Connemara ponies have long been recognised in their native west of Ireland for their strength, stamina and hardiness. These qualities, together with good looks and gentle personalities, have spread the fame of the Connemara pony world-wide so that today the Connemara dominates pony events of all kinds. We have used the following Connemara stallions to date - Celtic Truska Prince, Snowball, Silver Snow, Rustle of Spring, Atlantic Sentinel, Wisbridge Whiskey Flake, Lismore Sobranie, Island Count, Leam Bobby Finn, MacNamara, Lewcombe Piccolo, Rosenharley Cormac, Oxenholm Matador, Thunderbolt, Oaklands Ravel, Arrow Chevalier, Whitwell Senator, Atlantic Swirl, Oisin, Ashfield Blue Rock, Spinway Comet, Millfields Corunna, Spinway Prosperity, Castle Squire, Innelan Kestrel, Arrow Javelin, Lishmar Rebel, Oaklands Cloudbreaker, Midnite Marcus and Atlantic Ace. Is this a record?

We have also owned mares and colts by the following - Corrib, Tully Lad, Calmore Cordite, Calmore Marley, Carna Bobby, MacDara, Bridge Boy, Wisbridge Golden Rebel, Cream Nut, Rebel Wind, Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn and Island Duke. We had a share in the stallions Celtic Truska Prince and Thunderbolt, and have invested in a new young colt whose pedigree includes Thunderbolt, Killyreagh Kim, Mervyn Pookhaun, Gloves Misty, Ballacurra Beauty (Abbeyleix Owen) and Sarsfield.

At the Oaklands Stud, our Connemara ponies are free to roam acres of rolling green hills on the edge of the Royal Forest of Dean. We care for them as members of the family and treat them with the respect they deserve. Anyone with a genuine interest in Connemara ponies is welcome to visit us.

Mares and youngstock sometimes for sale.

Some Facts (and Fiction) about Connemara Ponies		Some Female Stock
Some Successful Oaklands Ponies		Contacts

 NEWS

Celtic Truska Prince, the alleged sire of the world's greatest showjumper Milton, was put down on the 14th. July 1999 after a slight stroke. His longterm companion Calmore Cockade was also put down. 'Mick', as he was known, was 36. He was actually eligible for a Premium having had three stallion sons and progeny attaining the the required points with the ECPS Performance Award scheme. We have blood and mane hair if anyone wishes to prove a link (or otherwise) with Milton. Mick was after all a teaser at Mr. Harding's Chilling Place Stud at the time Marius was standing.

Mick, once a dark dapple but ultimately white grey, was not used much as a stallion and had a variety of homes, mainly because fences and hedges could not contain him. He was by Clonkeehan Auratum out of Rebel Collen by Calla Rebel and had a beautiful Arab-type head and lovely temperament. He spent his last happy years at Kington in Hereford. What an irony that this should happen about a week after Milton himself died. I am pleased to have what may be his only breeding daughter, Oaklands Snowdrop, and I have retained two of her daughters for breeding. He has a stallion son, Ennerdale Steele Prince (ex Oaklands Glissando) and a stallion grandson, Midnite Marcus, by my home-bred Rustle of Spring.

1	A Connemara stallion, Celtic Truska Prince, was a teaser for Marius at the Chilling Place Stud where the world's greatest showjumper Milton was conceived (see above and Oaklands Snowdrop).
2	Long, long ago superb Iberian stallions swam ashore from Spanish shipwrecks to mate with Connemara mares.
3	Connemara ponies love people, especially quiet ones, and do not bite them.
4	Connemara ponies love polos, especially round ones, and do bite them.
5	Connemara ponies are rugged and do not need to be rugged.
6	Connemara ponies should not be overfed or spoiled - see 4. above.
7	Being with Connemara ponies is like swimming with dolphins - very spiritual.
8	Connemara ponies probably have swum with dolphins - see 2. above.
9	Connemara ponies are predominantly silver/white/grey but occasionally surprise you with beautiful gold or black.
10	According to Thelwell, the ancient Connemara was hanging about Galway Bay long before the song writers got there.
11	Connemara ponies can be anything you want them to be.
12	Connemara ponies always try to do their best.
13	Sometimes Connemara ponies pretend to misunderstand and take the easy option.
14	Connemara ponies sometimes see and hear things that we don't.
15	A discontinued line of Beswick china models featured the Connemara mare Therese of Leam.
16	Connemara ponies are magic.

OAKLANDS HALLOWEEN BLUEBELL Grey mare by Super Premium Stallion Lewcombe Piccolo ex Llandegvedd Bean-Si by Clifden triple Champion Bridge Boy x Abbeyleix May Moon (Carna Dun)  Twice Breed Show Winner
OAKLANDS SNOWDROP Grey mare by Celtic Truska Prince (alleged sire of Milton) ex Moy Maryln by MacDara x Maresa (Doon Paddy) Return to Facts
LEAM MAYBE Grey mare by Super Premium Stallion Leam Bobby Finn ex Leam Copperwave(Ceiliog x Dorren by Atlantic Storm). Half-sister to Oaklands Seventh Heaven and also half-sister to part-bred Burning Best, member of the British Team Long Distance Riding Championships 1993. Winner ECPS Ridden Show
OAKLANDS ICING Grey mare by Clifden winner and Premium Thunderbolt ex Oaklands Snowdrop by Celtic Truska Prince
OAKLANDS TITANIA Chestnut mare by Super Premium Stallion Arrow Chevalier ex Moy Maryln by MacDara
OAKLANDS SONG TO THE MOON Grey mare by twice Clifden winner INNELAN KESTREL (Denmark) x Oaklands Halloween Bluebell by Super Premium LEWCOMBE PICCOLO.
OAKLANDS CAPRICORN Grey mare by Triple Premium stallion Lewcombe Piccolo x Moy Maryln by MacDara x Maresa by Doon Paddy Capricorn is kindly loaned by Mrs. Jennifer Buxton and features in "Connemara Beach" painted to commemorate the English Connemara Society's Jubilee.

OAKLANDS MICKEY FINN Supreme Championships & Best of Breed - Olympia Photo - Pleasure Prints
OAKLANDS SPRING SONG ECPS Ridden Show winner by home-bred stallion Rustle of Spring Photo - Shaw-Shot
OAKLANDS SEVENTH HEAVEN By Oaklands Ravel; attained seventeen rosettes, three trophies and the Freddie Grant Memorial Cup 1995 ECPS Ridden/Performance Show Return to Leam Maybe Photo - Shaw-Shot
OAKLANDS CONQUISTADOR Numerous ridden championships and Olympia qualifier. Photo - Shaw-Shot
OAKLANDS CRYSTAL CLOUD Champion M&M FoD Show and Breed Show winner.
OAKLANDS LACE Three Championships Autumn 2002
OAKLANDS CLOUDBURST Winner Open Ridden & Res.Ch.WHP Eastern Counties Photo: R. Weller-Poley
OAKLANDS MISTY BLUE Breed representative British Equine Event 2002
OAKLANDS LORD OF THE RINGS Represented Riding Club with 13 yr. old rider at Talk of the North; 3rd out of 46.
OAKLANDS ZADOK First out of 70! At his very first Hunter Trials.

1996 - OAKLANDS CLOUDBREAKER Dark-eyed cream, 14.2hh. (Millfields Corunna x Oaklands Crystal Cloud by Island Count). Owned by Mrs. Diana Rundle, Brimboyte Farm, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 3QE. Tel. 01579 343364.

Oaklands Stud Enquiries:
Nick Palmer +44 (0) 1594 832 590 or email Nick nicholas77@waitrose.com

For a definitive history of the Connemara pony contact author Pat Lyne, Combe Cottage, Presteigne, Powys LD8 2LH. Phone: +44 (0) 1544 267 026. Her very readable books are well illustrated and include the 'Mist' Trilogy, namely 'Shrouded In Mist' (Reprint 1998), 'Out Of The Mist' (1990) and 'Reflections Through The Mist' (1994). Also 'Thunderbolt - His Life and Times' (1995).

Melanie Kleyn
Artist
01753655492
melanie8_@hotmail.com