I’ll always be a Bekan man, in fact the house I was born in now stands as a stable. My mother would say all I ever wanted to do was work – my first steps was carrying a sod of turf. Like most young lads at that time I left for England at 19, working on building sites but returned to take over the farm in 1979.

I set up the farm with some cattle and worked driving a bulldozer. Working on a field some years later, there was a herd of ponies, owned by Patrick McNamara, neighbouring it. Patrick had none for sale but put me in contact with Liam Walsh who was selling a mare and foal and I bought them. It was never my intention to show them, but Liam said I should give it a go.

Roundfort was the first show I went to. You sort of learn on the job. Starting off, it was a great day to get any colour rosette. We were no stranger to special ones or ‘first but at the wrong end of class’!

Carravilla, our first pony, lived out her days with us but I wanted to find something special. In 1994 I spotted a filly foal leaving the ring in Clifden. I couldn’t take my eyes off her so followed them and made John Molloy, her breeder, an offer. He laughed and said he could have got that for her when she four weeks old.

Life changing filly

I couldn’t get her out of my mind. We went to look at her one Sunday, stopped in Clifden for fuel and my son-in-law asked the lad in the garage was there any nice filly foals about. He said: ‘Ah, there is out with Molloys but some fella from Mayo has mad money on her!’ The deal was done and I never would have expected how much that filly, Mountain Lady, was going to change our life.

My good friend Pat Flatley, he’s since passed away, came to collect her with us and said ‘We’d want to stop in Maam Cross on the way home and have a drink for luck, she’s going to be a lucky one’. I didn’t realise how true that would be.

We had many a good day at shows after that. She was always up against John Joyce’s filly, they’d be side by side and it would be all good fun jousting which of us would win that day. Breda Horan never forgot that she was the first judge to give her a red.

Mountain Lady will always be my favourite pony. She’s 26 now, showing her age, no more than myself. Our showing days are over but she gave me some great days out. I couldn’t tell you how many red rosettes and championships she’s won.

Village Boy, her sire, is a line of breeding I was always fond of. To me, you can always spot them; nice heads, short cannons, all pony. Of course I had to have Mountain Lady’s full-sister, Lady Jennifer, too. Michael Casey often said if you could take the front half of one sister and the back end of the other, you’d make the perfect pony!

‘Jenny’ gave me probably the best win I ever had as a yearling in Clifden. There was 50 entered in the class, 36 showed up and we were pulled in fourth. Well, I was praying to keep that place. I’ll never forget the final call in when there was no ponies ahead of me, I couldn’t believe it until the red rosette was in my hand. I don’t think anyone forgets their first Clifden win.

We’ve been lucky to have more Clifden wins. Mountain Lady won the progeny class with two full-siblings and she won it again eight years later in 2012 with the same pair. That was a great day. I was supposed to be having chemo that day but told them it was Clifden and I wouldn’t be able to come. I think they thought I was mad.

Mountain Cascade was second in the stallion class and afterwards, I sat down on the ramp for a rest and must have dozed off. The next thing my daughter Joanne arrived back with Mountain Heather, saying ‘We did it!’, she’d won her class. Mountain Lady was second in the senior mare class too that day, she’s bred great ponies with Laerkens Cascade Dawn. He’s my other favourite line.

Community

I love shows. I’d do as many as I could when I was able and think we fitted in 37 one summer. Never had a favourite; big, small, it didn’t matter. It’s the people that make it. It’s a great community.

I first got sick in 2011. I had a stroke and when I got out of hospital, Joanne had lists of people who’d phoned, not just from Ireland but all around the world, many offering their time to come help with the ponies and farm. I couldn’t believe it.

I’ve four children, Joanne is the only one interested in ponies. We’ve travelled the country together and made plenty of great memories. I can’t show anymore, the head might be able but the body can’t keep up.

I often look out at the young stock I’d love to show, but I hope through Mountain Lady’s offspring, Joanne’s family can continue on. My last day in the ring was Mountain Heather being champion at Strokestown. I didn’t realise it’d be my last day but I suppose getting to 78 in the show ring wasn’t too bad.

My eldest granddaughter Rachael has a great interest. I bought her a Connemara foal when she turned 18 and that pony just had her first foal a few weeks ago. Darcy, Joanne’s daughter, has been mad about ponies since she was born. Darcy started riding lessons after Christmas and it was the week’s highlight going to watch her until we’ve all had to stay home. I was hoping to see Donnacha, Darcy’s brother, in lead rein and mini handlers classes this summer, he’s mad to go, but I don’t know will we see a show this year.

That’s what shows are all about, families spending time together. We’ve all had good and bad days and there’s life lessons to be learned for children through shows. It’s important to teach children to enjoy shows, the worst thing that could happen is if you couldn’t bring your pony home.

Everyone thinks theirs is the best but it’s good to be able to appreciate what you have and learn to be happy for others too.

Jarlath Grogan was in conversation with Susan Finnerty.