Some of you may remember back in April of last year when 25 year-old Grey Molly gave birth to twins, a colt and a filly. The colt (by Fredericksminde Manly) survived, after a great deal of nursing, and became the center of a FaceBook competition to name him. The competition drew a worldwide audience (we have names for the next ten years!) and was finally won by Ms. Katie Frost from England with the name Cashelbay Lucky Duke. The prize was a free cover from Cashelbay Prince.

The story ended with Ms. Frost, after availing of the free cover, actually purchasing Cashelbay Lucky Duke, along with his compatriot Cashelbay Comet (by Cashelbay Prince), both pictured here. The two colts traveled to their new home last October.

• Cashelbay Misty (Cashelbay Prince) is due to foal by the end of March
• Fredericksminde Mathilda (Cashelbay Prince) is due by the end of March
• Ginger Meg (Cashelbay Prince) is due by the end of March
• Kippure Oprah (Cashelbay Prince) is due to foal mid-April
• Cashelbay Mary (Gurteen King) is due by the end of April

Cashelbay Prince will be available to cover a small number of mares – via live cover and AI – over the year, but this number will be limited due to his busy performance schedule.

Alistair’s daughter, Hannah, rode Cashelbay Prince to success last Sunday week, winning the Dressage and Show Jumping competitions in Kildare against stiff competition. We wish them every success with Cashelbay Prince over the coming year.

Cashelbay Cruise is a strong, traditional-type pony, with exceptional movement and a fantastic temperament. Ms. Peck has competed under saddle with Cashelbay Cruise at her first two shows of the season – winning first prize both times. What a great start! We are sure we will see this team do well in the future.

Selling Cashelbay Cruise was a difficult decision, but he deserved an opportunity to shine under saddle. Going to this excellent stud will give him just that. We wish both himself and Ms. Peck the very best of luck in the future.

Broken under saddle, by Pascal Crawford, Clancy is a beautiful mover with an exceptional jump, and should make a fantastic performance pony. Out of Grey Molly by Cashelbay Prince, she certainly has the pedigree for the arena. The intentions of her new owner, Ms. Cinzia Mattio, are to put Clancy to performance under saddle for her daughter for some years, before breeding her.

Accompanying Cashelbay Clancy is her daughter Cashelbay Lilly, heading to the same family. The yearling shows great promise and should make an exceptionally nice brood mare.

We were there, with our own Ardfry Ariel, to compete in the 3 year-old mare class, where we were very satisfied with a fifth place amongst such company. Taking first place was Seamus Keady’s lovely Shanna Rose.

Well done to Paddy ‘The Yank’ McDonagh and team on organising another successful event. It’s a highlight of the showing calendar, and we wish all concerned the very best for the future. We hope to be there again next year!

Photos courtesy of Ruth Rodgers.

Yearling colt

1. Peter O’Toole’s Castle Monarch, by Castle Comet-Orphee Schueracher
2. Thomas Keaney’s Murvey Paddy, by Dooneen Just Joey-Murvey Cara
3. Patrick Kearns’ Monaghanstown Oscar, by Illanurra Lad-Monaghanstown Caillin

Yearling filly

1. Linda O’Donovan’s Addrigoole Eva, by Frederiksminde Hazy Match-Adrigoole-Breeze
2. Eleanor Curran’s Glencarrig Starlet, by Glencarrig Prince-Fairyhill Helen
3. Martin Keaney’s Sweet Janice, by Janus-Sweet Albany

Two year old filly

1. Pat & Mary Rabbitt’s Monaghanstown Silver, by Mountain Cascade-Monaghanstown Star
2. Bernard Keaney’s Murvey Rianna, by Currachmore Cashel-Murvey Cara
3. Kieran McGrath’s Hazelrock Colleen, by Currachmore Cashel-Smokey Star

Three year old filly

1. Seamus Keady’s Shanna Rose, by Janus-Gleann Rua Sea Mist
2. Kieran & Louise Fallon’s Corclough Lady Bella, by Tempo Active Atlas-Coreclough Dreamer
3. Alaoise Halpin’s Kilrock Cashel, by Coolough Cashel-Kilchrest Cashel

Two & Three year old colts

1. Stephen Fahy’s Ben Ban Cracker Jack, by True Commotion-Ben Ban Glen Sally
2. Marty Sullivan’s Eileen’s Hero, by Janus-Eileen’s Beauty
3. Padraic Folan’s Teach Mor Knight, by Castle Knight-Lishmar Lady Donna

Junior Champion:

Shanna Rose

Reserve Junior Champion:

Ben Bán Cracker Jack

Filly foal

1. Sean Bourke’s Rathlacken Finola, by Rathlacken Finnard-Carraig Donn
2. Jim Mullaney’s Lissroe Sunset Lady, by Glencarrig Prince-Lissroe Lady
3. Feichin & Kerry King’s Bunowen Castle Lady Holly, by Dunloughan Troy-Bunowen Castle Lady

Colt foal

1. Pat O’Neill’s Illaunurra Boy, by Castleside J J Junior-Illanurra Heather
2. Martin Feeney’s Danesfield Buster, by I Love You Melody-Danesfield Heather
3. Declan O’Flynn’s Ballylee Cool Champ, by Coill Rua Champ-Woodbrook Lady

Champion Foal:

Rathlacken Finola

Reserve Champion Foal:

Illaunurra Bay

Stallions four year old and over

1. Eamonn Burke’s Collillaun Cushlawn , by Currachmore Cashel-Glencarrig Aishling
2. Jarleth Grogan’s Mountain Cascade, by Laerkens Cascade Dawn-Mountain Lady
3. Raymond Conneely’s Bay Shadow, by Silver Shadow-Twain Ballinvoucher

Four to six year old mare with or without foal

1. Michael Regan’s Rathlacken Roisin, by Castleside Carraig-Lacken Mist
2. Caillin Conneely’s Glencarrig Rose Marie, by Glencarrig Prince-April Rose
3. Peter Molloy’s Dooneen Stephanie Rose, by Frederiksminde Hazy Match-Jennifer Rose

Seven to twelve year old mare with or without foal

1. Martin Feeney’s Danesfield Heather, by Moy Hazy Cove-Danesfield Rose
2. Sinead Lusby McGrath’s Lucky Secret, by Tulira Robuck-Lucky Mavourneen
3. Peter O’Malley’s Gallowstown Bibi, by Commanding Hero-Castle Caillin Ard

Thirteen years and over mare with or without foal

1. Jane Andrews ‘Coral Misty Jane, by Cloonisle Cashel-Coral Misty
2. Dara Heanue’s Belcarra Mist, by Catamaran-Mountain Heather
3. Grace Murphy’s Lakeside Lady, by Abbeyside Dolphin-Kit’s Bay

Two years old and over bay mare

1. Esther Feeney’s Atlantic Morning Mist, by Janus –Atlantic Queen of Peace
2. Peter Molloy’s Dooneen Starlight, by Silver Shadow-Dooneen Castle
3. Johnny Conneely’s D’Arcy Eileen’s Janice, by Janus-Eileen’s Pet

All-Ireland Supreme Champion of Champions:

Coolillaun Cushlawn

Reserve All-Ireland Supreme Champion of Champions:

Rathlacken Roisin

Winning the Reserve Championship with Fredricksminde Matilda! Photo by Pascal Wandon.

Fredricksminde Mellow II, 2nd in the 3-year-old filly class. Photo by Pascal Wandon.

We are delighted with our success at this year’s Clifden Show. Fredericksminde Mathilda came first in the 10 – 15yo class, and went on to become overall Reserve Champion. Fredericksminde Mellow II came second in her class, a very strong 3yo filly class, and Cashelbay Misty made the hat-trick by winning the Lead Rein class with Ben Crawford on board.

It is always a great honour to show in Clifden, the World Cup of Connemara ponies, and the highlight of our year. We were thrilled to place at all, and to be taking home the Reserve Championship sash is the icing on the cake. A big thanks is due to Seamus Keady, Jim Keady, and Diane Wetherup, and a special thank you to the grooms for all ther hard work and preparation. Colman Joyce deserves special mention for handling a spirited Cashelbay Mathilda with skill, alongside her dam Fredericksminde Mathilda on her way to winning her class, and taking the Reserve Championship spot.

Well done to Coosheen Julie on her selection as Supreme Champion, and every success in the future.

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She began the day by coming in with the red rosette in the 3yo Mare class, against a very strong field of top mares. She managed to top this feat by continuing on to the Junior Championship, where we were thrilled to see her coming in in first place.

The Confined Class was won by Knockferry Snowflake, a four year-old mare, owned by Seamus Keady.

To top it all off Ariel was entered into the Supreme Championship, where she came second to Cornarone Hazy Lad (S1-1512 Frederiksminde Hazy Match X Atlantic Collette). A class win, Junior Championship and Reserve Supreme made it a great day all told!

It’s always good to do well in front of a ‘home-crowd’, as it were, and we were delighted when Ardfry Ariel won her class (3yo) at Cashel Show, Sunday, Aug. 7th.