024 Clifden Supreme Champion, Cabra Jane, and another daughter, Gurteen Eimer, is the dam of this year’s Supreme Champion, Gurteen Jennifer. We are lucky to still have Jennifer’s dam Eimer breeding for us - she has a full-brother to Jennifer at foot and is back in foal to Glencarrig Knight.

This year, Stephen McCarthy kindly let us use Grange Finian Sparrow - he’s by Monaghanstown Fionn out of a Callowfeenish Mairtín mare, and his grandmother, Dun Sparrow, was Clifden Supreme Champion in 1972, she was also a sister of Ashfield Bobby Sparrow.

We’ve got some nice mares in foal to him for next year.

1. Congratulations, a memorable Clifden for the Mullen family. Tell us about your supreme champion, Gurteen Jennifer?

She’s a queen. Her Clifden wins include filly foal and champion foal in 2014, yearling filly in 2015, two-year-old filly and Junior Champion in 2016, and then the 10 to 15-year-old mare without foal and Supreme Champion in 2026. We think she’s the only pony ever to win all three championships.

She had a great year in the show ring before Clifden too, with wins in Athenry, Ballyconneely, and was All-Ireland broodmare champion at the Midlands Show at the end of July.

She’s breeding well for us too, which matters just as much. Her first foal, Gurteen Bruno, won the two-year-old colt and reserve junior champion at Clifden in 2022. We have a beautiful Slackport Prince yearling filly out of her to keep the line going, and she’s in foal to Grange Finian Sparrow for next year.

2. How did you become interested in owning/breeding Connemara ponies?

Dad’s had ponies since the 1960s, before he went to work in New York. When he came back, he bought Gurteen Misty, who happened to foal a filly by Moy Hazy Cove the same night I was born, in 1992. Her name was Gurteen Star, and Dad decided he could never sell her, just in case I became interested in ponies - and once I did, I was hooked. She turned out to be Independent’s mother and is Gurteen Jennifer’s great-grandmother.

3. Proudest breeder moment?

It has to be Gurteen Jennifer winning the Supreme Championship at Clifden this year, a dream come true, and something we’ll treasure forever.

To finally take Supreme as a senior, having already won the Foal Championship and Junior Championship, was incredible.

4. What is your template of a good Connemara?

We try to maintain type, whilst maximising strength, through limb and body, without losing quality. That means plenty of bone with short joints and legs, a big knee, and a strong forearm and gaskin. We also look for good length of rein and depth, and a quality pony head with a big jaw and plenty of width between the eyes. On top of that, they need to be correct, straight movers with good balance and presence - and just as important, a good temperament. We’re not looking for much!

5. Greatest challenge facing Connemara breeders?

Owning ponies is getting more expensive, but youngstock prices haven’t kept pace. Oversupply is a real concern - driven partly by breeding for quantity over quality, or choosing convenience over a stallion’s conformation and pedigree. Breeders need to be more selective about which stallions best suit their mares - regardless of who stands, owns or bred him. But first and foremost, breeders need to be more honest about the quality of their own stock - it costs the same to keep a bad mare as a good one.

6. If you could have bred a famous Connemara pony?

Initially, two stallions came to mind in Glencarrig Knight and Linsfort Barney. They’re Jennifer’s sire and grandsire - both exceptional ponies, and we were fortunate to have access to such quality stallions. But if I could have bred one pony, I’d choose a mare, Queen Gillian. Twice Supreme Champion in Clifden for my godfather Bobby Bolger, she was an incredible mare, her type would still be winning championships today.

She had a great pedigree too!

7. It takes a team - who’s on yours?

Dad’s the driving force and deserves this win so much. My brother Brian is heavily involved and is also Chairman of the Roundstone Pony Show. My mother, Bernie, keeps us all in check, and my other siblings, Kieran, Patrick and Caroline, are always on call if needed.

My wife Niamh, and Brian’s wife Maeve, also deserve a mention, as they see the highs and lows of breeding just as much as anyone else. Some cousins I can’t forget either are Michael and Stephen Mullen and Tara Lally - they are always there to support at shows or when covering mares, and we’re grateful to have them. And finally, our vet, Niamh Walch - we’re very lucky to have her.

8. Best advice you ever got?

“Don’t worry about the result of the judging - you’ll have your pony going home with you.”

9. Gurteen is yours, your thoughts on prefixes?

I think prefixes are valuable - they let you trace where ponies came from and promote the breeder who’s invested so much in producing them, giving them the recognition they deserve. I’ve always liked it when a prefix lets you identify the pedigree at a glance, and signals that it’s been developed intentionally over time.

Ideally, that means the prefix is built around one damline, or perhaps two, with a foundation mare whose different branches carry on through her daughters. It’s the approach we’ve tried to follow with our own prefix.

10. Breeding Connemaras - would you do it all over again?

Absolutely, it’s very rewarding when it all goes right. Myself and Brian are very fortunate that we’ve been able to help Dad develop such a great dam line, and hopefully we can continue to nurture it.