My name is Archie Rabbette and I’m from Ballyheane, Castlebar, Co Mayo.

I am seven years old and I am in first class. I go to Ballyheane National School. I live at Castleside Stud where we breed Connemara ponies.

I love going to the shows every year. My favourite show is Ballinrobe, it is just up the road from my house.

Last year we brought my pony Snowy and I won the lead rein class and got my first red rosette and a trophy.

I also like going to the sales in Clifden where I meet loads of people that come to the stud to get their mares covered. I don’t know all their names but I remember most of their mares.

Foals

My favourite time of the year is spring because all the foals are being born, my sister Millie and I keep watch for the new foals and we take turns at naming them.

This year, because there were no shows, my dad let me go with him to the colt inspections in Ballinasloe. It was my first time going to inspections and a really nice lady called Clare looked after me and showed me where it was safe to stand and watch from while my dad was in the ring with his colt Carson.

Special pony

The next day, we went and brought my pony King [Castleside Ard Ri].

I was a bit nervous when he was in with the judges but he did well. He got Class 1 so all the walking and trotting and washing paid off.

The vet, Philip McManus, let me put on his stethoscope and let me listen to King’s heart when he was checking him.

Archie Rabbette Archie with his Class 1 three-year-old Castleside Ard Ri (Castleside Carrig) at the Connemara Pony Breeders Society inspections at Creagh EC. \ Susan Finnerty

I was very happy on the way home because my grandad Mickey gave me King a few weeks before he died and went to heaven so he is very special to me.

Hopefully, if the coronavirus goes away and there are shows next year, we will bring King to some of them and maybe even to the big show in Clifden. And Roundstone, because it was grandad Mickey’s favourite show.

On the way home from Ballinasloe, we stopped in a place called Mountbellew and we saw the statue of Bobby Jo the famous racehorse and I even got to have a spin on him!

We are busy on the farm at the moment because we are weaning the foals off the mares, you are kept busy when you have ponies but I always like helping Dad.

Archie Rabbette was in conversation with Susan Finnerty.