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Welcome.
I welcome one and all to our web site which is at the moment in the process of being updated to include some interesting photographs, information on the Connemara Pony and our 'Shows' held in Roundstone.
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Supreme Champions.
For years, Pat Mullen and myself have been commenting on the fact that no person, no Show Committee nor the Connemara Pony Society have as yet, introduced an All Ireland Supreme Champion of Champions Show for the Connemara Pony. We do have the Clifden Pony Show held yearly in Connemara during the third week of August. The Dublin Horse Show is held in the RDS every year with Connemara Pony classes. There are many other Shows for Registered Connemara Ponies held throughout Ireland, but none where only the first prize winners from all of these Shows can compete together for an All Ireland Supreme Champion of Champions Connemara Pony.
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Noble Star, Dareena & Roundstone River.
 In years gone by, the place to win first prize with your Connemara Pony was in the RDS, Dublin. If you won at the RDS it was thought that you had the best pony in Ireland, held at that time in greater esteem than the Clifden Show. My father made the effort to take his Connemara Ponies from the West coast of Ireland all the way across the country to Dublin on the East coast. In 1939 my father, Tommy (T.J.) McDonagh won first prize in the RDS with one of his Connemara Stallions, Noble Star, in 1955 he won first prize with his mare, Cushatrough Lass, in 1956 he won first prize with his mare, Dareena and again in 1973 won first prize with his two-year-old Connemara Filly, Roundstone River.
For years, my father was a familiar sight, transporting his Stallions all over Connemara to service Mares, entering his Connemara Ponies in the Shows and entertaining potential customers from overseas countries who had come to purchase his ponies. It was my father and the dedicated Connemara men like him, such as Jack Boulger, Graham Tulloch, Joe Gorham, Josie Conroy, Tommy O'Brien, Michael King and many more, who with their Stallions and prize winning Mares, were mainly responsible for promoting the Connemara Pony world wide. |
Supreme Champions.
On the 9th July 2006 after a lapse of many years I re-instated the Connemara Pony Show on a new site above the village of Roundstone. Dedicated to the memory of my Father and Mother, Tommy (T.J.) and Mary McDonagh. With the help of contractors and many local volunteers we laid down a new arena and created a separate trailer and horsebox park for the exhibitors. This Show on the 9th July 2006 proved to be highly successful which then set in motion, the idea of holding The All Ireland Supreme Champion of Champions Show in Roundstone, the veryplace it all began in 1923 when a group of like minded Connemara Pony Breeders, namely John Cloherty, Josie Mongan,  Tom McDonagh (no relation), Fr. OJ White P.P. of Roundstone, T. Cotter, W Roe and T.McD. Kelly, gathered together and held the first ever Connemara Pony Show meeting in Vaughan's Hotel, Roundstone, Connemara, Co. Galway. This meeting led to the first show for Connemara Ponies, which took place in the old Monastery grounds, Roundstone, in 1924.
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Committee Convened.
On the 17th July 2006, our committee convened to organize the first All Ireland Supreme Champion of Champions Show to be held in Roundstone on the 24th September 2006. We have a new Showground, we have a dedicated and hard working committee and we have a list of honest Judges who do not personally know competitors or ponies. We have eminent sponsors in Canada Life and Future Wealth and Protection, Aer Arann, and many more prominent sponsors, all of which will be mentioned on this web site in due course. |
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Special Thanks.
I take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your contribution and support. All the sponsors, all the donators, all the organisers, all the voluntary help who offer their time, all those with suggestions and ideas, also all those with the interest to see the Roundstone Connemara Pony Shows achieve success. . |
 Paddy Yank McDonagh.
Chairman |
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The entry form for the 2006 All Ireland Supreme Champion of Champions Connemara Pony Show, on September 24th, have been released. You will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to read and print them.
Either click the link, or right-click the link and choose "Save Target As ... "
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