CONNEMARA PONY BREEDERS’ SOCIETY of AUSTRALIA Facebook\Connemara Pony Breeders Society of Australia

$CONNEMARA PONY BREEDERS’ SOCIETY of AUSTRALIA Facebook\Connemara Pony Breeders Society of Australia$ CONNEMARA PONY BREEDERS’ SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA www.cpbsa.com.au Facebook\Connemara Pony Breeders Society of Australia May 2019 ZITA DENHOLM HONOURED WITH LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF CPBSA At the front entry of Zita Denholm’s home in the “I arranged for Di Cumming to teach a unit of suburb of Lake Albert in Wagga Wagga, NSW, is Breeding for the NEGS Horsemasters program,” green sign welcoming those coming through the Zita said. “I was asked to become an inspector for gates to the LeVale Connemara Stud. the CPBSA. When we left Armidale in late 1974, I had two Australian pony mares in foal to Arthur.” From the kitchen window, she and her family look out on four purebred mares (only two of whom One of these mares died giving birth to twins. The we own), two part-bred mares, one purebred filly other one, Royal Secret (Hoppy Judy), produced a foal, one purebred yearling gelding, one ¾ bred filly foal, LeVale Amazing Grace, and became the three-year-old gelding, and one eight-year-old basis of Zita’s plan to breed up to purebred. part-bred gelding. However, just as she was getting there, the CPBSA changed the rules and one could no longer ‘breed It is more than sixty years since her interest in up’. (Article contributed to earlier edition of Connemaras was piqued. So intense was the CPBSA Newsletter). interest, she tried to persuade her father, Luton White, to import a couple of mares in foal from Through the 1970s and 1980s, Zita kept England. Much to her to disappointment, she was inspecting ponies, though there were not very unsuccessful. many presented. One she particularly remembers was Galway Park Clare, whom she inspected at “I might have succeeded had I not been the eldest Canberra. of nine children, eight of whom were still needing to be educated,” Zita said. “I contacted Fred Her love of the breed was evidenced in the Wiltshire to bring (the then newly-imported) mounts ridden by Andrew and Madeline, who Island King to the Ekka (Brisbane Royal) and competed with success on part-breds, Robinhill promised to line up some mares for him. He didn’t Fabiola, Beaupré Joe (by CP Patrick), and think this was a good idea.” Robinhill Timoshay, who was later to become a stalwart at Canberra RDA and one of the joint In 1947, Zita and her father founded LeVale Pony winners of the Jo Heard Memorial Trophy. Club in Brisbane. It was the first Pony Club in Queensland. Among the earliest members was For a season or two, she looked after Mylerstown ‘little Susie Petrie’, later to become Sue Clarke. Huckleberry Finn for M Kelly. For the next twenty or so years, there was ‘pause’ After the children became adults, Zita sold the last of sorts in Zita’s direct interest in Connemaras. of her Connemara ponies, a purebred mare, She continued riding and competing, became a Homevale Yeltor (Maude), that she had bought teacher, married David Denholm, had two from Ann Paterson in Tasmania, and, in 1990, she children, Andrew and Madeline, relocated first to and David moved into Wagga proper. This move Canberra and then to Armidale. resulted in another ‘pause’. Zita remained an inspector for the Society and usually kept some It is there, in 1972, that the interest was form of membership current. rekindled. Zita had recently established the Horsemasters program at the New England Girls “I also judged pony classes at agricultural shows School (NEGS). and thus met Janene Leslie and Boonahburra 1 Magee,” Zita said. “I also kept in touch with ‘little “In September, Madeline and Aaron purchased Susie Petrie’. two part-bred, just broken-in two-year-old geldings by Willy Wagtail from the university. It “When Charles Sturt University (CSU) was looked like they were having such fun, I thought it looking for a stallion to use for teaching students was time I got my own riding pony. Enter in the Veterinary courses and the Equine Studies Ashleigh’s Jazz, who’s been the gift to my old age.” programs, John Dawkins and myself negotiated with Sue for the lease of two mares, and with In 2008, John Dawkins initiated the gathering Penny Brown for the lease of a mare. called ‘Connemaras on Campus’ which had two successful gatherings. The second of these had a “John persuaded the McTaggart family to lease couple of competitive classes, but the emphasis Wychwood Willy Wagtail to the programs also for was on education and socialising for members two years.” rather than for ponies. [Subsequently Cheryl Hyneman leased Celtic Basil “Aonach started in 2013 as an idea shared by to the program where he stood for 2 years] Janene Leslie, Karen Alston and me and financed In due course, CSU purchased Glenormiston Celtic out of the housekeeping money,” Zita laughed. Pride, the last foal sired by Domo Cavallo Praize, “It’s now been running successfully for seven to keep its Connemara project running after the years and continues to attract more competition lease on Willy Wagtail expired. and interest each year. In 2012, several events brought the ‘pause’ to an “In 2018-19 a committee was formed to facilitate abrupt end. its continuation beyond what time is allowing me to undertake.” Sue Clarke’s health was failing and Gneevebrack Storm, whom she had recently imported from While muscles, joints and bones allow, Zita will be out with her beloved Connemaras – feeding, Ireland, needed a new home. clipping, washing, riding and competing and “I collected a group of friends and of Connemara “supervising the rest of the mob”. associates who have since become friends, and we bought Storm,” Zita said. “Among them were “Horses are a disease. Sometimes it goes into Di and David Watt, who had a young purebred remission, but so far, no cure has been mare Glenormiston Evelyn. discovered. May the status quo remain!” “Madeline and her family had returned to Wagga at the end of the previous year and in July 2012, we looked after Evie (Pumpkin). 2 PRESIDENT’S REPORT – MAY 2019 We are almost midway through 2019. sponsorship, a review of the CPBSA Vet Check form and APSB Reciprocal Registration. Some of Aonach was another resounding success and the these items are ongoing. weather was perfect both days. Thanks once again to Zita, Madeline, Aaron and the Aonach There has been a great uptake of the Performance committee. Without these people it could never Register Sponsorship packages and I would like go ahead. People came from all over Australia to thank Melanie Bouwman for her work on this. with some visitors even from WA. Don’t forget to send any news or photos to Vicki Committee hold monthly Zoom meetings and if Plummer ([email protected]) for inclusion in you would like to put forward items to be the next E-bulletin. discussed please email the Secretary (Vicki Thank you, Diane Brown Plummer) with these. Recently meetings have CPBSA President. considered the Performance Register Notes from Secretariat Stallion Returns for 2018-19 need to be in the hands of the Secretariat by July 31st. Performance Awards Score Sheets need to be sent to Melanie Bouwman, C/- 271 Injimera Road, Grassmere Vic 3281 by the end of May so calculations etc. can be finalised and results announced asap. The Annual General Meeting will be held on the 19th October in or near Toowoomba, venue and other details, will be sent to all members when finalised. There will be a Stud tour and Inspection Clinic and Inspections conducted on the 20th. Guidelines for Inspectors, State Reps and Members will be discussed at the next Committee meeting and then the link to these papers will be placed on the web-page. The Committee have discussed and are going to contact all Show Societies to ask for the CPBSA to sponsor a Hi-Point award for Connemara’s at shows. It was discussed by Committee and moved that the Performance Register will be only for members of the CPBSA and that the pony/horse must be registered with the Society to be eligible. Please be advised that your Membership is due for renewal as at 1st July 2019. There is a link for the Membership Renewal on page 20. 3 AONACH IS 7 YEARS OLD! THE AGE OF REASON Aonach came into being for a reason, and, now Showjumping – continues to rise, but so does the that it is 7 years old, the reason for its being is Aonach Spirit. We meet as friends, we compete as more and more obvious. friends, we part as friends and we hope to see one another – and to make more friends – next year. Held in March on the weekend closest to St Patrick’s Day Aonach has become the premier Aonach Australia is booked for 14-15 March 2020 gathering at which Connemara ponies (pure and at Charles Sturt University Equine Centre, Wagga partbred, regular or over-height) can strut their Wagga. stuff under saddle. Attendance this March was a record. Of the 42 ponies nominated, 41 arrived to compete. Among the events most commented on was The Challenge, sponsored by Dromara Park AONACH – WHERE TO? Connemaras. This year it morphed into a Teams We listen to our competitors! event with each pony having to be ridden by a ‘young’ person (under 16), a ‘middling’ person Here are some of the ideas we have heard and will (17 to 55) and a ‘senior’ person (over 55). A act upon, starting in 2020. couple of the young persons, Lottie Bouwman For the very young – a leading-rein class.

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