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Connemara Park Roy |
The CPSNZ was formed in 1984 for the purpose of encouraging the Connemara in NZ, preserving the breed in its highest form and for keeping a true record of the ponies bred in NZ in the form of a Studbook patterned on the Connemara Pony Breeder’s Society in Ireland.
Founding memberswere Mr and Mrs D Axe, Mr H Brandell, Mrs H Cameron, Miss D Cochrane, Mrs A Crump, Mrs L Graham, Mrs T Hore, Mrs S Jones, Sir John Marshall, Mrs B Millward, Major Dermot Neill, Mrs D Rutherford, Mrs J Springford, Mr W Storey, Mrs H Storey, Mrs W Tatham.
The first NZ registered Connemara pony stallion, Connemara Park Roy, was imported from Australia by Mrs Taieri Hore in 1970. In 1977 she imported Blandings Brigid and Blandings Juliet. The first Connemara show class in NZ was at the All Breeds show in Southland in 1983 and the Supreme Champion was awarded to Ridgeway Fantasy (Connemara Park Roy x Blandings Juliet).
In 1977 Sir John and Lady Marshall imported Blandings Henrietta and Irish Mist, both in foal. They produced respectively a filly, Canningvale Bonnie Jean, and a colt, Canningvale Irish Dusk, NZ’s first homebred registered stallion. The Marshalls imported Chiltern Sunsilk in 1978 whom they purchased from Pat Lyne. He had that year been judged best two-year-old colt at the ponies of Britain show.
In 1987 they created the Sir John and Lady Marshall Trust of Ambury Park riding for the disabled when they donated Chiltern Sunsilk, Irish Mist, Blandings Henrietta and Canningvale Bonnie Jean each in foal with a foal at foot.
Other foundation ponies were: the stallion Connemara Park Michael, born in Australia in 1972 and imported by Mrs B. Millward, as was the mare, Blandings Ardrahan in 1977 (exported back to the Blandings stud in 1989); Barwidgee Erriff, born in Australia in 1974 and imported by Mrs D. Rutherford in 1975; Windward, born in Ireland in 1973 and imported by Mrs W Tatham in 1979; Blandings Jade and Blandings Kimberley were imported by Taieri Hore in 1980.
In 1989 Mrs Anne Ryan imported Glenormiston Dingle Bay and in 1996, Mr Bruce Sturgeon imported Glenormiston Jasper.
