| Stallions | Connemara Breeders Association | Connemara Type | Bruckless Ponies |
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Ashfield Bobby Sparrow
Donegal is not without its attractions to the breeder or would-be owner. There is little by way of record of the earliest days of breeding in the County but the now-famous Ashfield Bobby Sparrow (444), bred by James Jones, Carlow, was raised by the late John McCaffery, Mountcharles, in Donegal. This pony, that went on to become European Pony Champion, was reared by McCaffery and trained by him; he first stood at stud at Mountcharles where his progeny were all labelled with the prefix Tanatallon and proved themselves worthy of their legendary grandsire Carna Bobby (79). In the winter of 1974, this pony spent six constructive months under saddle at Bruckless with Clive Evans.
Drumclounish Stud
In the 1970s another breeder, Dr. George Luke, brought his stallion Drumclounish Teige (676) into Donegal and the mare Drumclounish Silver (6768), carrying the blood of the mare Finola of Leam (3036). In 1982 he imported the colt Coosheen Thyme (840), bred by Elizabeth Petch, Cork, son of the well-known Coosheen Finn (381), and spread these excellent genes here under the prefix Drumclounish.
Clonkeehan Captain Cook
Patricia Keane, Templepatrick, Co.Antrim, was a great influence in Donegal through her Clonkeehan Captain Cook (423), known at home as Jamie, and whose progeny was labelled Sweetwall.
Dunlewey Stud
Kieran Guinness and his family, of Dunlewey, have promoted the Connemara here for many years bringing stallions to the mountains of north-west Donegal. These have included Dunlewey Sonny Jim (690), Milford Siskin (788) Abbeyleix Fionn (810) and Stradbally Bill (900). With the Guinness prefix Dunlewey these have all left their mark on the Connemara ponies being kept and bred in Donegal.
Bruckless Stud
Over the years, Bruckless House has been home to a number of acclaimed Connemara stallions. In 1974 Ashfield Bobby Sparrow spent a winter under saddle at Bruckless. To establish a stud, Ashfield Alex (711) was sent to Bruckless by the CPBS where he remained for four years, siring some good stock including the mare Bruckless Enya (9406) and improving local stock both Connemara and others.
When Ashfield Alex was sold to England, James Jones loaned his Granard Storm (737) to Clive Evans where he stayed at home, continuing the improvement of pony-breeding in Donegal. After three years, Storm moved to Cleggan, the home of Ivan Stewart, near Dunfanaghy, serving ponies, both Connemara and others in the north of the county, right up to the time he died in 2002.
In the meantime, in 1986 Clive Evans bought a colt foal from George Luke that became Drumclounish Davog (879). When two years old, Davog was passed as a stallion and spent the following two years with Ivan Stewart before returning to Bruckless for his attendance at the CPBS' first Performance Testing in 1989/90. Davog continued to perform well at dressage and qualified for the northern dressage championship in 2000. Sadly he became cast in his box in February 2000 and died - he rests under the turf at Bruckless House, mourned and missed by his friends and the whole family.
With Davog & Alexander in Donegal Town
The stallion Granard Storm S737 was loaned to Bruckless by James Jones. Granard came of the respected line of Thunderball and Mr Jones was careful that the stallion should not leave Ireland. On the untimely death of Mr Jones, Granard Storm passed jointly to Clive Evans and Ivan Stewart where he served mares at both locations. He died in Bruckless in 2002 at the age of 20 years. His progeny have sound reputations as performance ponies and are in good demand. A daughter of his, Corran Binne Jasmine, is now at Bruckless.
The resident stallion at Bruckless has been Linsfort Boy S1105 who was bred by John Lynch, Inishowen, Co. Donegal, arriving in Bruckless in 2002. He is a stocky pony with a very good temperament and giving good substance to his progeny, some of which have gone to France and to Britain where they are successful performers and breeding stock. In Ireland, his foals are well sought-after: one, Bruckless Hero, is a successful stallion in the Dordogne, France. For the future of the Bruckless Stud, Linsfort Boy has been sold - two of his filly progeny are potential brood mares for the Stud which necessitates the removal of their sire. A stallion with fresh bloodlines is being introduced, but the bloodlines of the brood mares representing the sires Robin Hood, Granard Storm and Drumclounish Davog, will perpetuate. The new potential stallion is Rickamore Reilly bringing with him the genes of Hazy Dawn and Fredericksminde Hazy Match originating in Denmark. Reilly was bred by Pamela Megahey, Rickamore Connemara Stud, County Antrim.
In 2006, Bruckless Emer/Linsfort Boy produced Bruckless Echo, a colt of good quality and half-brother to Bruckless Elmo, a champion showjumping gelding in Normandy and Fontainebleau. In 2008 Echo went north to Horn Head, Dunfanaghy, where he covered the mares of Ivan Stewart. Proving fertile and otherwise fit, Echo was presented in 2009 to the Connemara Pony Breeders Society for entry into the Society's stallion list. He was graded S2, narrowly missing out on S1 status. His first foals were born in 2009 and show good quality. He is a good mover and has good jumping ability; he is lightly broken to saddle. Echo is now at stud with the intention of presenting him again for inspection at the age of five in an attempt to regrade him as an S1 sire.
In 2007, Robin's Gift/Linsfort Boy produced Bruckless Homer, a colt showing much promise. His full brothers are doing well - Bruckless Hero referred to above, and Bruckless Hector, a performing gelding in Cornwell, England. Homer has run with a few mares during 2009 and, proving satisfactory, will be presented for inspection during 2010.
Bruckless Homer 2010
In 2009, Bruckless Emer produced a good quality colt foal, Bruckless Enda, full brother of Echo mentioned above. This colt has good bone and conformation and has gone to a new home where he has the opportunity to develop as a performance pony.
Clive and Joan Evans, Bruckless House, Bruckless, Co. Donegal, Ireland
phone: 074 9737071
email: bruc@bruckless.com