Australias Connemara Stallion Lines in 2013

Introduction
This report follows on from the 2007 Analysis of the Australian Connemara Pony Population by
considering the stallion sub-lines available in Australia in 2013. To make sense of the data and the
commentary it is suggested that readers should first review the 2007 analysis report AND the
Commentary on the 2013 Stallion list for Ireland. The uniqueness of many of Australian lines of
Connemara pony is underestimated by their breeders. It is hoped that this paper will help increase
awareness of the genetic diversity offered by some of these ponies. Individual breeders need to
make wise, well thought out decisions to ensure the continuance of the breed and we hope the
analyisis of this paper will encourage this.
Approximately seventy stallions registered with the Connemara Pony Breeders Society of Australia,
Australian Pony Stud Book or Australian Connemara Pony Registry are included in this latest analysis.
Geographically stallion distribution favours the eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales,
Victoria and Tasmania. Just 5 stallions are located in South Australia and 13 in West Australia. As
mentioned by Tom Maclochlainn in his A Report on the Connemara Pony in Australia (2007) the
road trip from Brisbane, on the east coast, to Perth, on the west coast, is further than that from
Clifden, Ireland to Ankara, Turkey. In other words, distance is a significant factor in accessing
stallions; allied to this is the cost of accessing veterinarians or technicians to carry out artificial
insemination. Consequently, the number of progeny left by any particular stallion often has more
relationship to the number of mares owned by the stud, than any other factor.
No effort has been made by the author to confirm whether the stallions listed on the Connemara
Pony Breeders Society of Australia (CPBSA) website are alive, still breeding and available to outside
mares (www.cpbsa.com.au/stallions.htm). Some stallion owners have supplied additional
information which has been gratefully received.
A quick summary of the 2007 report:
Of the 41 stallion sub-lines imported into Australia prior to 2007, only 16 still remained. The
last four stallion imports appear to be Oxenholm Gideon around 1982, Castle Baron in the
late 1990s, Fredericksminde Hazy Cavalier and Gneevebrack Storm in the late 2000s.
The Carna Bobby sire line descendants (Island King, Blandings Bobby, Abbeyleix Finbar,
Shelford Downs Berwick Boy, Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn, their sons and grandsons) sired
43% of foals registered between 1991 and 2007.
Abbeyleix Finbar, his sons and grandson contributed 23% of total foals born over that time. A
genetic bottleneck has occurred as a result of this high usage of this one stallion.
Oxenholm Gideon, Connaught of Millfields, Castle Baron and Cregmore Colm sire lines
appeared to be secure.
A number of sire sub-lines were described as at risk due to low stallion numbers and low
progeny numbers.
Three quarters of the stallions on the list at May 2007 had no stallion sons.
The first 400 adult registered mares in the CPBSA studbook were born by 1984. The next 400 adult
registered mares occurred 21 years later with a mare born in 2005. The CPBSA Studbook published
in September 2012 lists the 875
th
adult registered mare.
This 2013 report considers the relationship of the current stallion population with the most
prominent sires in the Connemara population as a whole. In the case of the recently imported
stallions they are compared with the over-represented stallions identified in the Commentary on the
2013 Stallion List in Ireland and the older prominent sires. Both of these lists of sires are significant
contributors to increasing levels of inbreeding in the worldwide population. Some Australian stallion
lines have been identified as unique from a global perspective. These lines represent the means to
slow the rate at which inbreeding rises in the Connemara Pony in future.
All of the pedigrees of the listed stallions can be found on www.allbreedpedigree.com
Since the 2007 analysis a few breeders appear to have taken the concerns about inbreeding and the
need to increase genetic diversity seriously. They have acted to widen the diversity of foals born by
searching out rare mare lines, freezing semen, moving stallions across states, and using imported
frozen semen.
However:
There are still too many stallions with useful pedigrees that are not getting a reasonable
opportunity to breed with a variety of mares so as to prove their worth. These stallions
either have not bred, used for cross-breeding or have been bred to the same one or two
mares repeatedly.
A few stallions have spent too long at one stud and are over-used in their locality. This
situation is exacerbated when their sons stay in the same region, or they themselves have
full brothers at stud in the same region, or stand at stud alongside their sires.
Too few stallions have frozen semen available or are made available for chilled shipped
semen.
There has been reliance on waiting for someone else to make the effort of bringing in a new
stallion to a new area (not specifically to Australia as a whole) or preserving genetic material
by means of frozen semen of Australian bred stallions. Frozen semen has been imported and
should make an impact in the next year or two.
Where frozen semen has been used the mares should be of value from a genetic diversity
perspective to produce a foal of value to the Australian population. An example of this is the
Spinway Comet colt foal born in 2011 but not listed in the CPBSA Sires Purebred Progeny
with Dam and not included in the analysis of foals above. His dam is by Domo Cavallo
Praize, out of an Abbeyleix Finbar mare, which from the perspective of increasing genetic
diversity within the Australian population renders him of limited use as a sire in Australia
because he is very closely related to a high proportion of the population.
Table 1: Changes in status of stallion lines from 2007 to 2013:
Stallion Line 2007 Risk Status 2013 Risk Status
Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn High one old stallion (Rupari
Ronan)
Extinct
Dylan Glen Shamrock
(Glenormiston McInnerney
Muskerry)
High one old stallion High one old stallion, few
progeny
Strickland Park Jos Rebel
(Green Hills Rebel)
High one stallion High one old stallion, few
progeny
Errislannan Sparkler (Toorigal
Danny Boy & Errislannan
Spartan)
High two old stallions High two old stallions, few
progeny
Millfields Commodore High one young stallion High one stallion, few progeny
Celtic Miceal McGee
(Cregmore Colm)
Moderate 3 stallions High 2 stallions
Blandings Bobby Moderate 4 stallions High 3 stallions, few progeny
Frederiksminde Hazy Cavalier Not present Moderate one young stallion
Gneevebrack Storm Not present Moderate one young stallion
Island King Not present colts on ground Moderate 3 young stallions
Corrib Park Ballymac (Shelford
Downs Berwick Boy)
Not present colts on ground Moderate 3 young stallions
Blandings Poitin (Tulira High two stallions Moderate 4 stallions, few
Colman) progeny
Connaught of Millfields Low 5 stallions Moderate 4 stallions, 1 aged,
few progeny.
Coomel Kestral (Inis OHara) High two stallions Low 6 stallions
Connemara Park Richard
(Connemara Park Seamus)
High two stallions Low 6 stallions
Ben Dhui Berin (Yarraman Park
George)
Moderate 3 stallions Low 7 stallions
Oxenholm Gideon Secure 7 stallions Low 6 stallions
Castle Baron Secure 4 young stallions Secure 9 young stallions
Abbeyleix Finbar Secure - 10 stallions Secure 10 stallions
Mylerstown Huckleberry Finns photograph appears on page 139 of Out of the Mist. In England,
Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn left one stallion, Rosenaharley Rowley, 4 daughters and 7 geldings.
One daughter, Cluggan Drama left the stallion Churchway Daybreak and another Bridmore Meadow
Pipit left the stallion Silver Fox Oisin. Today Rosenaharley Rowley is well known as the sire of
Currachmore Cashel who stands in Ireland who himself has 12 sons on the CPBS Stallion list.
In Australia, Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn left five stallion sons in Australia. Two are shown in
photographs on page 150 of Out of the Mist. His son Barwidgee Samite left the stallion Rupari
Ronan, two mares and four geldings. Lagoonside Barnabas left one registered mare, and the other
three Mylerstown Huuckleberry Finn sons did not have any registered progeny. Rupari Ronan stood
at stud into his 20s yet his registered progeny totals 4 mares and one gelding. An opportunity lost!
Stallion Lines at Risk
Dylan Glen Shamrock
Heather Bell -> Dun Heath -> Dun Lorenzo -> Macdara -> Atlantic Sentinel -> Glenormiston
McInnerney Muskerry ->Dylan Glen Shamrock.
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Dylan Glen Shamrock
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Dylan Glen
Shamrock
4, 6 3, 4, 5, 6 6 - 4
Dylan Glen Shamrock is now 23 years old and has a small number of purebred progeny. In recent
years efforts have begun to produce a stallion son to continue this line. His pedigree has a lot to
recommend it from a perspective of genetic diversity due to the limited amount of the ubiquitous
Cannonball and as the last remnant of the Atlantic Sentinel line.
Nowhere else in the world are there any male line descendants of Atlantic Sentinel. Widely used in
Great Britain he left 133 progeny from 1970 to 1986, however only Shipton Zenith from his first crop
of foals was retained as a stallion. Macaroon of Calmore was imported with Glenormiston
McInnerney Muskerry in utero. Glenormiston McInnerney Muskerry is shown on page 143 of Out of
the Mist.
Strickland Park Jos Rebel
Rebel -> Lavalley Rebel -> Inver Rebel -> Rebel Wind -> Atlantic Rebel -> Green Hills Rebel ->
Strickland Park Jos Rebel
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Strickland Park Jos Rebel
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Strickland
Park Jos
Rebel
5 4 5, 5 3, 4, 4 3, 6
Atlantic Rebel is a rare sub-line of Rebel Wind which is discussed here:
http://connemaraponygenetics.wordpress.com/publications/rare-bloodlines/atlantic-rebel/. Atlantic
Rebel left 6 daughters in Australia and another, Lockinge Leonora, was imported. Cairnhill Fionna, a
good hunting pony, left one foal, the stallion Achill Fiddler. Exmoor Nutmeg
1
, out of Exmoor Silver
Swallow (by Cregmore Galway out of Silver Mill), left one mare Exmoor Cinnamon, who in turn has
one daughter, Exmoor Molly Malone, born in 2006. The other 5 mares by Atlantic Rebel either have
1 The online CPBSA Studbook Sept 2012 contains a typographical error listing 1985 born Exmoor
Nutmegs dam as Exmoor Caitlin, born in 1993.
not had foals or the last foal was born in the early 1980s.
Atlantic Rebel left 8 geldings, of which Cairnhill Partisan and Cairnhill Renegade were initially
registered as stallions. Cairnhill Renegades daughter Templewood Truskmore did not breed on.
Cairnhilll Partisans daughter Wychwood Fairy Wren left four daughters and a stallion son all by
Newlands Gideon from 1999 to 2005. Not one of these four Newlands mares have been bred from
as yet and Newlands Flanagan was gelded but left a stallion son.
The sire line has been carried on by his imported in utero son. Green Hills Rebel, whose son
Strickland Park Jos Rebel is at stud now. Born in 1995, Jos Rebel is out of the mare Ballantrae Jaffa
(by Toorigal Danny Boy). A photo of him under saddle is available by clicking on his name on the
http://www.cpbsa.com.au/Stallions.htm page. He carries the most Rebel Wind of any stallion in
Australia, providing an opportunity for welcome diversity.
Strickland Park Jos Rebel is a small pony which may have detracted from his appeal in Australia
where historically there has been a trend to increase the size of the Connemara pony. The
opportunity for Strickland Park Jos Rebel contribution to the pony population would appear to be
greater in countries where there are large numbers of mares over 148cm in height. Perhaps he will
appeal sufficiently for a breeder outside of Australia to make an approach to his owners for frozen
semen?
His registered progeny to date have been from a small group of mares most of which are very closely
related to each other. Perhaps the opportunity of quality mares of different bloodlines would
produce a son of stallion quality to continue this internationally rare line.
Achill Fiddler
Rebel -> Lavalley Rebel -> Inver Rebel -> Wisbridge Golden Rebel -> Wisbridge Erinmore ->Millfields
Commodore -> Connemara Park Andrew -> Achill Fiddler
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Achill Fiddler
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Achill Fiddler
5, 6 4 5 3, 5 4, 4, 5
Millfields Commodore is shown on page 142 of Out of the Mist, he had two stallion sons in
Australia, the imported Millfield Cabin Boy who left no registered progeny and Connemara Park
Andrew who left Achill Fiddler. Born in 2001, Achill Fiddler is out of the Atlantic Rebel mare, Cairnhill
Fionna. His pedigree has Island King twice in generation 3. Achill Fiddler has one foal recorded with
CPBSA to date.
Achill Fiddler is the last of the Millfields Commodore line in the world. Sire line descendants of
Wisbridge Erinmore are also rare with only three left in England.
Errislannan Sparkler
Rebel -> Lavalley Rebel -> Inver Rebel -> Rebel Wind ->Errislannan Sparkler
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Errislannan Sparkler
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Kemill Hill
Halligan
4 - - 3 2
Ballantrae
Granite
3 - 4 3 2
Errislannan Sparkler had three sons and three daughters come to Australia. The three stallions were
Millfields March Wind, Errislannan Spartan and Toorigal Danny Boy (see p155 of Out of the Mist).
Millfields March Wind was used in the 1980s for a grading-up programme that was in place in
Australia at that time. He did not leave any stallion sons.
Errislannan Spartan left 3 stallions, full brothers out of the Carna Bobby mare, Knock Ina. The
youngest, Kemill Hill Halligan, born in 1989, is the only one still on the stallion list and has left few
progeny, one of whom was registered as a stallion but was later gelded. As one of two remaining
Rebel Wind line stallions in Australia a stallion son would provide additional diversity in the future.
Toorigal Danny Boys son, Ballantrae Granite, is out of the Carna Bobby mare Abbeyleix Grey Pearl.
Born in 1991, his sole progeny registered with CPBSA was a gelding born in 1996.
Errislannan Sparkler does not appear to have any descendants elsewhere in the world.
Celtic Miceal McGee
Clonkeehan Auratum -> Clonjoy -> Tulira Rambler -> Cregmore Colm -> Celtic Miceal McGee
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Celtic Miceal McGee
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Celtic Miceal
McGee
- - 4, 4, 5 - 3, 4
Boonahburra
Braveheart
4 5, 6, 6 5, 5, 6 - 4, 5, 7
Celtic Miceal McGee, born 1994, is the only son of Cregmore Colm in Australia even though his sire
stood at stud from the late 1970s. Celtic Miceal Magee is out of Barwidgee Discus, who was by
Connemara Park Arthur out of Silver Mill, a Carna Bobby mare. Nearly all of the progeny of Celtic
Miceal McGee are out of daughters of Blandings Clancy and Hearnesbrook Mullimbimby.
Celtic Miceal McGee has one son at stud, Boonahburra Braveheart, (born 1999) out of the Blandings
Clancy mare, Boonahburra Katie.
Boonahburra Braveheart has left few progeny to date. One was inspected as a stallion but no longer
appears on the CPBSA stallion list.
These two stallions are useful as they have a limited influence of the over represented stallions apart
from Clonkeehan Auratum.
Cregmore Colm left a few progeny in Ireland including stallion Tulira Cracker Jack who was exported
to France. Ironically, Cracker Jacks son Gevaudan was imported back to Ireland and stands in
Antrim, Ireland at Sweet Wall Stud http://sweetwall.co.uk/stallions. Gevaudan, Celtic Miceal McGee
and Boonahburra Braveheart appear to be the only other male line descendants of Tulira Rambler in
the world.
Blandings Bobby
Rebel -> Innishgoill Laddie -> Gil -> Carna Bobby -> Blandings Bobby
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Blandings Bobby
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Blandings John
- 3 - - 2, 5
Colmaur Kasey
4 3, 5 5 - 2, 4, 5
Capparis
Champagne
Charlie
5, 5, 6, 6 4, 6 5, 6 - 3, 5, 5, 5, 6
Blandings Bobby was out of the Macdara mare, Dangan Lady, who won the Carew Cup at Clifden and
numerous other championships across Ireland. He left three stallion sons; Blandings John, Blandings
Ryan and Colmaur Kasey. Blandings John, born 1989, is out of the Calmore Swagman mare, Eadon
Calypso. He has not left any stallion sons. Colmaur Kasey, born 1992, is out of Truska Pimpernel
mare, Chiltern Martina. He left Capparis Champagne Charlie out of Millfields Commodore mare
Sheldford Downs Rana in 1999, now stands in Tasmania.
While Carna Bobby features strongly in the pedigrees of these stallions they do not carry Abbeyleix
Finbar or Castle Baron.
Stallion Lines Not at Risk
Frederiksminde Hazy Cavalier
Mountain Lad -> Tully Lad -> Tully Grey -> Dale Haze -> Hazy Dawn -> Frederiksminde Hazy Cavalier
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Frederiksminde Hazy Cavalier
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Frederiksmind
e Hazy
Cavalier
4, 5, 5, 6, 7 5, 7 5, 6, 6 4 5, 5, 5, 7
The first progeny of Frederiksminde Hazy Cavalier were born in 2011. With his change of ownership
as part of the Glenormiston Stud reduction it is likely will receive a genetically more diverse group of
mares from what he might otherwise have been bred to. If so, this will improve the genetic diversity
of the next generation of foals in Australia.
Hazy Dawn is a prolific sire of stallion sons internationally.
Gneevebrack Storm
Heather Bell -> Dun Heath -> Dun Lorenzo -> Dun Aengus -> Kimble -> Abbeyleix Owen -> Cloonisle
Cashel -> Glencarrig Prince -> Monaghanstown Prince -> Gneevebrack Storm
Importation of Gneevebrack Storm, a son of Monaghanstown Prince, brings the very prolific
Abbeyleix Owen line to Australia. His grand-sire Cloonisle Cashel, is the sire line ancestor for 42 of
the 91 Abbeyleix Owen sire line descendants on the 2013 CPBS Stallion List. Glencarrig Prince, born
in 1997, already has 12 sons and grandsons on the 2013 CPBS Stallion List.
Gneevebrack Storm carries all four over-represented sires from Ireland and 11 separate lines of
Carna Bobby. His oldest progeny are rising yearlings in 2013. His change of ownership will hopefully
result in a more diverse group of mares being mated to him which will result in a better outcome
than might otherwise have been expected had he been solely mated to daughters of the four
Glenormiston based stallions. Even now he should be used with restraint to prevent a future
bottleneck and increased rates of inbreeding. Coefficients of inbreeding (COI) for two of his progeny
out of Castle Baron mares have been calculated at 6.84%, a higher COI than that expected for the
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Gneevebrack Storm
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Gneevebrack
Storm
5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7,
8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9,
9
6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8,
9, 9
7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9 5, 7
5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7,
8, 9

progeny of first cousins!
Island King
Rebel -> Innishgoill Laddie -> Gil -> Carna Bobby -> Island King
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Island King
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Hillview Trojan
5 - 5 4 3, 4
#Glenormiston
Celtic Pride
5 5, 5, 6 5, 5 - 4, 4, 5, 6
#Glenormiston
Celtic Prince
5 5, 5, 6 5, 5 - 4, 4, 5, 6
Island King is also represented in the mare pedigrees of:
Generation 3: Achill Fiddler (twice), Celtic Miceal McGee, Blandings Beamish.
Generation 4: Boonahburra Braveheart, Roscommon Gabriel, Sheelin Grove Seamus Victor,
Glenormiston Freedom.
Island King was Australias first Connemara pony. His photograph is on p137 of Out of the Mist by
Pat Lyne. His 15 Australian born stallion sons were Connemara Park Russell (born 1967), Connemara
Park Arthur, Connemara Park James, Connemara Park Billy, Connemara Park Peter, Connemara Park
Mac, Connemara Park Bruce, Connemara Park Paul, Connemara Park Garry, Connemara Park
George, Candlebark Macrigh, Connemara Park Michael (exported to New Zealand), Connemara Park
Guy, Candlebark Beatha, and Blandings Icing (born 1976).
Connemara Park James left Lefroy Ailin Dwane out of the County Clare Mickey mare, Shelford Downs
Michelle. Lefroy Ailin Dwane left Hillview Trojan out of the Errislannan Spartan mare, Kemill Hill
Tinka. Hillview Trojan was born in 1997 and has not left any recorded progeny.
While Hillview Trojan carries two lines of Carna Bobby he does not carry Abbeyleix Finbar or Castle
Baron.
Connemara Park Peters son Domo Cavallo Praize performed at a high level in Australia and left
many progeny. Praize appears on p138 of Out of the Mist. Several sons were retained as stallions
for brief periods but today only two remain - the full brothers Glenormiston Celtic Pride (born 2005)
and Glenormiston Celtic Prince (born 2006). Their dam is by Abbeyleix Finbar. Capparis Casanova
out of an Oxenholm Gideon mare was exported to New Zealand and has four sons currently on the
stallion list there.
Corrib Park Ballymac
Rebel -> Innishgoill Laddie -> Gil -> Carna Bobby -> Leam Bobby Finn -> Kirtling Brigadoon -> Shelford
Downs Berwick Boy -> Corrib Park Ballymac
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Corrib Park Ballymac
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Garnet Phineas
5, 6, 7 4, 5, 6, 6, 7 6 5, 5, 5
Garnet Phoenix
5, 6, 6, 7 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7 6, 6 5, 5, 7
Clairvale
Padraic
6, 6, 7, 8, 8
5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8,
8, 8
6, 7, 7, 9 7
5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6,
7, 7, 7, 7, 8
Corrib Park Ballymac is out of the Abbeyleix Finbar mare, Glenormiston Macroom. Finola of Leam
was the dam of both Leam Bobby Finn and Abbeyleix Finbar. He has two sons and a grandson on the
current stallion list. Ballymacs sire, Shelford Downs Berwick Boy is shown in harness on page 139 of
Out of the Mist.
Garnet Phineas (born 2005) is out of the Glenormiston Mister Macnamee mare, Kilkieran Kirsten
MacNeill. Macnamara, who is a rarity in the southern hemisphere, appears three times in the first 5
generations of Garnet Phineas pedigree, unfortunately Abbeyleix Finbar appears twice in the 3
rd
generation reducing the number of mares that he is suited to. Garnet Phineas has left a few progeny
but as yet no stallion sons.
Garnet Phoenix (born 2005) is out of the Glenormiston Thady mare, Garnet Helena. Garnet Helena is
a daughter of Kilkieran Kirsten MacNeill. Consequently, Garnet Phoenix and Garnet Phineas are
brothers in blood. Garnet Phoenix does not appear to have left any registered progeny as yet.
Clairvale Padraic (born 2011) is by Garnet Quicksilver, a full brother to Garnet Phineas, and out of
the Castle Baron mare, Clairvale Eibhlin. NB: Connemara Pony Breeders Society of Australia
studbook regulations allow 2yo stallions to be inspected.
Blandings Poitin
Rebel -> Innishgoill Laddie ->Tooreen Laddie -> Tooreen Ross -> Bridge Boy -> Tulira Colman ->
Barwidgee Snowdon ->Home Vale Webster -> Blandings Poitin
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Blandings Poitin and his descendants
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Blandings
Poitin
4, 4, 5 - 5 - 5, 5
Blandings
Beamish
5, 5, 6, 6 7, 7 6 - 4, 6, 6, 7
Roscommon
Gabriel
6, 6, 7, 7 4, 8, 8 7 - 3, 5, 7, 7, 8
Blueberry Hills
Stormcloud
5, 5, 5, 6, 6,
7, 8, 8
6, 7, 8 6, 7 7 5, 6, 6, 8
Blandings Poitin carries two lines of Carna Bobby through the two daughters, Julie and Canrower
Lass, who appear in the 5
th
generation. Julie was the dam of stallions Tulira Colman, Tulira Highball
(exported to Sweden) and Tulira Snowball. Canrower Lass is the dam of the stallion Marco Polo of
Clonkeehan but is best known as the dam of Pat Lynes Arctic Moon. Tulira Colman and two of his
sons are shown in photographs on page 141 of Out of the Mist.
Blandings Poitin, born 1995, is out of a Laurel mare thus offering very useful diversity, however he
has left very few registered progeny to date.
His son Blandings Beamish is out of a Connemara Park Richard mare and also presents a useful
opportunity for diversification. Beamish is currently located in Tasmania which increases the
logistical difficulty of gaining access to him. Fortunately however, frozen semen is available from his
breeder.
Blueberry Hills Stormcloud, by Blandings Poitin out of Springfield Gemmagh, is a recently approved
stallion. His dam Springfield Gemmagh is by Abbeyleix Finbars son Glenormiston Finnian. Finnians
dam, Kirtling Haze also left prominent stallion Domo Cavallo Praize.
Blandings Beamishs son, Roscommon Gabriel, out a Blandings Bobby mare continues the line on at
present.
Connaught of Millfields
Carna Dun -> Connaught of Millfields
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Connaught of Millfields
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Casmatarn Billy
Jatz Rebel
3, 3, 6, 6 3, 4, 5, 6 - - -
Green Hills
Trooper
Thomas
3, 5 4, 5 5 - 3
Kahean Jimmy
Diamond
4, 6, 7 5, 6, 7 6, 7 4 4, 4, 6
#Boonahburra
Apollo
3 4, 5, 5 - - 6
Connaught of Millfields and his son Blandings Clancy are shown on page 145 of Pat Lynes book Out
of the Mist. He left 8 stallion sons between 1973 and 1980, of which 3 have continued on to the
present even though the numbers of progeny are thin! Barwidgee Erriff was exported to New
Zealand but no stallion descendants remain there.
Blandings Biscuit, by Connaught of Millfields, was out of the Macdara mare, Dangan Lady, who won
the Carew Cup at Clifden and other championships across Ireland. He left a bay son, Casmatarn Billy
Jatz Rebel and 11 registered mares. Casmatarn Billy Jatz Rebel has left a mare and gelding from very
limited opportunities. Daughter, Woodstock clair is performing well under saddle. Casmatarn Billy
Jatz Rebel does not have Carna Bobby or Clonkeehan Auratum in his pedigree and has significantly
lower relationship to the inescapable founding stallion, Cannonball, than most Connemara ponies in
the world. Consequently, this makes him particularly useful to the breed in Australia.
Aran Milano, by Connaught of Millfields, was out of the Whalton Sandune mare, Connemara Park
Rachel. His last registered progeny was born in 2003. Aran Milano left the stallion Green Hills
Trooper Thomas born in 1989, out of the Clonkeehan Archer mare, Green Hills Show Girl. The Green
Hills Trooper Thomas stallion son Kahean Jimmy Diamond (2004) is out of an Abbeyleix Finbar mare.
Blandings Clancy, by Connaught of Millfields, was out of the Connemara Park Seamus mare,
Connemara Park Judy. Connemara Park Judy left two other stallion sons Blandings Ryan and
Blandings Icing. Clancy left Boonahburra Magee (1984-2013) and Boonahburra Apollo (born 1999)
from the Hearnesbrook Fastnet mare, Hearnesbrook Mullimbimby. Neither Boonahburra Magee nor
Apollo has a stallion son to continue this line on. Fortunately, Magees owner had the wisdom to
collect frozen semen from him.
Coomel Kestral (6)
Mountain Lad -> Tully Lad -> Thunder -> Thunderbolt -> Inis OHara -> Coomel Kestral
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Coomel Kestral
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
#Wychwood
Paddy
Maginnis
4, 5 5 4, 5 3 5
#Wychwood
Willy Wagtail
4, 5 5 4, 5 3 5
Innisfree
Beaujolais
5, 6 6, 6, 7, 7 5, 5, 6, 6, 6 4 5, 6, 6, 7
Wychwood
Floodbird
5, 6, 7 5, 6, 6 5, 6, 6 4 4, 6
Wychwood
Snowbird
5, 6, 7 5, 6, 6 5, 6, 6 4 4, 6
Caralea
Thunderbird
6, 7, 8, 8, 8 6, 6, 7, 7, 8
6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8,
8
5 5, 5, 5, 7, 7, 8
# full brothers full brothers
Inis OHara, is the only descendant of Thunderbolt to be imported to Australia. He left 16 daughters
and two stallion sons. Of his daughters only Coomel Jollity, Binnowie Eileen and Binnowie Cailin have
left daughters that are currently of breeding age. These three daughters represent three different
mare lines that are all thin on the ground in Australia. Inis OHaras son, Coomel Gumption, left one
daughter, Coomel Gannet, who is represented through stallion Shabani Enterprise.
Inis OHaras son, Coomel Kestral left two sons, 26 year old Wychwood Paddy Maginnis and 17 year
old Wychwood Willy Wagtail, which are full brothers. Inis OHara and Coomel Kestral are shown on
page 144 of Out of the Mist.
Wychwood Paddy Maginnis, has had limited opportunities leaving 2 registered mares and 3
geldings.
Wychwood Willy Wagtail has left more progeny including 3 stallion sons Innisfree Beaujolais, W.
Snowbird and W. Floodbird, who all carry Inis OHara twice in their pedigrees. Grandson Caralea
Thunderbird is by Wychwood Snowbird.
Connemara Park Richard (6)
Rebel -> Innishgoill Laddie ->Tooreen Laddie -> Tooreen Ross -> Bridge Boy -> Connemara Park
Seamus -> Connemara Park Richard
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Connemara Park Richard
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Ben Dhui
Diccon
4 4 - - 3
Monahan
Quando
Quando
4, 5 5, 5, 6, 6 - - 4, 7
Monahan
Gumnut
3, 5, 6, 6 5, 5, 6 - - 4
Garnet Oracle
4, 5, 5, 6, 7,
7, 7
5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7 6 - 5, 5
Blandings
Seamus
6 4, 7, 7 6 5 3
Itsa Shamrock
Just Shameless
6, 6, 7, 7, 7,
7, 8, 9, 9
5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7,
8, 8, 8, 9
6, 7, 7, 8 6, 6 4, 7
Connemara Park Richard left two stallion sons, Ben Dhui Diccon out of the Blandings Bobby mare
Blandings Sylvia, and the more interestingly bred Blandings Custard the Dragon, out of the Toorigal
Danny Boy mare Blandings Buttercup.
Ben Dhui Diccon was born in 1982 and appears in Out of the Mist on page 152. His latest Studbook
recorded progeny was born in 2005. He has two stallion sons, the bay Monahan Gumnut and
Monahan Quando Quando. Monahan Gumnut has had no foals recorded from 2006-2011 but has a
stallion son Garnet Oracle at stud. Garnet Oracle has 10 foals recorded.
Blandings Custard the Dragon is represented in Western Australia by grandson, Blandings Seamus,
and great-grandson, Itsa Shamrock Just Shameless.
The stallions of this line have low levels of Carna Bobby, no Abbeyleix Finbar and no Castle Baron in
their pedigrees and deserve to be used more widely.
Ben Dhui Berin
Carna Dun -> Sean of Leam -> Hyndon Prince Finbar -> Hyndon Slipper -> Yarraman Park George ->
Ben Dhui Berin
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Ben Dhui Berin
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Newlands
Gideon
3, 6, 6, 7 5, 5, 6, 6 6, 6 - 4
Greenlich
Merlin
5, 5, 7, 8, 8,
8, 9, 9, 9
6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7,
8, 8, 8, 9
6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8,
8, 9
5, 6
5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8,
9
Shabani
Enterprise
4, 4, 5, 5, 5,
7, 7
5, 6, 7 4 - -
#Itsa Shamrock
Golden Syrup
5, 5, 5, 5, 6,
6, 6, 8, 8, 8
5, 6, 6, 7, 8 5, 7 - 7, 7
#Itsa Shamrock
Raisin
Expectations
5, 5, 5, 5, 6,
6, 6, 8, 8, 8
5, 6, 6, 7, 8 5, 7 - 7, 7
#Itsa Shamrock
Celtic Gold
5, 5, 5, 5, 6,
6, 6, 8, 8, 8
5, 6, 6, 7, 8 5, 7 - 7, 7
Clare Downs
Outlaw
5, 6, 6, 6, 6,
7, 7, 7, 8, 9,
9, 9
6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8,
9
5, 6, 6, 8, 9 7 5, 6, 8, 8, 8
# full brothers
Ben Dhui Berin was born in 1980 and the latest Studbook recorded progeny sired by him was born in
2002. Five of his descendants are in Western Australia, where the Connemara pony population is
relatively small and include three full brothers.
Newlands Gideon, by Ben Dhui Berin, is out of Lagoonside Divinity as are stallions Wychwood
Snowbird and Wychwood Floodbird. He has few progeny recorded and only one in the period 2006-
2011. His grandson Greenlich Merlin, out of Celtic Miceal McGee mare Boonahburra Royal Mascot,
is a recent addition to the CPBSA list.
Shabani Enterprise, a grandson of Ben Dhui Berin born in 1987, stands in Western Australia. He is by
Ben Dhui Galliard out of the Coomel Gumption mare, Coomel Gannet. He has three sons, all out of
Glenormiston Rossmore mare Itsa Shamrock Star Attraction. One or two of the full brothers could be
helpful 3-4000km away on the East coast of Australia where their use would reduce inbreeding
levels because of the low level of Carna Bobby and absence of Castle Baron and Abbeyleix Finbar in
their pedigrees. The eldest of the three, Itsa Shamrock Golden Syrup, has a bay son Clare Downs
Outlaw, out of a Castle Baron x Oxenholm Tiffany daughter, Glenormiston Scarlett OHara.
Oxenholm Gideon
Heather Bell -> Dun Heath -> Dun Lorenzo -> Macdara -> Lambay Rebel -> Oxenholm Godot ->
Oxenholm Gideon
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Oxenholm Gideon
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Glenormiston
Oliver
- 4 5 - 5, 5
Glenormiston
Thady
4 4 4 - 5
#Garnet
Kavalier
5 4, 5, 5 5 - 5, 6
#Garnet
Ulysses
5 4, 5, 5 5 - 5, 6
Garnet Liberty
5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8 5, 7 - 5, 6, 6
Itsa Shamrock
Jitterbug
7 4, 5, 5, 6, 6 6, 6, 7 5 6, 6, 6
# full brothers
Oxenholm Gideon is shown on page 143 of Out of the Mist, he left four stallion sons:
Glenormiston Oliver, born in 1984, had a recorded partbred foal in 2009. He has been a highly
regarded sire of performance ponies, but has no descendants on the current stallion list even though
his son Corrib Park Caradoc was on the stallion list in 2007.
Glenormiston Thady is 21 years old in spring 2013. He has left many progeny and has three sons
Garnet Kavalier, Garnet Ulysses and Garnet Liberty on the stallion list.
Glenormiston Rossmore, a full brother to Glenormiston Oliver, died at a relatively young age leaving
one son, Itsa Shamrock Jitterbug. Jitterbug has a useful dam line with Glenormiston McInnerney
Muskerry as his dam-sire has Millfields Commodore twice in generation 3. However he is now 18
years old with few progeny and currently does not have a stallion son to continue the line. 2013
Australia
Castle Baron and Abbeyleix Finbar
Castle Baron
Heather Bell -> Dun Heath -> Dun Lorenzo -> Dun Aengus -> Kimble -> Abbeyleix Owen-> Castle
Baron
The recently deceased Castle Baron has seven sons and two male line grandsons on the CPBSA
Stallion List. Castle Barons sire Abbeyleix Owen and dams sire is Mervyn Kinsgmill are both over-
represented sires in Ireland.
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Castle Baron
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Glenormiston
Tipper OToole
4, 7 6, 7 4, 5, 8 6 4, 5, 7
Glenormiston
Bartley
5, 7 6, 7 5, 5, 8 6 4, 4, 5, 7
Glenormiston
Benbaun
7, 7 5, 6, 7 5, 6 6 4, 5, 6, 6, 7
Glenormiston
Dundrum
7, 7 5, 6, 7 5, 6 6 4, 5, 6, 6, 7
Glenormiston
Turlough
5, 6 6, 7, 8 5, 6, 6, 9 7 4, 5, 6, 8
#Glenormiston
Rough
Diamond
7 6, 7 5, 8 3, 6 4, 4, 5, 7
#Glenormiston
Fibber McGee
7 6, 7 5, 8 3, 6 4, 4, 5, 7
Powderbark
Cavanagh
6, 8 6, 6, 7, 7, 8 6, 6, 6, 9 4, 7
5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6,
7, 8
Capparis
Roscoe
6, 7, 8 5, 6, 6, 7, 7 5, 7, 7, 8 6
4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7,
7, 7
# full brothers dams are full sisters
Glenormiston Tipper OToole is out of the Rory Ruadh mare Oxenhom Tiffany; Glenormiston
Bartley is out of Oxenhom Tiffany x Abbeyleix Finbar daughter, Glenormiston Fionnuala.
Full sisters, by Oxenholm Gideon out of Millfields Seaspray, Glenormiston Rosmara and
Glenormiston Rosslea, are the dams of Glenormiston Dundrum and Glenormiston Benbaun
respectively. Their dam-sire Oxenholm Gideon is a half-brother to Oxenholm Tiffany.
The grand-dam of Capparis Roscoe, Glenormiston Rusheen, is a full sister to Gl.Rosmara and Gl.
Rosslea.
Abbeyleix Finbar is the dam-sire of Glenormiston Bartley, Glenormiston Rough Diamond and
Glenormiston Fibber McGee.
Castle Baron is the dam-sire of two additional stallions; Clairvale Padraic and the APSB registered
Clare Downs Outlaw (dam is a full sister to Gl. Tipper OToole). With his large number of daughters
there will be increasing numbers of progeny carrying Abbeyleix Owen throughout the Australian
Connemara Population.
Abbeyleix Finbar
Rebel -> Innishgoill Laddie -> Gil -> Carna Bobby -> Ballydonagh Rob -> Abbeyleix Finbar
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of descendants of Abbeyleix Finbar
Stallion Carna Dun Macdara Clonkeehan
Auratum
Rebel Wind Carna Bobby
Glenormiston
Freedom
- 4, 5 4 - 3, 4, 5
Glenormiston
Slipper
4 - 4 - 3
Glenormiston
Snow Fox
6 6 6 - 3, 5
Sheelin Grove
Seamus Victor
5 5 - - 3, 4
#Gracefield
Park Aladdin
5, 6, 7, 8 6, 6, 7, 7, 7 5, 6, 7 - 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
#Gracefield
Park Mr Ed
5, 6, 7, 8 6, 6, 7, 7, 7 5, 6, 7 - 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Exmoor Irish
Jack
4, 5, 6 5 - 3, 4, 5, 6, 6
Gracefield Park
Atlantic Swirl
4, 6 5, 5, 6, 6, 7 6, 6 - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7
Monahan
Mozart
4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7
5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7,
7
6 - 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7
Celtic Basil
4, 7, 7 5, 7 5, 5, 6, 7 - 4, 4, 6, 7
Abbeyleix Finbars photograph is on page 139 of Out of the Mist, it appears he is the only son of
Ballydonagh Rob that has bred on. He has been more than successful in Australia to the extent that
he appears in the pedigrees of more than 60% of foals recorded with CPBSA from 2006 2011.
Glenormiston Freedom, born in 1987 and out of Oxenholm Dulcinea, has had five foals recorded
between 2006 and 2011. Gracefield Park Aladdin, born 2004, and Gracefield Park Mr Ed, born 2009,
are his sons from Boonahburra Carousel (by Wychwood Paddy Maginnis out of Boonahburra Katie).
Glenormiston Slipper, born 1994, is out of Oxenholm Tiffany. He does not have any stallion sons.
One of his full brothers, Glenormiston Flurry Knox was exported to the USA and another
Glenormiston Fineen to New Zealand.
Glenormiston Snow Fox, born 2006, is out of Domo Cavallo Praize mare, Glenormiston Celebration.
He has no recorded progeny as yet.
Sheelin Grove Seamus Victor, born 1993, out of Connemara Park Arthur mare Chittering Gully
Fantasy. He has no progeny recorded with CPBSA.
Exmoor Irish Jack, the 1996 son of Glenormiston Jasper and Blandings Barbados (by Blandings
Bobby) has left a steady stream of progeny. His sire was a full brother to Glenormiston Freedom.
Exmoor Irish Jack has two young stallion sons Gracefield Park Atlantic Swirl (out of the Aran Milano
daughter Green Hills Final Fling) and Monahan Mozart (out of the Ben Dui Berin daughter Ballina
Melody).
Celtic Basil, the 2005 son of the Cregmore Colm mare Celtic Thyme and Springfield Devereux (by
Abbeyleix Finbar out of Emerald Valley Revelation) has two recorded progeny to date.
In addition to the 10 direct male line descendants, Abbeyleix Finbar is represented on the dam side
of pedigrees of 15 more stallions from generations two to four. These stallions are:
Generation 2: Glenormiston Bartley, Glenormiston Rough Diamond, Glenormiston Fibber McGee,
Kahean Jimmy Diamond, Glenormiston Celtic Pride, Glenormiston Celtic Prince
Generation 3: Powderbark Cavanagh (twice), Garnet Phineas (twice) Garnet Kavalier, Garnet Ulysses,
Garnet Liberty, Caralea Thunderbird, Innisfree Beaujolais.
Generations 3 & 4: Garnet Phoenix
Generation 4: Clairvale Padraic (twice)
In total, slightly over 36% of the stallions in Australia have Abbeyleix Finbar close-up in their
pedigrees. Given the large number of female descendants of Abbeyleix Finbar in the population it is
progressively becoming more difficult to avoid duplicating and triplicating Abbeyleix Finbar in foal
pedigrees. The consequence of this repetition is to hasten the increase of inbreeding.
Abbeyleix Owen
Heather Bell -> Dun Heath -> Dun Lorenzo -> Dun Aengus -> Kimble -> Abbeyleix Owen
Abbeyleix Owen has been introduced to Australia through the three most recently imported
stallions; of which two were bred in Ireland and one in Denmark. Castle Baron(Ire) and Gneevebrack
Storm (Ire), are sire line descendants of Abbeyleix Owen whilst Frederiksminde Hazy Cavalier (Den)
carries Abbeyleix Owen through mare lines in his pedigree. The relationship of these three imported
stallion to the five stallions that are currently over-represented in the Irish population of stallions is
presented below.
Sire influence by generation in pedigree of Recently Imported Stallions
Stallion Abbeyleix
Owen
Mervyn
Kingsmill
Hazy Dawn Ashfield
Sparrow
Carna Bobby
Frederiksminde
Hazy Cavalier
3, 3 - 1 - 5, 5, 5, 7
Gneevebrack
Storm
4, 5 4 3 3, 6
5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6,
7, 7, 7, 8, 9
Castle Baron
1 2 - - 3, 4, 6
These three stallions all have a high level of relationship with Carna Bobby, which will intensify the
increasing level of inbreeding in the Australian population, especially on the eastern seaboard. 2013
Discussion:
This report is written from the perspective of population genetics only; issues of conformation
strengths or weaknesses, temperament and trainability, or any other important factors involved in
breeding are not considered in this analysis.
The situation facing breeders in Australia with regards to the reduction of available sire lines has not
improved since the 2007 report. In fact with the loss of the Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn line the
situation has worsened. The ongoing overuse of certain stallions (Table 2) has resulted in a high
proportion of the Australian population becoming too closely related to maintain a healthy level of
genetic diversity in the overall population.
Australias Connemara Pony population is at a turning point. In the recent past the structure of the
population developed a hierarchical structure with one stud acting as an elite producer of breeding
stock for those multiplier studs. Unfortunately, this follow the leader reliance on one entity
reduced the populations genetic diversity leaving it almost painted into a corner with two over
represented sire lines and twelve sire lines that are at moderate to high risk of becoming extinct.
Homogeneity is not desirable; it reduces viability of a population and raises the likelihood of new
and emerging genetic disease (McParland and Kearney, 2011).
Australias Connemara pony population would be considerably more robust if there was more
diversity in stallion lines and a more even representation amongst foals sired. A concerted effort is
needed to rebuild the rare and unique stallion lines that exist in Australia.
Imported frozen semen offers the best option for further expansion of the gene pool as the number
of progeny by any sire is easily limited through the amount of semen imported which will reduce the
possibility of future genetic bottlenecks. Semen donors selected from proven sires of top class
progeny significantly reduces risks of what quality progeny will result. The cost advantages over
importing an individual stallion are such that for the price of one live stallion, semen from several
top class and genetically diverse stallions could be imported. Mare selection however is critical to
the usefulness of progeny resulting from the use of frozen semen, which notably are predominantly
colts.
Importing unproven young stallions is risky and extremely costly, with just the transport costs from
Europe being well over Aus$25,000. Owners quite reasonably may attempt to recoup their outlay by
producing as many progeny as possible. In a small population, such as Australias Connemara Pony
population, overuse of a stallion is easily achieved, to the eventual detriment of the whole
population. Progeny quality, particularly in terms of ridden performance, takes a considerable
amount of time to establish, and much damage can be done in a short time by a stallion producing
large numbers of poor quality foals.
A major issue faced by breeders in Australia is geographical isolation; there are stallions which offer
outcrosses to the progeny of the overused stallions, which have not had the opportunity to spread
their genetics into the wider pony population. One way to rectify this situation is the wider adoption
of AI. Expense is often used as a reason for not making more use of this technology, however once
the stallion is trained to collect for AI, there is no reason why this process cannot occur on-farm.
Use of frozen semen is a different situation and requires a high level of veterinary intervention.
Frozen semen, especially expensive imported frozen semen should be used in young mares from less
common bloodlines. Whether using fresh chilled or frozen semen the better genetic gains in terms
of diversity for the population will result if this genetic material is used in mares which DO NOT have
any of the overused sire lines in their back breeding.
Where such mares are not available then preference should be afforded to those mares with Domo
Cavallo Praize and Oxenholm Gideon in their pedigrees. Using mares with Abbeyleix Finbar and
Castle Baron in the first three generations of their pedigree is not recommended in any plan to
increase genetic diversity; however, in practice this may be unavoidable. In attempting to strengthen
rare stallion lines, breeders need to consider that an over represented stallion appearing once in a
pedigree is likely to become insignificant in a few generations time. Ensuring mating for the next
generation keeps away from the over represented stallions will assume greater importance, but first
the next generation of a rare sire line must be secured.
The Australian Connemara pony population is very fortunate that a number of breeders have
consistently chosen to seek out and retain original mare and stallion lines. Without the vision of
these people, the breed would be in a far more parlous state than it already is.
Where to from here?
The good work retaining and rebuilding mare lines needs to continue.
More determination is required to retain globally rare stallion lines of which Australia has
several.
Rare stallion lines need progeny of sufficient quality to be stallions. The mares they are
mated to need to be capable of producing good quality sons. The quality of a mares
progeny is more important than the lines they come from so as to ensure that any colt is
acceptable as a sire for the next generation. However, it is preferable that dams of outcross
line sires should not be from over represented stallion lines. When it comes to saving a rare
line any colt is better than no colt. Quality improvement can be a work-in-progress for the
next generation!
If you have a rare sire line colt and you think the colt is satisfactory, use it. Ensure a back-
up colt or colts are available to continue the line should the stallion be lost. Get the breed
society veterinary inspection done at the earliest age possible, dont wait for a visual
inspection to use.
Importation of semen, although it will help increase genetic diversity especially when the
internationally over represented lines are avoided, should not take precedence over
rebuilding the rare lines already in Australia. There is always the danger of thinking
imported is better than the home-bred lines. The danger of this mind-set has been proven
multiple times worldwide in the area of breed conservancy (Sponenburg and Bixby, 2013).
Co-operation between breeders, not following fashionable sire trends, making an effort to
seek out good mares for those rare stallions; all of these are important issues to ensure the
breed remains healthy.
Many mares carry one or more of the over represented stallions in their pedigree and the
question is what is the most constructive route for them?
o Consider the mares pedigree holistically. What are the most valuable features of it?
Is there a stallion pedigree that it would strengthen or add diversity too. Is there a
stallion that complements the mare in other ways?
o Mating to a stallion from the over represented lines. This will exacerbate the existing
reduction in genetic diversity. Male offspring of stallion quality will be closely related
to a very high proportion of mares of breeding age. Thus the saleability of a young
stallion bred along these lines is likely to be limited. This path is not recommended.
o Mating to an outcross stallion. Male offspring of stallion quality should have wider
usefulness as suitable for a broader range of mares. Such a stallion could carry a rare
stallion line on for another generation, even if only for a short time until more useful
sons are produced from outcross mares. Female progeny of good quality likewise
will have broader appeal as broodmares and it will be easier to find suitable mates
for them.
o Use a range of stallions across the mare to improve the genetic diversity of foals
produced. Aim for a foal that will have its own genetic uniqueness.
Where to for the stallions of Abbeyleix Finbar and Castle Baron lines. The most cautious use
of sons and grandsons is recommended. Yet it is necessary to ensure that these lines
continue into the future. The brief history of the Connemara pony in Australia has
demonstrated that lines that are over represented can rapidly become at risk or extinct lines
such as occurred with Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn, Clonkeehan Archer, Island King,
Connaught of Millfields and Tulira Colman. Ensuring the line's continuation may best be
achieved through frozen semen from the best of the stallions from each line.
Conclusion
The genetic bottle-necks predicted in 2007 have come to fruition even though there have been
efforts made to retain the rare mare and stallion lines. Breeders need to plan. It is not sufficient to
look only at the next generation. These plans need to look three to five generations out. It is this
lack of foresight which has created the problem in Australia (and in Ireland even with their much
larger pony population which now in fact endangers the worldwide genetic diversity of the breed).
Australia retains some unique sire lines which are of value to the world population and which do not
exist anywhere else in the world. These lines are identified in this paper and need to be actively
rebuilt.
Larger studs with a higher mare population have a greater impact on the breed as their decisions
quickly change the genetic make-up of the Australian Connemara pony population, for better or
worse. A constructive approach for larger studs would be to change their stallions often to prevent
overloading the population with any one line. Alternatively, they could use other stallions by AI over
a proportion of their best mares even if only to produce their next sire stallion.
The contributions able to be made by smaller breeders must not be discounted in any way as these
breeders are usually not tied to anyone stallion.
Serious efforts need to be made to promote and utilise AI with chilled, shipped semen within
Australia. Other alternatives are the physical relocation of stallions around the country and frozen
imported semen.
References:
Feely, D., Brophy, P., Quinn, K. (2003) Characterisation of several Connemara Pony populations.
University College Dublin, Department of Animal Science and Production, Faculty of Agriculture,
Belfield,Dublin 4, Ireland
Lyne, P., (1990). Out of the Mist. Orphans Press Ltd, Leominster, England.
McParland, S. and Kearney, F. (2011). Pedigree analysis and inbreeding trends of the Connemara
pony population in Ireland. An Capaillin 10 : 72-74 24895 B1 Irish Dairy Industry: To 2015 and
Beyond, Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, 15-Nov-2011, 1-24
Sponenber, D. Phillip., and Bixby, D.D. (2013). Managing Breeds for a Secure Future: strategies for
breeders and breed associations. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Pittsboro, North
Carolina.