When I visited Pelettstown Riding Centre a few weeks back I saw a lovely Connemara mare being cared for by her very young owner, Ava Donnellan, who has her own livery there.

The beautiful gentle relationship between these two made me think what a precious treasure for Ireland is this our native pony.

Owner of the Centre Tucker Geraghty makes annual pilgrimages to the west in a bid to acquire new mounts from the breed for his clients. But he notes that it is becoming ever more challenging to buy them.

Currently about 2,500 Connemara foals are registered each year here in Ireland

Secretary of the Connemara Pony Society Carol O’Connor, tells me that last year there were not enough three-year-olds under saddle to meet the demand. She also reported very brisk sales at the various dedicated Connemara auctions both at Clifden and further afield.

Currently about 2,500 Connemara foals are registered each year here in Ireland.

Carol also notes that there are now 17 daughter Connemara societies dotted around the world.

Sadly there is no current shared data base between all these daughter societies

Their progeny are registered in the parent stud book only when brought home to Ireland.

Sadly there is no current shared data base between all these daughter societies but Carol assures us that efforts are now being made to remedy this

Such is the current market, the Clifden Sales have now been extended to five sessions a year.

Traditionally they have been held in February, May, August and October, another in December was added last year. The most recent was a flier with many five-figure sales and a top price of €16,000 being realised. Sales also take place at Ballyconneely, Roundstone and Maam Cross in Galway, Ballinalee in Longford as well as Slane in Meath. In addition to Clifden, Gary Kilgallon’s Connemara five-year-old mare made €20,600 at the recent Mullingar Sale.

Cul Ban Mistress

A wonderful example of the breed is the recently exported mare Cul Ban Mistress, who won many medals for Irish riders during her 12-year career here. She was bred in Galway by Barry Connaire, and owned through most of her career by the enthusiastic Clive Swindell. She had her early successes with rising star Mikey Pender, but her stellar international performances were achieved with the Derwin family of Athlone.

Team gold medal and individual silver medal winners Kate Derwin and Cul Ban Mistress. \ Helen Revington/Focus On Horses

Kate Derwin rode her to team gold and individual silver at the 2017 European Championships plus a Grand Prix win at Fontainebleau. With Kate’s brother Francis Cul Ban Mistress was on the 2019 European team gold side and together they won the Grand Prix at Hagan in Germany. She had a first-day victory at her last European Championship outing in 2021 with James Derwin. She is by Silver Shadow, who is grandsire to the young mare I saw at Pelettstown with Ava Donnellan. Silver Shadow stands with the Diamond family in Renvyle, Connemara.