Zest in show: Five-year-old Lemon is champion Connemara
The Connemara Pony World Search for a Star championships brought 77 young Connemara ponies to County Wexford
Chloe Lacey topped the four- and five-year-old novice ridden championship with the outstanding Ballylee Lemon at the Connemara Pony World Search for a Star championships.
There were 77 exciting young Connemara ponies at Barnadown EC in County Wexford on 6 September, competing for the €4,000 (£3,440) prize fund on offer over four championships.
The event, now in its third year, is the brainchild of Connemara Pony Tales podcast host Lucinda Kelly.
The unique format for the Search for a Star finals included four phases: jumping, a ridden show and conformation in hand, and finally the top six were ridden by judge Harrison Taylor, while Andrew Bryne assessed jumping and conformation.
Sealing their final show together with one more championship were Chloe Lacey – who had hot-footed it back to Ireland from competing in the UK – and five-year-old Ballylee Lemon, by Slackport Prince out of Lemonfield Lass.
Their tally this year includes top-three finishes at Balmoral and Royal Dublin, as well as heading a 48-strong class at Clifden in the four- and five-year-old final and taking the reserve overall championship.
Lemon is owned by Emma O’Gorman Wall, who bought him after Royal Dublin last year for her daughter Matilda. Chloe will hand over the reins for next season.
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“Emma is a client of mine and I will continue to work closely in producing him, but we are very excited for the next chapter for him – he has all the qualities to make a top junior pony,” said Chloe.
Ride judge Harrison Taylor praised Lemon’s production.
“Chloe presented Lemon beautifully; her show was balanced, confident and well executed,” he said. “Lemon gave me a truly enjoyable ride – he is a correct, true to type Connemara pony with good limbs, a pleasing way of going and an overall attractive pattern of a pony.”
This year also included the introduction of the Little Star championship for Connemaras standing 143cm or under, open to ponies aged four, five or six who were measured on the day and assessed in age order.
Ellen McLoughlin, 13, clinched this championship with the impressive 128cm Ardville Mattie K. The six-year-old gelding, bred by Jane Somerville, competes in showjumping, and has twice qualified for the 133cm working hunter pony final at Royal Dublin.
Having won the five-year-old Search for a Star championship last season with the bay Hogan’s Charm – who had finished second in the Connemara performance hunter class at Royal Dublin – Pauline Dahill collected another win this year in the four-year-old equivalent, with the exciting Glencairn Cruise, bred by her mother Jean.
“This is his first season in the show ring and his results have far exceeded our expectations. Naturally, our clients’ ponies come first and that sometimes means our own ponies don’t get to shine as much as they should, but we are so proud of how Cruise has developed and grown into a lovely young Connemara,” said Pauline.
Debbie Flavin was pushed into second, third and fourth positions with Annaveigh Mairtín, Whitethorn Lorenzo and Fortruane Apollo respectively in the four-year-old final. It was her daughter Emily Flavin-Redmond who gave the family a win in the five-year-old final with the grey mare Galtee Honeysuckle.
Galtee Honeysuckle tops the five-year-old final
Judge Andrew Bryne praised the careful production of these young Connemaras.
“You could see the product of patient work today with genuine quality and correct Connemara types coming through in these age groups,” he said. “The track asked fair questions without over-facing them and the ones that impressed me jumped with their ears pricked.”
Harrison echoed his sentiments.
“It was a super day, and I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside my co-judge, Andrew,” he said. “The standard of performance ponies was exceptionally high, and we were treated to some outstanding displays across both the jumping and conformation phases.
“Throughout the day I had several rides, and despite the ponies being only four, five and six years old, I was grateful for how well produced they all were. Each pony showed balance, manners, and a sensible mind, making for comfortable and rewarding rides. We also saw a couple of exceptionally talented junior riders, whose performances were so impressive, I found myself thinking I wouldn’t mind having one or two of them on my own show team back home in the UK.”
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Bethan joined Horse & Hound as showing editor in January 2025, after spending two years as Editor for Showing World. Having adored ponies since childhood, she started showing as a teenager and has enjoyed wins at major shows up and down the country, including Royal Highland, New Forest, and the Royal Welsh, as well as HOYS, RIHS and London. She is particularly passionate about Welsh breeds and is also a Welsh language commentator.