Bartley O’Sullivan’s great granddaughter returns to the west for the famous Connemara Pony Breeders Show currently taking place in Clifden.
Alyssa O’Neill from Milltown in Co Kildare is the great granddaughter of Galway man Bartley O’Sullivan, who was joint honorary secretary of the CPBS from 1924 until 1960, and famous for his lectures on the Connemara pony.
Alyssa O’Neill, who competes regularly with Eventing Ireland, was part of the Irish Student Riders gold medal winning team in Romania earlier this year.
On a recent trip to the UK, Alyssa and the class one stallion, Newtown Moll’s Pride, earned one of only 16 tickets from approximately 500 ponies for the world famous Horse of the Year Show, held in Birmingham, when he picked up the red rosette at the M and M Working Hunter Qualifier at Cheshire County Show.
Newtown Moll’s Pride is by Fredriksminde Hazy Match and out of Newtown Moll by Moy Johnny’s Pride.
Newton Moll’s Pride was bred by Galway man Peter Kyne from Moycullen, who has good reason to celebrate all his Connemara pony breeding achievements. With the Newtown prefix he had produced ponies such as Newtown Pedro (UK ), and Newtown Blossom, both being very successful in the RDS and many other show rings around the country. However, the cream of the crop has to be the eight-year-old Connemara stallion Newtown Moll’s Pride.
He was sold to Mairtin Nee from Cashel, Co Galway, as foal and then to Emily McCannin, Co Wicklow, who has produced him since 2011. His showjumping career started in 2011 with top Irish junior riders, Jack Foley, Jason Foley, and European Gold medalist Susan Fitzpatrick, all clocking up points on him. This year, having reached Grade A and winning several 1.20 competitions under European team silver medalist Michael James Pender, he has also qualified for the RDS Equitation class.
Alyssa is delighted to have secured her first ride at HOYS and in October he will head to the NEC in Birmingham to champion the Irish Connemara pony. The versility and achievements of this pony knows no bounds.
