Ballydonellan Grey IRE 1593

The Netherlands have never been a huge Connemara breeding country, but every once in a while Dutch Connemaras have found their way to Sweden. One of the first Connemaras to come to Sweden from the Netherlands was imported here already in 1978. The mare, Talt Lady, was Irish born and had a total of four registred progeny. Swedish-born Irmin was placed second in the quality test, was twice given 38 points (out of 50) at the breed show, and for a short while competed successfully in dressage and show jumping. Talt Lady, however, never made any major impact on the Swedish breeding. It is instead her sisters and nieces that have ensured that the importance of her dam's, Ballydonellan Grey, mare family in Sweden cannot be overappreciated.

Ballydonellan Grey was the only registred progeny of Rosaveel Grey and she was born in 1952. She became the mother of eight registred progeny: Zaillians Auora Ellan was exported to the USA, Fag an Ballagh to France and Ballydonellan Cindy, like Talt Lady, to the Netherlands. Neither of them made a major impact in the countries they came to. The oldest son Shannon has some ten progeny in Ireland of which Dun na Mara Primrose who was exported to Finland through Sweden was champion Connemara mare at the Finnish national pony show in 1985.

It is instead through her remaining three progeny that Ballydonellan Grey have influenced the international and in particular the Swedish Connemara breed. The son Golden Dan was exported to German and became one of Germany's most important Connemara stallions. He was champion stallion at the German national show both in 1973 as a six-year-old and in 1985 at the age of 18 and he was given an Elite premium for his many successful offspring. He also lived to the ripe old age of 32 years. Among his offspring are Golden Daniel, champion stallion at the 1987 German national show; Glaskopf Golden Merlin, reserve champion at the 1989 South Germany show; the Elite mare Maisie and a long line of progeny with victories in the show ring.

From a Swedish point of view it is without doubt Ballydonellan Grey's two daughters by Mac Dara who have been the most influential. In 1961 the first of the two, Bredin, was born and no less than four of her progeny were exported to Sweden. Bredin's oldest daughter, Lambay Lady, was imported in 1967, as a two-year-old, and became a foundation mare at the Brolöten stud. In 1973 it was Lambay Lady who took the championship and ten years later she was back and awarded with another gold, this time in the progeny class. Among her progeny we find Brolötens Solitär and the diploma mare Brolötens Shalimar, both gold awarded at local shows, while the diploma daughter Brolötens Chanel has been gold awarded several times at the breed show and has double championship titles at local shows. In the performance arena both Brolötens Solitär and Brolötens Shalimar have won their quality test while Brolötens Chanel was crowned best dressage pony at her quality test. Brolötens Chanel, Brolötens Lapis and Brolötens Silver have all competed successfully in dressage. Most successful was Brolötens Lapis who has been among the top ten dressage connemaras, was placed fifth at the Swedish dressage championships, and took a team bronze at the European dressage championships and participated in the Nordic dressage championships representing Norway. Brolötens Shalimar was exported to Finland where she was best veteran Connemara at the 2003 national pony show.

Brolötens Chanel is the dam of the only class 1 stallion from Ballydonellan Grey in Sweden. As a dressage pony Brolötens Grafit hardly needs any presentation having competed at the European dressage championships, won a team silver at the Nordic dressage championships and several individual golds at the Swedish dressage championships. In 2000 he as the second highest ranking dressage ponies all breeds. At the age of 18 Grafit was gold awarded at the breed show. Among Grafit's 24 registered progeny we find the diploma mares Midsummer Iris and önnarps Savanna, Valorous Monarch with a gaits award at quality test and in 2012 önnarps Savanna and önnarps Smirnoff were placed second and third respectively at the national gaits final for three-year-olds. Brolötens Jaquard, Golden Graffith and Arianna have all been show jumping successfully.

While still at Brolöten Brolötens Shalimar had three foals. Two of them, Brolötens Lavendel and Brolötens Madeira, were successful dressage ponies during the 90ies and 00ies respectively. Madeira's daughter Mindy Might is one of the smallest Connemaras in Sweden. As a five-year-old, after giving birth to the future show jumper Mingla, she was placed second at the quality test and have since had a successful career in the show jumping ring. Twice Mindy Might has been gold awarded at the breed show, most recently in 2015 when she was also veteran champion.

Bredin had two daughters by Clonjoy who were both exported to Sweden. In 1970 Joy of Abbeyleix reached Sweden and became one of the brood mares at the Värnbergs stud. Her oldest daughter Värnbergs Nova distinguished herself by winning her class at the 1981 breed show and by during the late 70ies being one of the most successful show jumping Connemaras and made the top ten show jumpers regardless of breed. As a brood mare at the Kolarhagen Stud Nova was the dam of Kolarhagens Denisov who himself had a long and very successful show jumping career. In 1984 he crowned his career with a team gold and an individual silver at the Nordic show jumping Championships.

Another two of Bredin's progeny were exported to Sweden. Jimmy's Castella has a Swedish owner in the Irish stud book, but was never registred here. Ballydonellan Bredin, however, joined her relatives at the Brolöten stud. Among her descendants we find the granddaugher Josefin, gold awarded class winner at a local pony show, and her daughters Kajsa Stina, reserve youngstock champin at the 1999 breed show, and Klara Fina, also gold awarded class winner at a local pony show. Another grand daughter, Lovöns Destiny, was youngstock champion at the 1998 breed show and a gold awarded class winner at the 2010 breed show. Lovöns Destiny, like her son Hagbard, has competition points in dressage while Kajsa Stina's son Jooar have been successful as a show jumper.

Bredin's last foal, Pegeen, was exported to France where she became the dam of 13 pure bred foals, and the most numerous branch of Ballydonellan Grey's mare family outside of Sweden. Among her descendants are the successful show jumper Florac and the class 1 mare Uillin and the popular stallion Nimbus IV with more than 150 progeny.

Bredin's two years younger full sister is the last Swedish export we encounter in the family. In 1966 Rose of Abbeyleix came to Sweden and began a combined career as a performance pony and brood mare. In 1970 she achieved a Swedish championship medal in three different championships the same year: gold in dressage, silver in show jumping and bronze in eventing. The magazine Ponnyexpressen (the pony express) was impressed and wrote that Rose and her rider Eva Bäckström was one of the best equipage there had ever been in the country. Also at old age Rose remembered how to perform and at the Connemara competitions in 1993 Rose participated, at the age of 30 years! Rose was also a brood mare of the highest quality and could be Elite awarded at the age of 29. Sundsta Pamina and Sundsta Phaedra have both been gold awarded at the breed show and Sundsta Niobe and Sundsta Paris have been class winners at local shows. Rose is herself silver awarded in the show ring and has been awarded silver at the breed show progeny class. In the performance ring Sundsta Paean, Sundsta Paris, Sundsta Phaedra, the grandson Aran av Haga and great grandson Elektors Storm have all taken show jumping points. Sundsta Paris has alse competed in dressage and Sundsta Pan was Sweden's fifth best dressage Connemara in 1988. And it doesn't end there. From Sundsta Phaedra the tracks leads to Finland through the daughters Elektors Proud Mary and Elektors Diana Rose. Diana Rose's daughter Eadrom Rose Aislinn is now flying the family flag in yet another country and won the class for yearling fillies at the 2014 Finnish national pony show. Ballydonnellan Grey's mare family is no closed chapter, neither in Sweden nor abroad.

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Ballydonellan Grey CSB 1593 (Ire)
Zaillians Auora Ellan USAM 107 (USA)
Jeb Stuart G 83 (USA)
Tarzan's Pettigoe USAM 280 (USA)
Bredin CSB 2231 (Ire)
Lambay Lady CSB 3165, RC 182 (Ire, Swe)
Brolötens Brilliant (Swe)
Brolötens Silver (Swe)
Brolötens Platina RC 421 (Swe)
Bettina (Swe)
Brolötens Solitär (Swe)
Brolötens Joy (Swe)
Brolötens Titan (Swe)
Brolötens Linneit (Swe)
Brolötens Lapis (Swe, No)
Brolötens Gucci (Swe)
Brolötens Chanel RC 542 (Swe)
Brolötens Gabbro (Swe)
Brolötens Grafit RC 70 (Swe)
Elektors Bodyguard (Swe)
Elektors Oliver (Swe)
Brolötens Shalimar RC 566, 166 IC (Swe, Fin)
Brolötens Melanit (Swe)
Brolötens Lavender (Swe)
Brolötens Madeira RC 770 (Swe)
Mindy Might RC 1466 (Swe)
Mingla RC 1094 (Swe)
Shakira 233 C (Fin)
Joy of Abbeyleix CSB 3794, NPS 14042, RC 80 (Ire, Swe)
Glenavoo Boy CSB 511 (Ire)
Värnbergs Nova RC 153 (Swe)
Kolarhagens Denisov (Swe)
Kolarhagens Misjkin (Swe)
Kolarhagens Annusjka (Swe)
Kolarhagens Krutov (Swe)
Kolarhagens Ivanov (Swe)
Kolarhagens Ataman (Swe)
Kolarhagens Netotsjka RC 670 (Swe)
Vigorous (Swe)
Brömsbo Crimson (Swe)
Brömsbo Miss Nova (Swe)
Brömsbo Arado (Swe)
Brömsbo Miss Nella (Swe)
Brömsbo Miss Nonea (Swe)
Brömsbo Aslan (Swe)
Brömsbo Miss Nina (Swe)
Brömsbo Miss Nerina RC 1121 (Swe)
Brömsbo Astor (Swe)
Brömsbo Viggen Jr (Swe)
Brömsbo Isidor (Swe)
Värnbergs Umbriel (Swe)
Nanna (Swe)
Moy Grey Breidin CSB 3756, I 134 (Ire, Ned)
Aclare Dun NPS G 399 (Ire, GBR)
Jimmy's Castella CSB 366 (Ire, Swe)
Ballydonellan Bredin CSB 4529, RC 141 (Ire, Swe)
Brolötens Opal (Swe)
Brolötens Olivin (Swe)
Oywanna (Swe)
Josefin RC 783 (Swe)
Skiffer (Swe)
Klara Fina RC 899 (Swe)
Kajsa Stina RC 1058 (Swe)
Jooar (Swe)
Josef (Swe)
Hillevi RC 1188 (Swe)
Golden Cin-Zano (Swe)
Orkan (Swe)
Julia RC 579 (Swe)
Romeo (Swe)
Chirac (Swe)
Belizija RC 947 (Swe)
Jayzon McBell (Swe)
Robbie (Swe)
Ingolf's Ozzy (Swe)
Carizma II (Swe)
Lovöns Destiny RC 1117 (Swe)
Hagbard (Swe)
Destinys Unexpected RC 1486 (Swe)
Julius McMero (Swe)
Pegeen CSB 4672 (Ire, Fra)
Irlande (Fra)
Mamy (Fra)
Uncle Sam (Fra)
Aurore II (Fra)
Clara III (Fra)
Delphine du Verger (Fra)
Granny (Fra)
Licken Perfect (Fra)
Qaiya Dansant (Fra)
Vickensas Dansant (Fra)
Ananiya Dansant (Fra)
Baiya Dansant (Fra)
Dahyana Dansant (Fra)
Emperiya Dansant (Fra)
Norvège II (Fra)
Finlande (Fra)
Qarwynn de Boycesse (Fra)
Provence (Fra)
Ubaye (Fra)
Vesubie (Fra)
Jazz Man du Reuil (Fra)
Nemesis du Reuil (Fra)
Osiris du Reuil (Fra)
Bikini (Fra)
Cortina II (Fra)
Santiago (I) (Fra)
Touraine IV (Fra)
Ulster (Fra)
Very Light (Fra)
Alesia (Fra)
Quartil des Foltiers (Fra)
Sugar des Foltiers (Fra)
Borneo (Fra)
Florac (Fra)
Little Bird (Fra)
Nimbus IV (Fra)
Orange IV (Fra)
Panama (Fra)
Quimper (Fra)
Red River (Fra)
Astrid (Fra)
Ceres (Fra)
Helianthe III (Fra)
Uillin (Fra)
Egerie (Fra)
Joey de Jax (Fra)
Movie Star de Jax (Fra)
Nimphea de Jax (Fra)
Olympe de Jax (Fra)
Upside de Jax (Fra)
Purple Star de Jax (Fra)
Qountry de Jax (Fra)
Trivium de Jax (Fra)
Archangel de Jax (Fra)
Forban IV (Fra)
Hidalgo IV (Fra)
Ibara (Fra)
Rose of Abbeyleix CSB 2740, RC 108 (Ire, Swe)
Limerick av Haga (Swe)
Sundsta Loreen RC 266 (Swe)
Eirin av Haga (Swe)
Aran av Haga (Swe)
Grey Roselle (Swe)
Sundsta Paris (Swe)
Sundsta Fjalar (Swe)
Sundsta Pamina RC 385 (Swe)
Pyri (Swe)
Myrens Miriel RC 634 (Swe)
Oliver (Swe)
Sundsta Pyramus (Swe)
Sundsta Niobe RC 426 (Swe)
Nike II (Swe)
Sundsta Minos (Swe)
Sundsta Pius (Swe)
Sundsta Pan (Swe)
Sundsta Paean (Swe)
Sundsta Phaedra RC 550 (Swe)
Smoke On The Water (Swe)
Elektors Proud Mary 273 C (Swe, Fin)
Elektors New Rose (Swe)
Elektors Wild Rose (Swe)
Elektors Storm (Swe)
Elektors Johnny (Swe)
Elektors Blueberry (Swe)
Hagelunds Aragorn (Fin)
Elektors Diana Rose 239 C (Swe, Fin)
Eadrom Rose Aislinn (Fin)
Shannon CSB 287 (Ire)
Golden Dan CSB 342 (Ire, Ger)
Fag an Ballagh CSB 3961 (Ire, Fra)
Liken de Kiltaky (Fra)
Talt Lady CSB 4456, I 118 (Ire, Ned, Swe)
Fa-Fa-Fluk van de Wilgenhoeve (Ned, Swe)
Iris (Swe)
Gaz-Gaz van de Wilgenhoeve (Ned)
Hurah-Hip (Swe)
Irmin (Swe)
Ballydonellan Cindy CSB 5089, I 195 (Ire, Ned)

© Jenny Hagenblad, 2015