Connemara Pony Breeders' Society

28/05/2026

🌟 CPBS Spring 2026 Inspections Concluded 🌟

The Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society has officially concluded the Spring phase of the 2026 inspections season following a hugely successful nationwide campaign.

📍 466 ponies were presented across 18 days of inspections in 11 venues throughout Ireland.
📍 24 ponies successfully passed under the extended amnesty scheme, which has now been extended until October 2029.

The CPBS wishes to sincerely thank all venues, inspectors, arena parties, vets, safety officers, photographers, helpers, council members and office staff whose commitment and professionalism made this season possible.

A special thank you also to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for their continued support under the Equine Technical Support and Equine Breeding Schemes.

Most importantly, thank you to all breeders, owners and members🐴

📸 Inspection photos and digital Linear Profiles are now available on each pony’s profile through the Online CPBS Database.

🌐 Full results available at:
https://cpbs.ie/articles

21/05/2026

📢 IMPORTANT UPDATE 📢

Please note that the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society Annual General Meeting, which had been scheduled to take place on Friday, 29th May 2026 at the Claregalway Hotel, has been rescheduled due to a technical issue.

A new date will be communicated to members as soon as it has been confirmed.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank members for their continued patience and understanding.

Further updates will be issued across our official channels in due course.

Thank you for your support.

🐴 CPBS

09/05/2026

CPBS Election Results 🗳️

Congratulations to all successful candidates following the recent election.

Connacht

Kevin Bolger
Pat Collins
Claire Lacy Flynn
Ann Marie Conroy
Peter O’Malley
Gearoid Curran

Leinster

Sharon Walsh
Eamon Spain
Lorraine Loddick

Munster

Andy Donoghue
Sasha Maxwell
Patrick Costigan

Ulster

Cathal Gavaghan
Erin Fergus


Thank you to everyone who put themselves forward, and to all who took part and supported the process.

Congratulations to all elected candidates.

09/05/2026

🐴 May Turnout Worming Guide 🌱

Ponies and youngstock are finally getting out onto that lovely spring/summer grass — but before reaching for a wormer, it’s worth taking a step back.

The best approach now is test → assess risk → treat only if needed.

A Faecal Egg Count, or FEC, checks the number of worm eggs being shed in the dung. This helps show which ponies are carrying a higher worm burden and which may not need worming at all.

This is especially useful because unnecessary worming can contribute to **wormer resistance**, meaning the products we rely on may become less effective over time.

Youngstock can be a higher-risk group, so they often need closer monitoring through the grazing season.

💩 **Dung sample testing options in Ireland include:**

📍 Irish Equine Centre / Pet Vet Lab
Johnstown, Naas, Co. Kildare
Equine faecal worm egg counts available.

📍 Animal Health Laboratories Ireland
Shinagh House, Bandon, Co. Cork
Equine FEC kits available, including multi-sample kits.

📍 ParaLabs
Irish parasite testing lab offering equine gutworm FEC testing.

📍 Targeted Worming Ireland
Postal horse worm testing service, including FEC and EquiSal tapeworm testing.

💩 Sample tip:

Collect a fresh dung sample into a clean bag or sample pot. Label it with the pony’s name and the date, and check with the lab before dropping or posting.

⚠️ Important:

FECs are very useful for checking worm egg shedding, but they do **not reliably detect tapeworm or encysted redworm**, so they should be used as part of a proper worming plan with veterinary advice.

🌱 Healthy ponies today, healthier fields tomorrow.

07/05/2026

CONGRATULATIONS TO SHANNA DEXTER REG CONNEMARA PONY .. 🥳🏆🏆🏆🥇🥇🥇
WINNER OF THE PONY CLUB RACE AT PUNCHESTOWN RACE MEETING .. NORMALLY He's MORE AT HOME JUMPING!!
Dexter was sold to his super new home last year by Irish Horse Lovers and John Foran .. well done everyone 🏆🏆🏆🥇🥇

04/05/2026

04/05/2026

🐴 Foaling Season: Preparation, Awareness & Early Action
Foaling is one of the most critical periods in the breeding cycle. As highlighted in the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society Breeding Programme, the breeder plays a vital role from conception through to birth and good management at this stage can make all the difference.
✨ Be prepared:
Know your mare’s due window, monitor her closely, and have your foaling kit and veterinary contact ready. A clean, safe environment is essential.
⏱️ Remember the 1–2–3 rule:
• Foal standing within 1 hour.
• Nursing within 2 hours. Early colostrum is key.
• Placenta passed within 3 hours
⚠️ Know when things aren’t right:
Delays, abnormal presentation, weakness in the foal, or signs of distress in the mare all require immediate action.
🚨 Critical note - Red Bag Delivery:
If a red bag (premature placental separation) presents, this is an emergency. The foal is deprived of oxygen because the placenta has detached too early.
👉 The red membrane must be cut immediately to allow the foal to breathe and be delivered, while veterinary assistance is urgently sought.
💡 Early recognition and decisive action can save lives, both mare and foal.
🐎💚

04/05/2026

🐴 Foaling Season: Preparation, Awareness & Early Action

Foaling is one of the most critical periods in the breeding cycle. As highlighted in the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society Breeding Programme, the breeder plays a vital role from conception through to birth and good management at this stage can make all the difference.

✨ Be prepared:

Know your mare’s due window, monitor her closely, and have your foaling kit and veterinary contact ready. A clean, safe environment is essential.

⏱️ Remember the 1–2–3 rule:

• Foal standing within 1 hour.
• Nursing within 2 hours. Early colostrum is key.
• Placenta passed within 3 hours

⚠️ Know when things aren’t right:

Delays, abnormal presentation, weakness in the foal, or signs of distress in the mare all require immediate action.

🚨 Critical note - Red Bag Delivery:

If a red bag (premature placental separation) presents, this is an emergency. The foal is deprived of oxygen because the placenta has detached too early.

👉 The red membrane must be cut immediately to allow the foal to breathe and be delivered, while veterinary assistance is urgently sought.

💡 Early recognition and decisive action can save lives, both mare and foal.

🐎💚

29/04/2026

🚨 CPBS Statement 🚨

The Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society is aware of ongoing issues involving fake profiles, online abuse, and unacceptable behaviour across social media.

❗ This is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

All members are bound by the Society’s Constitution to act in the best interests of the CPBS at all times including online and across all forms of media .

🔍 We are taking this matter extremely seriously and will be actively monitoring activity, supporting investigations where required, and taking appropriate action where breaches occur.

🤝 This community should be built on respect, integrity, and a shared passion for the Connemara pony.

🚫 Abuse and intimidation have no place here.

27/04/2026

C**t Inspection – CoilÓg, Co. Kildare
Saturday, 25 April 2026

A c**t inspection took place in CoilÓg on Saturday, 25 April, with a strong turnout of entries.

Congratulations to all connections.

Thank you to all breeders, owners, inspectors and organisers.

Thank you to Rynes Walker Photography for the beautiful coverage of the day. 📸

A big thank you also to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

📊 Please see attached graphic for full results

**tInspections