ROUNDSTONE Connemara Pony show held their annual fixture last Sunday despite persistent rain. It was quality rather than quantity all day as the progeny of Glencarrig Knight excelled in five classes, and clearly the heat is on in Connemara in anticipation for the 94th Connemara Pony Show in Clifden next month.

Judges Philip Scott and Gill Glynn were joined by junior judge Edwina O’Connor in the morning and Philip Morgan in the afternoon, who meticulously selected their class winners and champions.

Beautifully handled by Joe Burke, Noel Noonan’s stallion Manor Duke (Currachmore Cashel-Banks Vanilla) added more silverware to his collection this season when winning the Supreme Championship and collecting the John Luskin Cup.

Standing overall Reserve Champion was the seven to 12-year-old mare class winner Loughmore Suzy (Linsford Barney-Hazy Rebel), owned by Paddy Kearns from Brocklodge Stud in Mountmellick. She also provided Kearns with the Reserve Champion filly foal Brocklodge Emma, by his resident stallion Brocklodge Buster.

The Junior Championship was as good as one could wish for. It was quality and bloodlines all the way as Henry O’Toole’s Castle Pippa (Glencarrig Knight -Village Linnet (tracing to Village Swallow)), who earlier made it four wins from four outings when winning the three-year-old filly class, was awarded the champion sash.

Henrietta Knight’s colt Caherross Duke (Glencarrig Knight-Moorland Snow Queen), produced by Kieran McGrath from Hazelrock Stud in Claregalway, stood reserve. Knight flew from her home in Oxfordshire to attend the show and expressed her delight, saying: “I have never been to Roundstone show so it is so exciting to win here.”

There were several nice foals in both classes with the eventual champion sash awarded to Claregalway owner Val Noone and well-balanced colt foal Crusheen Silver Duke (Silver Shadow-Crusheen Gipsy). Caillin Conneely from Roundstone took the blue rosette in the colt class with Letterdyfe Rock.

Judging commenced with the yearling fillies, and Patrick and Eleanor Curran’s Glencarrig Sea Breeze (Glencarrig Knight-Glencarrig Scarlett) was awarded first prize. The yearling colts had a nice line up and Patrick McGrath from Cregmore took the red with the fluent and well coupled Smokey Dancer (Tempo Active Atlas–Smokey Breeze).

The two year old filly went to Amy Curran’s Glencarrig Katie (Glencarrig Knight-Glencarrig Princess), she stood ahead of Michael O’Malley’s Cregduff Camilla (Banks Timber-Cregduff Queen).

The open youth class was won by Roisin Gannon from Inverin with Glencovitt April. Roisin attends shows all over Ireland and is always a popular exhibitor. A close second was Ronan Nee from Cashel with Dusty Oak ahead of Maria Gorham from Clifden with Westonhouse Honey Mist in third.

Amy Curran’s Glencarrig Countess ( Glencarrig Knight-Castle Gipsy) was best in the four to six-year-old mares and she stood ahead of Carnane Yasmin (Glencarrig Knight-Cnocban Yasha), owned by Michael Holmes from Clifden.

Some nice bloodlines graced the ring for the 13-year-old and over mares where Jarleth Grogan’s grand old matron Mountain Heather (Laerkens Cascade Dawn-Mountain Lady), shown by his daughter Joanne, was placed first from Bartley Conroy with Miss Joyce (Boden Park Finnard-Derryeen View).

The bay mare class was small but the winner was the quality Banner Sandy (Dancing Tego-Clonaloun) owned by David Naughton from Foynes, Co Limerick.

The show grounds looked better than ever and the catalogue was informative and correct with no entries taken on the day. Hats off to chairman Brian Mullen and his team for the many hours of hard work involved in running the show.