WCCS Thank You!

[Elaine Lindelef]

I really enjoyed WCCS, and I was impressed by the quality of competition and by all the interesting things going on. I only wish I could have taken in every minute - seen more of the inspection process, watched the driving, etc. It was very hot but I still had a wonderful time.

Thank you to everyone for all your hard work in pulling this show together. Creating an event practically from scratch is always a huge undertaking and some rough spots are to be expected. Twin Rivers was a perfect venue, and I hope we'll be able to do it again some time.

[Redbud Ranch]

Hi Elaine,
I think this was one of the very best West Coast Connemara Shows we've seen yet. It was wonderful to see everyone (Both People and Ponies--and Kids!!!!). We had a lot of new smiling faces and that alone was worth the trip. The heat just about had me buggered but the ponies all seemed to fair pretty well. Twin Rivers was definitely a lovely venue...I especially liked the stabling. I too wished I could have seen more of the inspection (and more of the show too!) but did manage to watch five mares evaluated. I was so pleased for Chip and Brigs to be awarded premium. It was I think an excellent open discussion and it was very helpful to be hands on....and I definitely took home some valuable insights.

[Elaine Lindelef]

I would have quite loved to hear the discussion at the inspection - not sure when it was - but I guess that means we'll have to come again next time. I hope some day to do some breeding and I've been collecting as much knowledge as I can.

My daughter quite enjoyed playing with yours at the show - they seem well matched - perhaps some day they'll get to play and have their own ponies at the show as well!

Although the days were long, I quite liked the plan of dressage classes, breed and fun classes, and jumping classes. It would have been hard to justify the 6+ hour drive for any one of those elements, but for all of them, plus the fun of meeting other Connemara people, it was well worth it.

[Redbud Ranch]

It was so hot and the show went on till dark that they held the discussion in the evening. They asked owners to bring the ponies up and one at a time presented their evaluation of the pony. Two of the "Hot Topics" were position of the stifle---we have very good low stifle placement in our breeding population here in CA. The other being the position of the LS joint--seemed we were mostly good here as well. The other issue touched on was "tied in at the elbow"....this was very good for me because I was able to see the pony and then feel what they were pointing out. We need to work to improve our "elbows" here in CA. Also there were a number of ponies that fell to the lower end on the Type scale...which is not saying they are bad ponies only that they appeared to more horse like, with too much "air" under them. The preference being for a pony standing over a lot of ground, but not too much air under them (ie. Too Leggy). Other issues touched on were too narrow, lack of body depth, offset cannons, toeing in/out. It was a good discussion and I appreciated the openess of other breeders sharing their results. Our filly Taylor did very well and it was really such fun to be able to share her results with her breeders Rick and Dale Doner.

Maddie had such fun with your daughter....I think they gave poor Avi a bath a minute all day! I too hope to hand my pony Jack (or somebody!) over to maddie in the future and look forwards to when she can help us show the ponies! Next time we will definitely be trying more jumping classes and hope to put together an entry for the costume class! With five young ponies though we had to really pick and chose what to do with who. The show really put Maddie in the "mood" though and she has been asking to ride her mini horse since we got home. Fingers Crossed this is a new warming trend!

I too really enjoyed the dressage--it was our first dressage show together, and it was very rewarding for me to finally show my homebred pony undersaddle for the first time! I am really hoping I can do it again soon!

[Elaine Lindelef]

On the LS joint - they're worried about that being too far behind the point of the hip, correct? And they're not seeing that in California ponies?

One of the things that is interesting about 'tied in at the elbow' is that in my experience it is something that can change with work and development, especially lateral work.

I actually think it's interesting that they see a distinct trend in a California population different from the east. It would seem to me - from my mostly outsider status - that there don't really seem to be generations of California ponies making more California ponies. We've got quite a few imports bopping around plus with transported semen and the like, it would seem that we'd have access to many lines. But it also could be that we have what we like and we like what we have.

I was impressed that y'all had the energy to manage five ponies throughout the weekend! That's a big project and with Maddie to manage as well.

My daughter also was inspired, and she's off to a horsey Girl Scout camp next week where they ride every day and vault every other day. :-)

[Redbud Ranch]

Thats great about camp--Im jelous!!
Yes, the LS joint being to far back and the potential problems associated with that was the main issue. Again, they are talking about "potential' for problems...not actual problems. Just my two cents but very few ponies are asked to do jobs they are incapable of performing.

I agree, though that many so called Conformational Flaws can and do change over time. For example we've watched joints become more well defined, top lines change and become stronger, Toeing out resolve and disappear as well as depth of body increase and change with maturity.

At the moment there are very few "active" breeders here in CA, but I would say we have a very high percentage of imported Ponies (and some EXCELLENT examples of breed type and quality) and not too many duplications. We are very lucky in this respect. There are several stallions and representatives of those breeding programs that did not come to this years show, maybe next time. We are also very fortunate to have top pedigrees available to us both her in CA as well as by frozen and fresh cooled.

There are few of us who are still 'just puppies' and are just getting started in the breed. But I do enjoy it, I think I enjoy breeding/foaling season more than any other of my horsey endeavors. We have bred both our mares (Century Hills Taylor Maide and Glenormiston Amelia) and both are due in March 2010. Taylor is in Foal to Eclipse and Amelia is in foal to Ardceltic Art. Very much looking forwards to what next season will bring. I hope you do decide to try breeding it is a wonderful experience to share with your family.

[Alpenglow]

Hi Lisa,
I love Taylor! Can't wait to see that foal! Are you retaining it if it is a filly or........ let me know!!!
Heidi

[Redbud Ranch]

Thanks H, Taylor really turned out nice and yes this one will be for sale. Taylors mother had a gorgeous colt by Eclipse last season so we are hoping for something nice from T. We are hoping the filly fairy was last seen hovering over browns valley!

[Alpenglow]

I like more leg for dressage though. Easier to do the lateral work. So I look for leggy ponies myself. Not to say I want all leg!! It is important for me that my ponies are dressage ponies with good confirmation, great temperament, and have a Connemara look about them. I am hoping O will fill out in the bod some more. I think she will!! Whos going to the M&M show in Sept?

[Redbud Ranch]

I agree H, it is definitely easier with a leggier pony to compete in most disciplines.

[Elaine Lindelef]

O is a lovely mare and I look forward to seeing how she matures. It was also lovely to meet you and talk with you!

[Alpenglow]

Thank you! Your mare is very nice too. We both have a more sport pony type I think!

[Redbud Ranch]

There was a very interesting interview with Herbert Imping (president of the German Society for many years) in which he talks about using the more modern mares to produce high quality performance types. I've copied and pasted it here. Think it makes some valuable points---and theres a few names in there you might recognize :)


German Connemara President Visits Pikes Peak Region’s Ponies

By Karen Laden

Two days, 300 miles and 35 ponies later, German Connemarapony Vereinigung e.V. President Herbert Imping advised six Colorado breeders that ”you must keep doing what you are doing. It is working. You have quality ponies.”

Imping visited the Pikes Peak Region the first weekend of October, 2004, specifically to see its ponies. Karen Laden of Kingswell Connemara Farm arranged the trip. Her yearling stallion, *Smaragaid Cliff (Munkholm Cobbergate x Shamrock Bright Roxanne), boasts two generations of Imping’s breeding on his dam’s side and brings completely new bloodlines to the USA.

In addition to Kingswell, Imping toured Cloonara Connemaras (Karen Libuse), Dennali Connemaras (Alina Love and Dennis Schmidt), Doe Valley Connemaras (Anne Cole and John Reffel Jr.), New Song Connemara Ranch (Alyce Wich) and Wildwych Connemaras (Mary Stewart Prewitt).

At each farm, Imping followed the same general procedure to assess the ponies presented. He first studied the overall impression of the pony and then looked at type, conformation and movement, noting the strengths and weaknesses of each individual. He called special attention to the ponies with exceptional bone, joints and muscling, saying each time, ”With this pony, you drive (a carriage) up and down (hills) all day.”

Imping told the tour participants that all ponies have strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, breeders must know their ponies, he said, and choose their mates accordingly. The stallion must be strong in the area where a mare is weak. The goal is to produce a quality foal with the strengths of both parents. Imping used the Colorado farms as a living classroom – and their ponies as live textbooks -- to demonstrate the soundness of his advice.

As a long-time Connemara breeder in Europe, Imping personally saw many of the famous older ponies that Americans only read about in books by Pat Lyne and Lib Petch. He also visited many of the famous old studs, such as Oxenholm in Denmark. These memories allowed Imping to identify a physical likeness of specific stallions or dams in many of the Colorado ponies. For example, he called out Carna Bobby when looking at Wildwych Ailech and Hideaway’s Irish Mist, Finney Master in Wildwych O’Farrell, and Galway Girl in Wildflower’s Toshi.

This led to a discussion on Connemara type, in which Imping made two points:

1) Colorado has several of the very old-type, quality Connemaras that he said are difficult to find in either Ireland or the rest of Europe. Imping specifically identified Wildflower’s Toshi (*Lasrachai x Galway Girl), *Sillbridge Miranda (Thunderbolt x Laudale Rannoch), and *Glenormiston Flurry Knox (Abbeyleix Finbar x Oxenholm Tiffany) as representative of this group.

2) The old-fashioned type Connemara must be retained by breeding them to each other. The more modern ponies must be infused continually with the old style to maintain Connemara breed type, while still producing a more practical-style performance pony. To do otherwise, Imping said, will result in the Connemara losing its unique type within two or three generations.

Imping used Wildywich Valkyrie (*Glenormiston Flurry Knox x Hideaway’s Irish Mist) and Wildwych Jadis (*Glenormiston Flurry Knox by Glenormiston Amelia) to exemplify his point. The sire is old style while the dams are modern-style ponies. Together they produced strong performance-style fillies with exceptional type.

Upon reflection at the tour’s end, Imping said all the ponies he saw in Colorado could be considered part of one breeding program, as all the ponies compliment each other. This was welcome confirmation to the six Colorado breeders since they work together in a cooperative spirit, choosing stallions and mares that benefit the entire group rather than just the individual farm.

Most of these farms’ ponies also contain Oxenholm breeding. Imping credited that famous stud for the quality he saw carried down into today’s Colorado ponies.

Imping is the second foreign Connemara breeder hosted by ACPS Region VIII members. Last year, Australian Sue Clarke of Glenormiston Connemara Pony Stud held a clinic on conformation and type. Clarke was a guest judge at Clifden this year.

Both Imping and Clarke imparted valuable insight and knowledge during their visits. The personal interaction was priceless. For these reasons, the breeders in Colorado plan to continue the tradition by hosting a respected foreign Connemara breeder/inspector each year, making it an annual event in ACPS Region VIII.

Maureen Mathisen of Blueoak Arabians and Connemaras flew from California to take part in the weekend event. She especially enjoyed seeing her stallion *Lasrachai’s half-sister, *Sillbridge Miranda, and daughter, Wildflower’s Toshi, now both residing in Colorado. ACPS Region VIII Chair Julie Keahey and Colorado Driving Society President Mary Woolverton attended Saturday’s informal dinner to honor the German visitors.

Joining Imping on the farm tour were his wife, Helga, and their traveling/fishing companions Berndt and Gerlinde Schneider. The Schneiders have no ponies; however, Herr Schneider often is Imping’s groom when he is driving his pair of homebred Connemara mares.