2012 Connemara Stallion

By Dexter Leam Pondi x Dandy Sparrow x Ashfield Bobby Sparrow
ACPS PREMIUM Stallion

The Basics

Imported from Kilkenny, Ireland in September of 2012
ACPS Inspected & Approved PREMIUM Stallion
Heterozygous Grey from Buckskin Roan
Color Genetics: Gg Ee Aa n/Cr Rn/n
14.2 Hands
9” Bone
HWSD N/N
Fresh cooled semen for AI - $1500

Accolades

1st Place Colts/Geldings - Upperville, 2013
ACPS Silver Medal In-Hand - 2015
High Score Dressage Champion - Region IV Show, 2017
Reserve Champion Purebred of the Day - Region IV Show, 2017
Reserve Champion Jumper - Region IV Show, 2017
USDF High Score Champion @ Poplar Place - September 2017
ACPS Bronze Medal in Dressage - 2017
8th Place USEF HOTY Purebred Connemara Eventing - 2017
3rd Place USEF HOTY Purebred Connemara Eventing - 2018
2nd Place ACPS USEA Novice Level Purebred Connemara - 2018
USEA Area III Championships - Sr Novice Champion - 2019
SIX wins at the Novice level from Feb ‘19 - Feb ‘20, all on his dressage score, ranging from a 25 - 30
USEA Area III #1 Novice Horse - Year End 2019
USEF/USEA Adult Amateur Novice Rider 3rd in the nation - 2019
USEF/ACPS Reserve Champion Purebred Connemara in Eventing - 2019
GDCTA Champion Novice AA - 2019
ACPS/USEA Novice Horse of the Year - 2019
ACPS Award of Excellence in Eventing - 2019
ACPS Award of Excellence in Foxhunting - 2020
ACPS High Point PB Training Level Eventer - 2021
GDCTA Reserve Champion Training Level Eventing - 2021
4th Place USEF HOTY Purebred Connemara in Eventing - 2021
ACPS High Point PB Training Level Eventer - 2022
GDCTA Champion Training Level Eventing - 2022
Reserve Champion USEF HOTY Purebred Connemara in Eventing - 2022
Champion USEF HOTY Purebred Connemara in Eventing - 2023

Check out Declan’s feature in eCovertside

Declan Just Gets It

Photo Jun 03, 9 39 50 PM.jpg — USEA Coverage

Connemaras Crowned Champions

Recent Highlights

June 2024 - 6th Place Open Modified at Poplar Place HT
May 2024 - 2nd Place Training Rider at Chatt Hills HT
March 2024 - 1st Place Modified Rider at Pine Top HT
February 2024 - 1st Place Training Rider at Pine Top HT
January 2024 - 1st Place Open Training at Full Gallop HT
2023 USEF HOTY Champion PB Connemara in Eventing
September 2023 - 6th Place TH at American Eventing Championships with rider, Melanie Smith, on his dressage score of 32.1

Offspring

Pedigree

Declan's sire, Dexter Leam Pondi, is one of the world's most respected Connemara stallions. He has won numerous titles at the international level, and was one of the most successful ponies to compete at the Grand Prix level in Europe. Not only is he an incredible athlete, he is the epitome of the Connemara pony with superb conformation, movement, jump and type. His offspring, and even grand-offspring, are consistently performing at the top of international sport. Just like their sire before them, many of his successors are competing on international junior teams in Europe.

Dexter Leam Pondi

Dexter Leam Pondi Fontainebleau 2007

Dandy Sparrow & Declan - July 2012

Declan's dam, Dandy Sparrow, is by the renowned Grade A show jumping Connemara, Ashfield Bobby Sparrow. Ashfield Bobby Sparrow has also sired too many Grade A ponies to count; a very consistent line of proven jumping ponies. Dandy Sparrow's great-grandsire is Ballydonagh Cassanova, sire of Westside Mirah and Poetic Justice; both sires of numerous Grade A jumping ponies. Dandy Sparrow has produced three class 1 stallions in Ireland. She is pictured below in her 20’s.

About Declan

Declan was imported in the fall of 2012. He was inspected and approved by the American Connemara Pony Society in 2016. Declan is correct, has great bone, measuring at 8 3/4 inches, big clean joints, and great Connemara type. He is 14.1+ hds. He is grey from buckskin, is heterozygous grey (meaning he can sire non-grey foals) and also carries the roan gene.

From a one year old to three, Declan showed successfully in both in-hand and loose jumping. He has either won, or taken second in every in-hand class he's been in, including a win in the colt class at Upperville in 2013, Reserve Champion of the Region III Futurity in 2013, and Reserve Champion Youngstock at the Region VII Show in 2014. He was nationally ranked in loose jumping for the YHS series, and placed 3rd against the horses. Declan continued to show in hand in 2015 with success in competitive classes at the Region III Show and Reserve Champion Sport Pony at the Pony LaPalooza in Ocala.

Declan began his riding career at the age of three, spending his first year under saddle hacking on the trails, roading hounds and learning the dressage basics. Even in those early days, his willingness to please and a great work ethic were obvious. He started showing under saddle in early 2016, and his exceptional temperament was evident by his quiet and mannerly behavior on the show grounds. In the fall of 2016 his foxhunting career started; he began whipping in with a buddy, and proved that he could behave respectably in company. He also completed in his first horse trial late that fall, finishing in the ribbons. Declan continued with steady progress into 2017, completing four more horse trials at the Beginner Novice level, always in the ribbons, and culminating with a 3rd place finish in the year end awards with GDCTA. He attended his first recognized USDF show, won both classes, and finished high score AA Champion of the day. In the 2017-2018 hunt season, he became Megan's most reliable mount to ride in the field, and he hunted with four different packs - Bear Creek, Midland, Mooreland & Blue Ridge - including a trek to Blue Ridge territory for a week of hunting at Thanksgiving.

Declan moved up to the Novice level in the spring of 2018, and his understanding of the sport really began to develop. From 2018-2020 he completed 14 Novice horse trials, finishing in the ribbons every time and winning six! He only competed in one horse trial in 2020 before the global pandemic put everything on hold .He was given a well-deserved vacation during the spring and early summer and legged up for hunting that fall. Declan hunted with four packs in 2020 and earned his ACPS Award of Excellence at the age of 8 for five full seasons of hunting. With limited showing in 2021 - 2022, Declan completed eight horse trials, finishing 1st four times, 2nd twice and finishing in the ribbons six of the eight times. All but one show were at Training Level. By the end of 2022 he added more recognized foxhunting packs to his list - having now hunted with seven recognized packs on the East Coast. His impeccable behavior has earned us many invitations!

While I was out on maternity leave, my friend, Advanced/**** rider, Melanie Smith, took over the ride on Declan. They quickly became acquainted and had a very successful 2023 season. They successfully moved up to Modified, finishing 6th at his first outing and 2nd (o/o 15) at his second outing. He finished on his dressage score both times. Declan and Melanie wrapped up their time together with a stellar finish at AEC’s in Kentucky. They finished 6th out of 33 in the Training Horse division adding no penalties to their dressage score of 32.1.

I got back in the tack less than 5 weeks after my baby girl was born and Declan and I were out hunting by 9 weeks postpartum. We started out the 2024 season with a bang, winning our first three horse trials - two at Training Level & one at Modified. We are aiming for Area III Champs at the Modified Level and then have our sites set on AEC’s.