FALL 2016 VOL. 21, ISSUE #4 INSIDE ACPS Region I Celebrates Breed Show Report ... 1 50th Annual Connemara and keynote speaker at Saturday’s dinner. But as always, the thing that keeps people coming Region Chair .............. 1 Breed Show back to the Region 1 show year after year is the July 23 & 24, 2016 Show Results .............. 6 camaraderie of those who share the love of the by Carolyn Nesbitt Kessler Scholarship Connemara pony and all it does for us. Winner ..................... 10 othing could have been more festive, lovely, The weekend started off with a bang on Friday, Lois Kessler Nor fun than ACPS Region I’s 50th Annual with ACPS Inspectors Donna Duckworth, Gloria Memoriam ............... 11 Connemara breed show extravaganza. Held at LaCroix, Joanie Webster, and Kathy Lucas A Visit to Ireland ..... 12 South Woodstock, Vermont’s beautiful Green being presented with 15 ponies for their moment Mountain Horse Association, the show’s location of scrutiny; several of these brought mares Straightness for all but a handful of its iterations, this year’s Training Clinic......... 14 coming back to be judged for their Premium celebration drew something in the vicinity status. Our inspectors were generous with Correcting the of 100 competitors and their ponies from all their comments and their time, leaving many Rider's Leg ............... 15 over New England. A big draw was the august happy owner/breeders (and fifteen lovely and Member News .......... 17 presence of the Irish Connemara Pony Breeder’s continued on page 3 Society President, Judge, Author, & Breeder Tom Classifieds................. 19 Susan Goodhouse's granddaughter, Harper Hathorn MacLochlainn as our honored In Hand judge after her leadline debut.—a future champion!. SUSAN GOOHOUSE PHOTO ...FROM Hello and Greetings THE CHAIR I am pleased to report, that 2016 was a very productive, successful and active year in Pat Shields Region 1 for our ponies, members, officers and committee members. Each of person that participates helps make our region what it is and that is “Special”. This has been a fantastic and busy year for Region 1. We just finished celebrating our 50th Anniversary show; with record numbers of pony and rider attendance. Over one hundred pony/ rider pairs attended and competed, with over seventy purebred and halfbred Connemaras, and sixty riders and handlers. We had an excellent mix of both purebreds and halfbreds with ample classes for all levels of participation. Our young handlers had their own classes and demonstrated their junior handling skills both in hand and ridden classes. There were trail classes, dressage, driving and of course jumping classes. Additional details will follow from our show committee, who worked incredibly hard to make our show a success. I would like to acknowledge our show committee, with Amy Plavin as the committee chair, Linda Haines, Sally Oxnard, Liz Platais, Susan Goodhouse, Bette Fredrickson, and Scott McGuffin. continued on page 2 ACPS REGION I NEWSLETTER FALL 2016 1 REGION I CHAIR cont. will be having a planning meeting, We held well attended inspections during which we are seeking in two locations, Journey’s End interested members in joining Farm owned by the Winklers and committees which will be responsible at GMHA. I was told my daughter, for planning activities in the coming Emily who had the pleasure of year. We need people interested for presenting our mare, Virginia Dale all phases of planning, for our show, at Ginny Winkler’s Farm, how Equine Affair, Field Day, Our Tea informative and interesting the and hosting a National meeting. inspections were. She was very All Region 1 members are invited excited to learn more about our to attend. We are eager to try new inpectors’ viewpoints. ACPS Region I Officers venues that we haven’t thought of or Chair We had an excellent turn out of tried ...so please join us. Patricia Shields: 860-866-7116 members at our Connemara Tea with 57 Lake Rd., Harwinton, CT 06791 Date for our planning meeting: [email protected] 40 Region 1 members and friends SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30TH Vice Chair and even members from Region 2 Linda Haines: 603-934-3895 or 603-387-0157 making the trek to my farm this past Time: 12:00 – 2:00 pm 149 Shaw Road, Northfield, NH 03276 March. We had a meet and greet with Location: 500 Ravine Rd., New [email protected] what seemed like tons of tasty dishes Braintree, MA Treasurer brought by attendees. There was Hostesses: Lisa and Kathy Susan Goodhouse: 802-484-5540 Rolling Meadows Farm a mini centered riding presentation TrumSearah. 1212 Bailey Mills Road, Reading, VT done by Debbie Murphy and a mini RSVP: Pat Shields email: [email protected] longe lining demonstration by Emily [email protected] Secretary Shields with our stallion, Baliey’s Carolyn McEvitt: 860-228-8675 Irish Dream. We were so happy to Thank you to all Region 1 members, 32 Hope Valley Road, Amston, CT 06231 [email protected] have all those that attended join us Officers, our Governor, Amy Plavin, and ACPS mentors Sally Oxnard and Show Organizers and it was great getting to know some Amy Plavin: 413-834-1804 of members better. Liz Platais for the tremendous effort 403 Parker Hill Road, Bellows Falls, VT 05101 you all put forth on a consistent basis. [email protected] In June, our region enjoyed Susan Goodhouse: 802-484-5540 going to Bantry Bay Farm, owned Looking back at 2016 with pride at Rolling Meadows Farm by Bill and Candy Verhulst, who all that members accomplished and 1212 Bailey Mills Road, Reading, VT graciously hosted our annual Field forward with excitement with doing [email protected] Day with our Dressage Clinician, even more in 2017. r Joy Congdon, a Grand Prix rider and ACPS Board of Governors trainer from VT. Members enjoyed In the Jr. Handler Class, Stella Marsh with Irish Park’s Royal Tara, still looking good at 19 Region I Representative one-on-one attention and small group years young! PAT SHIELDS PHOTO Amy Plavin: 413-834-1804 403 Parker Hill Road, Bellows Falls, VT 05101 clinic type lessons throughout the [email protected] morning. Then the group broke for a lovely lunch and lively discussions Newsletter then back to some dressage lessons. It was a fun, educational day. Art Director/Managing Editor Hannah Howard: 603-848-6894 Wynndover Farm Now it is time to look forward to PO Box 9, Salisbury, NH 03268 2017. To kick off the year ahead, we [email protected] Communications Manager Carolyn McEvitt: 860-228-8675 32 Hope Valley Road, Amston, CT 06231 Next Issue [email protected] COPYRIGHT © 2015 WINTER 2017 The Connemara Bits & Pieces Newsletter is Deadline for published four times a year as an information source all Submissions: for American Connemara Pony Society Region I members. The Bits & Pieces staff and ACPS shall not be held responsible for any typing errors or December 1st mis-information submitted for publication by members. 2 FALL 2016 ACPS REGION I NEWSLETTER Breed Show Recap Put the 2017 completely unconcerned ponies) in their wake. Champion Mare here; a rare and lovely Breed Following the inspections was a wonderful affirmation for a breeder (Gilnocky Chantilly Show barbeque put on by George Murray, that gave Lace and Wintervale Ronia were the first, in case Dates everybody a chance to eat, drink, visit, buy out you’re wondering). Reserve to RMF Fionnoula the Region 1 Store’s newest batch of gorgeous in both Championships was the lovely younger on Your 50th Anniversary ACS Region 1 branded gear mare winner Thurman Shammy (Rattle N Snap Calendar. (thank-you, Lynn Bergeron!), and enjoy a slide Laddie Boy x Aladdin’s Rhiann), owned and ?????? shown by Janet Chayes. Worth noting here that show and conversation put together by Caroline & ??! Nesbitt outlining the history of the people and Aladdin’s Rhiann is a full sister of Aladdin’s ponies of Region 1 from the early 60’s. Denver (Aladdin x Tre Awain Cricket Song). It’s always easier to track the sires, but it’s great First thing in the morning, we all got beautiful to know that Region 1’s female families are pins commemorating Region 1’s 50th in our in equally good show packets (thank-you, Liz Platais!) and then shape! on to the serious business of showing ponies. Tom MacLochlainn was a fair and thorough The afternoon and judge of mostly well-filled in hand classes, the following day with Kate Rakowski taking on the performance were devoted to divisions. The Gelding class of twelve great, performance, with useful ponies was won by Cynthia Richard’s hunters, jumpers, Cybatina Cian O’Cham (*Annilaun Oscar x and equitation judged by Kate Concord River Chamois), with Deb Shade’s Rakowski, Trail Shady Hills Donovan (Maplehurst Michael by Roger Poitras, MacDaire x Indian Summer’s Bridie) second, and Dressage and these two went on to be Champion and Trail by Carolyn Reserve Champion Gelding. Cian O’Cham McEvitt. Carolyn followed this up by being the Grand Champion also stepped in Connemara of the show, ably ridden by Alicia gracefully to Elliott. Not to be outdone, Cybatina Cian judge the Fitting O’Cham’s full brother Cybatina Finn O’Cham and Showmanship won the coveted Beryl Eddy High Point Trail classes, Susan Award, as well as being High Point Dressage- Koso ably judged Senior, piloted by Helena Kopyczinski. There Tom MacLochlainnn a sadly underfilled open Driving division, and was the keynote was something poetic about seeing one of Caroline Nesbitt took on a nice selection of speaker for the Region 1’s oldest farms still so successful. The Dales ponies. Saturday night dinner.