The Connemara "stands on short legs, covering a lot of ground". The cannon bone is short dense, flat and clean, measuring 7 to 9 inches bone around the knee. The body is deep and compact, well-balanced with depth, substance and good head room. The Connemara has a good sloping shoulder, length of rein, and moves freely with little knee actionin surprisingly large strides for its height. On this strong, sturdy body sets a handsome pony head, with a well-defined jaw and good width between large kindly eyes. Easy keepers, they do not require a rich diet to stay healthy and fit. The most common colors are grey and dun, but there are blacks, bays, browns, chestnuts, palominos, and an occasional roan. Black points are common, but paints are not acceptable. The Connemara is the largest of the pony breeds, ranging in height from13 to 15 hands, with14 to 14.2 hands as the average. Full maturity is at five years of age, sometimes older, they can live well into their 30's. The Connemara has a natural jumping ability, and its rectangular build lends it suitable for dressage. They often beat horses 16 hands and over with staying power, intelligence and heart. As a show jumper, working hunter, eventing, western pleasure, endurance, driving - Connemaras can do it all, and can be your best friend!Connemaras are the product of their original environment, the rugged mountain coast of West Ireland. Sure-footed, hardy and agile, they possess powers of great stamina, staying power and adaptability. They are renowned for their versatility and their gentle, tractable, sensible and willing dispositions.

In 1935 at the International Horse Show, Olympia, London, the 15 hand overgrown Connemara gelding, THE NUGGET, became a legendary show jumper. At age 22,he cleare a 7' 2" jump and subsequently won over 300 prizes internationally, earning over 4,500 pound sterling in prize money.

At Madison Square Garden, New York, in 1939, the 13.2 hand Connemara, LITTLE SQUIRE,won the Open Championship by cleared fences of seven feet. The American Press dubbed him "the littlest horse with the biggest heart."

DUNDRUM, Tommy Wade's 15 hand Connemara gelding, became Supreme Champion at theWembley Horse of the Year Show when he set a record by clearing a 7' 2" puissance wall. In 1961, he was regarded as show jumper of the century when he won five major events at the Dublin Horse Show. It was the first time in history that so many awards were won by the samrider, let alone the same horse! He was the International Jumping Champion from 1959 to1963.

STROLLER

A 14.1+ Connemara half-bred became the only pony to have ever competed in anOlympic Games. He was a member of the British Team competing in the 1968 Olympics itMexico, ridden by Marion Coakes. Bill Steinkraus and Snow Bound won the Gold Medal while Marion and STROLLER won the Individual Silver Medal, only four points behind Steinkraus. He was one of only two horses to jump a clear round in the entire 1968 Olympics, clearing a puissance fence of 6' 10".

MARCUS AURELIUS

Also known as The Bionic Pony, was a Connemara/Thoroughbred ridden by Mary Anne Tauskey. They competed in the 1975 Pan American Games as members of the USET which won the Gold Medal in the Three Day Event. In 1976, they were members of the United States Three-Day Event team; again, they were members of the Gold Medal winning team. In 1985, two of the top six Grand Prix USDF Horse of the Year Awards went to Connemarahalf-breds. Lendon Gray has earned worldwide recognition while riding the Connemara/Thoroughbreds, Seldom Seen and Last Scene in upper-level internation dressage competitions. Lana Dupont Wright has successfully driven her Connemara/Thoroughbred geldings in a number of international pairs competitions and two World Championships.

Custusha`s Cashel Rock	CUSTUSHA`S CASHEL ROCK During his long career Rocky won both the An Tostal and Camlin Trophies and earned gold medallions from the ACPS in Hunter, Jumper,Dressage and Combined Training. He was ChampionConnemara In-Hand at Woodstock in '77,'78,'79. lnopen competition, he won awards Championships from the Washington State Horseman's Council inDressage, Adult Amateur Hunter and Jumper, Smalland Working Hunter. He took the Championship ii USCTA Area Vll in Adult Training Level and USDFAll-Breed First in First Level Dressage in 1988, his last year of competition.At the 1993 West Coast Connemara Show a large crowd assembled for the retirement ceremony of thedun Connemara stallion, Custusha's Cashel Rock,owned by Mel and Helen King, Silver Creek,Washington. Rocky will always be seen and remembered for he is the 1990 model for theBreyer horse model: Rocky, Champion Connemara Stallion.
Hideaway`s Erin go Bragh	HIDEAWAY`S ERIN GO BRAGH Partnered since 1988 with rider Carol Koslowski of Geneseo, NY, Hideaway's Erin Go Brag hmoved quickly through the Preliminary ranks finishing second three times in 1990 to thedelight of his breeders and owners, Ed and Jackie Harris. In1991,his win at the MCTA Horse Trials, a highly regarded event with a notoriously tough cross-country course, againstsome stiff competition gave some indication of the talent in that compact body. Wins at Preliminary at Winona, OH andGeneseo, NY only further encouraged Carol and the Harrises to test their little stallion. However, it was his win at the GrotonHorse Trials later that year, in a division that included riderslike Bruce Davidson, Mike Plumb and Denny Emerson, that really told Carol and the Harrises this was one special pony.In the next three years he became a favorite of the eventingworld with remarkable performances at almost all the majorshows on the East Coast. A young, charismatic stallion of incredible presence, Erin GoBragh began 1995 by winning three second-level classes atthe Lake Erie College Dressage show, followed it up by winning his Open Intermediatedivisions at Fair Hill and at the Middleburg Horse Trials, finally becoming the AHSA's Zone 2Advanced Horse Trials champion for 1995 as well as the USCTA's Connemara of the Year.These awards are only the latest of a long string of triumphs for this son of Erin Smithereenand Hideaway's Centerfold. Go Bragh is also successful in the breeding shed countingamong his successful progeny, the marvelous half-bred Tilly Go Bragh.
Black Point`s Tilly Go Bragh	BLACK POINTS TILLY GO BRAGH Under the guidance of John Williams, this 15.2 hand powerhouse mare has had a meteoric rise in the eventing world in 1997, leaping from Training to Intermediate in just ten months, and finishing 2nd in her first 3-day event at the Preliminary level along the way. "John and Tillyhave been a perfect match," say owners Mary Delton and Bob Boeckman, "they have so muchconfidence in each other".Tilly's success has not been a surprise for her owners who bred and raised her. "We bred herto be an event horse," (Tilly is by Hideaway's Erin GoBragh and out of the TB mare Ristic Skipper, both event horses). She was very athletic right from the start, andjumped out of the paddock when she was just four months old!" This enthusiastic jumping style has attracteda sizable fan club at events, which have dubbed her everything from "Mighty Mouse" to "Bionic Pony II." Tilly's 1997 honors included earning the USCTA Preliminary Horse of the Year, the AHSA, Zone 2Intermediate Championship, the USCTA Connemara ofthe Year (with her sire, Hideaway's Erin Go Bragh),and the AHSA/ACPS Joan R. McKenna Trophy for excelling in Combined Training at both the Preliminary and Intermediate levels.

A Connemara Pony

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