Connemara Pony in Finland

The first Connemara pony was imported to Finland in 1966. She was called Cashel Eileen, and she made her way to Finland via Sweden. She was imported by two schoolgirls, and she gave birth to the first Connemara foal in Finland the following spring. The colt was called Lord Cashmir (by Lambay Inver). The same year the girls imported another connemara mare, Lambay Sunshine

The first person to import and breed several ponies was Olof Wallin, who in the end of the 60s and the beginning of the 70s imported several mares from Ireland, and in 1971 the first approved stallion in Finland, Cocum Tiger Moth 1 C from England. Olof Wallin bred over 20 ponies with the prefix "Espe" before his untimely death.

All through the 1970s there was only a handful of Connemara ponies in Finland. By 1980 only 12 mares were inspected and approved to the stud book. Cocum Tiger Moth, as well as several other ponies were successful in show jumping and other disciplines, and they laid the foundation for the reputation of the Connemara jumping skills in Finland.

In early 80s within two years three approved stallions were imported - Kåsta Scaramouche 2 C, Millfields Ensign 3 C and Brantshammar Julius 4 C. In 1983, Espe Etta 9 C became the first connemara pony to take home the Best In Show -title at the National Pony Show. This was only repeated in 2002, when her daughter Caragh Elaine Aisling 125 C equalled her dam's success.

1984 it was time to found the Finnish Connemara Pony Society. The first year the Society had 24 members. The first years were active with several trips to Sweden and Denmark to get acquainted with Connemara breeding in these countries. Very soon it became obvious for the members that it is needed to return to the roots, and to go back to Ireland to find out about the origin and character of the pony. Soon thereafter, first Finnish pony breeders were seen at Clifden Show - and have been returning ever since.

In 1980s several Connemara ponies were dominating the pony jumping classes in Finland. Ponies such as Tiger Star, Ard Ash Grove, Gaelic Silver Mist and Pallas Athena were seen jumping high, some of them even on international level. In 1989 the Society decided to organise its first Connemara Breed Show, inviting Elizabeth Petch to judge Finnish ponies. Over 40 ponies were entered, and Danish born Gigi Egely 87 C (then 13 years of age) was chosen as the Best In Show.

In 1984, when the society was founded, there were a bit over 100 Connemara ponies in Finland. Today, their number is estimated to be over 600. The Breed Show has been organized 12 times since 1989, but unfortunately it hasn't established its place in the annual calendar. The economical downswing of the 1990s affected all horse breeding in Finland, and only in recent years the number of imported Connemara ponies and foals born have turned to rise again.

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