In 1935 at the International Horse Show in Olympia London, the 22-year-old, 15 hand Connemara gelding, The Nugget, cleared a 7’2” jump and subsequently won over 300 prizes internationally earning over 4,500 pounds sterling in prize money.
At Madison Square Garden in New York , NY , in 1939, the 13.2 hand Connemara , Little Squire, won the Open Championship by clearing fences of seven feet. The American press dubbed him “the littlest horse with the biggest heart.”
Tommy Wade’s 15 hand Connemara gelding Dundrum became Supreme Champion at the Wembley Horse of the Year Show when he set a record by clearing a 7’2” puissance wall. In 1961 he was regarded as show jumper of the century when he won five major events at the Dublin Horse Show, the first time in history that so many awards were won by the same rider, and he did it with the same hrose! He was International Jumping Champion from 1959 – 1963.
MARCUS AURELIUS was a Connemara/Thoroughbred ridden by Mary Ann e Tauskey. The pair competed in the 1975 Pan American Games and were members of the Gold Medal winning United States Eventing Team. In 1976 they were again on the Gold Medal winning United States Eventing Team.
Only one of two horses to jump a clear round in the entire 1968 Olympics was a 14.1 half bred Connemara , Stroller. Stroller competed in the Olympic games as a member of the British Team ridden by Marium Coakes. They won the silver medal behind the gold medal winners Snowbound and Bill Steinkraus. Stroller cleared an Puissance Fence of 6’10.”
Lendon Gray earned worldwide recognition while riding the Connemara/Thoroughbreds Seldom Seen and Last Scene in upper level international dressage competitions.
