Connemara Breed Showcases Eventing Talent at CCI*

Lexington, VA -- The Virginia Horse Center was host to the Virginia Horse Trials and CCI* during the Memorial Day weekend. Divisions ran from Intermediate to Beginner Novice, and Connemaras were evident in ribbon winners in many divisions on many levels.

Dornin North, of Berryville, VA, rode Mitford, a half-bred gelding by Aladdin's Denver out of a Thoroughbred mare, to win the dressage and go clean in stadium in the Open Preliminary Division, only to have the horse slip on cross country, resulting in a fall and mandatory retiring on course. She was disappointed, but happy that the half-bred had gone so well and was leading the division.

In the Open Training division, Brittny Novak rode the half-bred Logan Go Bragh to win the blue ribbon. Logan Go-Bragh is by Hideaway's Erin Go-Bragh. In Training Senior, Anne Baumgardner rode her half-bred gelding Mick Dreamy (Aladdin's Denver x a Thoroughbred mare, by Babamist) to second place. Anne said that she is moving Mick Dreamy up to preliminary very soon, as he has won or been in the top three of each of his training divisions in 2009.

Carol Kozlowski competed on Good Earth Bit O'Honey in the same division and was fifth after dressage, but retired. Denver's Curlique (Aladdin's Denver x Fieldstream Charlotte) and his owner/rider Jessica Aquilino were second in their Junior Training Division followed closely by Helen Farley on Cady O'Daly's Gabriel, a blue-eyed cream gelding (Tre Awain Goldsmith x *Cloud Shadows). The division was so tightly bunched in scoring that 0.5 points separated the top placers.

Morgan Booth and Elphin Odin (Maplehurst Michael MacDaire) were second in their Novice Rider Junior Rider division. Amelia Eyles on Talbotstown (Aladdin's Denver x *Ganty Laura) were second in the Novice Rider Junior Rider/Young Rider division. The division winner would have been Wilhemina with her owner/rider Georgie Wilkins (Aladdin's Denver x Milky Way by *Grange Finn Sparrow), but she was assessed a 20 point penalty, which moved her to sixth place.

In the Novice Rider Senior A division, Mary Millhiser on her Dublin's Own (Aladdin's Denver x Thoroughbred mare) was fifth, and in the Novice Rider Senior B Division, Dana Norquist on Foothills Waterman (Concord River Roaringwater Bay x Misty Meadows Miss Bonnie) was fourth.

In the final division of the event, Beginner Novice Horse Division C, Isabella Eyles on Ridgetop Moya (Aladdin's Denver x Blue Hills Egan) were third followed in fourth by Cady's Punchline (Tre Awain Goldsmith x Oak Tree Greystone Colleen), owned by Cady O'Daly Connemaras and ridden by Emily Daily.

There were more quarter-bred Connemaras and unregistered Connemaras at the event and the owners/riders were fortunate enough to speak with all about the Connemara character, which was a large part of the talent of their horses. From tall to small, the breed was very well represented.