Hidden Meadows farm in NY stands Harry who was Connemara of the year last year . Super nice people
There may be one other issue that is going to vary from stallion to stallion (like LFG) and that is that the US is no longer considered CEM free. Some stallion owners depending on their situation maybe able to meet the Canadian Export/Import Requirements–but I suspect their will be additional fees associated with meeting those requirements that will no doubt be passed onto the mare owner. In other words shipping fresh to Canada these days is not as simple as it once was. Not true in the reverse–as far as I know Canada I believe still maintains the coveted CEM free status. I did a quick search as to the current situation and came up short----but you can check out this article on Equine Reproduction : http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/Semen-to-Canada.shtml
ps. I love my Mick daughter!
Agree… I looked into a couple stallions in the US prior to buying my own fellow… The CEM thing ended up being ridiculously expensive in most cases 
I will be hoping to offer my fellow via AI in the near future… Just wanted to get him going under saddle and showing before further breeding training. Had to make sure he had the brain as well as the brawn lol!
Some lovely stallions mentioned here! I do like Dexter Leam Pondi very much.
[QUOTE=goodpony;6371195]
There may be one other issue that is going to vary from stallion to stallion (like LFG) and that is that the US is no longer considered CEM free. Some stallion owners depending on their situation maybe able to meet the Canadian Export/Import Requirements–but I suspect their will be additional fees associated with meeting those requirements that will no doubt be passed onto the mare owner. In other words shipping fresh to Canada these days is not as simple as it once was. Not true in the reverse–as far as I know Canada I believe still maintains the coveted CEM free status. I did a quick search as to the current situation and came up short----but you can check out this article on Equine Reproduction : http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/Semen-to-Canada.shtml
ps. I love my Mick daughter![/QUOTE]
goodpony brought up the point I was going to make, smallchange.
There are so many wonderful stallions -of all breeds and registries - in the US, but the CEM business is a headache.
Even when both the mare owner/stallion owner do everything right, I have heard of the semen being held up at the border - sometimes for days.
Never good for semen.
As goodpony said, we have no trouble shipping TO the US, the difficulty is bringing it in, sadly.
That being said, I love many of the stallions already mentioned - and am looking forward to the day when the CEM restrictions are lifted.
Another pony based in Ontario who I have always LOVED is Hideaway’s Sebastian.
He is a beautiful pony, a full brother to Erin Go Bragh.
I know he has offspring doing well in the hunter ring as well as in eventing.
An AFR daughter just had a foal by another lovely Connemara stallion called Irish Park Caraway Finn - a son of Hideway’s Sebastian. He is located in Quebec.There are pics of the mare and her new baby on AFR’s FB page.
I am hoping that you might let me come with you if you do go stallion shopping! 
Another option you might be interested in considering would be an Irish Draught. They have a lot in common with Connemaras but I think they are a bit more mellow.
http://irishdraught.com/horses/profile.php?unid=1742
is Canadian and related to the recent Upperville winner Admiral Clover.
http://www.pairadoxfarm.com/page/page/2683048.htm
has made his name in dressage but is bred to jump
I would strongly suggest researching the records of the stallion you use. Although many of the Connemaras that have been named are nice ponies, most have not competed (nor produced) above Training level in eventing, or 1.0 m jumpers. Check USEF and USEA records.
I would look into Dexter Leam Pondi. He competed at the top for many years, and did so with children in the tack. He has also sired numerous offspring that are competing in the pony Grand Prix’s. He’s had several sons go to the European Championships (Ponies/Juniors). Fox Creek Farm has frozen on him, and she is very easy to work with. The semen is excellent, and he has foals on the ground in the US.
Syndicate Linaro that has semen on Silver Shadow and Poetic Justice also have semen on Dexter Leam Pondi. I have seen more successful offspring by DLP and Poetic Justice than Silver Shadow. I was recently in Ireland (March) and was not very impressed by the stallion sons of Silver Shadow that I saw. I do know that breeders in Ireland have successfully used SS and PJ frozen semen, neither have been used in North America.
If you were able to use fresh cooled from the US I would suggest Grange Finch and ArdCeltic Art. Art has an incredible record in eventing, jumpers, and dressage. He’s successfully competing at Intermediat/ level in eventing, and has beaten the big boys at 4th level down in Wellington. *Grange Finch is unproven in the arena, however, his pedigree leaves no doubt that he’ll sire jump. There are ‘Grange’ ponies all over the world, and they consistently sire ponies that jump like freaks. *Grange Finn Sparrow (now deceased) also stood in the states; he sired no less than 5 Advanced level eventers, and I’ve counted 15+ that have gone Prelim-Int in eventing. He’s also sired jumper ponies throughout Ireland, Austria, France and the US. You can see him and pics of offspring here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/192480850541/ . Because GFS is deceased, and since I love that line so much (I have 4 of his offspring) I plan to use *Grange Finch in the future.
Rory O’ Sullivan was also mentioned. I’ve always liked him, and he has most definitely proven himself as a competitor and a producer.
[QUOTE=GAEventer;6372845]
I would look into Dexter Leam Pondi. He competed at the top for many years, and did so with children in the tack. [/QUOTE]
I did look into him a few years back. While all feedback indicated the offspring could JUMP, the consensus was that DLP throws a wicked buck as well.
Bucking is a personal taste issue (for example, I ride a pony who was given to me because he bucks, and buck he does, but I’m fine with it) but also one that a breeder should be aware of upfront.
I was put off Dexter as well by a friend who knows him well and seen many of his offspring.
ArdCeltic Art is one of the few if not the only currently standing North American Connemara stallion with a verifiable upper level competition record so he is an obvious choice if he suits your mare.
Of stallions who are producing upper level progeny, besides the horses mentioned by GAeventer you may want to research Bantry Bay’s Archie who is the sire of a ranked eventer on the current WBFSH eventing list. Bantry Bay’s Dublin is ranked #260 out of a total of 2498 horses with FEI points, and he is the second highest ranking horse with Connemara blood (that I could detect in my quick run through the list…many of the horses coded as ISH have Connemara back breeding, like the highest ranking Connemara cross, world #33 Portersize Just a Jiff who is by Crosskeys Rebel). One international competitor does not a dynasty make but this is a current result that may help inform your pedigree research.
Besides Bantry Bay’s Archie and Crosskeys Rebel, other sires represented on the list are Erin Go Braugh (sire of Hidden Creek Ozzie B Good), Windy’s Boy (sire of Breeze On), Callowfeenish Buachaill (damsire of Breeze On), and Grange Finn Sparrow (sire of Sparrow’s Nio).
Best wishes,
[QUOTE=JER;6373333]
I did look into him a few years back. While all feedback indicated the offspring could JUMP, the consensus was that DLP throws a wicked buck as well.
Bucking is a personal taste issue (for example, I ride a pony who was given to me because he bucks, and buck he does, but I’m fine with it) but also one that a breeder should be aware of upfront.[/QUOTE]
Haven’t heard that, but I’m not surprised 
*Grange Finn Sparrow’s offspring are also notorious for their bucking and airs above the ground. It’s something I’m willing to deal with for that kind of jump and ability, and if you’re looking for an UL horse they typically have some sort of quirk. I will say, the GFS’s are good natured, and very willing, albeit a bit enthusiastic!
Thank you again for all the suggestions! I’ve started a chart so that I can compare the stallions and keep track of them all. The chart idea is really helping me narrow down what I am looking for, as well as checking out progeny. For example, a few of the stallions suggest are truly beautiful horses, but their offspring, even the half breds, are itty bitty. I’m not too tall myself, but am looking to produce a horse, not a large pony, so those particular boys are off the list.
I’m waiting to hear back from a friend in Ireland who may have a line on Silver Shadow before he left for Italy, but if that falls through, you have given me plenty to think about. Back to Google to drool over more beautiful stallions…
Thank you, thank you, thank you again!
I am sorry if I am derailing a bit, but how will the size be affected by using a small(er) stallion on a bigger mare?
For instance, if I were to use *ArdCeltic Art on a 16.2 hh mare, he himself is only 15.1. Does using a smaller stallion really reduce the potential size of the foal or is it more along the lines of the mare’s size?
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6374551]
I am sorry if I am derailing a bit, but how will the size be affected by using a small(er) stallion on a bigger mare?
For instance, if I were to use *ArdCeltic Art on a 16.2 hh mare, he himself is only 15.1. Does using a smaller stallion really reduce the potential size of the foal or is it more along the lines of the mare’s size?[/QUOTE]
It depends on both parents really. A horse sized mare may produce smaller than herself, just as a smaller stallion may throw his size or bigger. There are several Connemara lines in the US that are known to throw height. The Go Bragh’s and many of the Aladdin ponies throw height. Thus far, although Art’s oldest offspring are only 3, he has sired height. Most of his partbreds appear that they will mature around 16 hds (with TB/Warmblood mares) some may go even taller. My 3/4 Conn x 1/4 TB filly by Art is already 14 hds at a year old (her dam is 15.3). I fully expect her to mature the height of her dam.
As a rule of thumb you’re probably going to land somewhere on the middle. If the mare is a maiden it could also make a difference in the foal’s size. I would expect that cross would produce at least 16 hds.
I’ve been trying to look at the size of horses already on the ground out of stallions I’m interested in, especially if they’re partbreds (which is what I’d be breeding myself.). There were a few that it seemed consistently put 14.0 to 14.1 hand progeny on the ground, even out of 15+ hand mares. Others seem to produce a bit larger than themselves - Silver Shadow has a lot of 15.0 - 15.1 hand offspring, even out of Connemara mares.
In our experience its more of an either or–the height of the offspring is typically either more like the sire or more like the dam—except in maidens in which the foals can sometimes be a little smaller at birth–and then still be either more like the sire or more like the dam-or remain smaller than anticipated.
Where you do tend to get surprises is when there is hidden height in the pedigree. For example your mare is 15.2 but both her parents are 16.1 and all of her siblings/immediate ancestors are 17HH. The same can be said for a lack of height in the pedigree–the individual might be 15HH but both parents and all of the siblings close relatives are under pony height-you get the picture. I can’t remember his name but there is a warmblood stallion who is fondly referred to as “the Pony maker.”
We have bred the same mare (15.3HH) three times to the same 14.1HH stallion and gotten two small horses (15.3HH) and only one pony.
I have a yearling Art filly, so naturally I’m quite fond of him. Lily went Premium at her OldNA/ISR inspection. Art is 15hh, mare (TB) is 15.2hh, and Lily is currently over 14.3. I’m guessing she’ll finish 16-16.2, although who really knows? Lily has a half brother whose mother is about 16hh (yes, I know they’re not really siblings if they don’t share dams, but whatever), and he’s quite a bit smaller than Lily. I know my mare has a grown baby by a TB who is something like 17hh, so it seems like Lily’s height comes from her mother, not Art.
Height is a guessing game at best, so if you require the foal to be a certain height, you’re better off buying an adult. (Though I understand preferring a height… I was hoping my foal would finish around mom’s height, maybe a hair taller. Looks like I’m going to be getting a taller horse than I really wanted…)
Personally, I think you can hardly go wrong with an Art baby, though I’m probably a little biased ;). Only two of his offspring have been presented to OldNA/ISR, both went premium. He’s one heck of a stallion… how many stallions are competing BN at 4 with a 14 year old girl in the saddle? Successful at ** eventing and 4th level dressage, and only 9 years old. My filly can be a bit of a handful, but then her mother IS a chestnut TB mare… I tend to give the credit for her good traits to art, and blame the bad on her mother :lol:.
I used *Gunsmoke (15 hands) on a 15.2 hand TB mare and the resulting filly at 8 is 15.1. The TB mare was not a maiden, one previous foal. I took the same TB to a WB, 16.2…her first filly by the WB is 17 hands (15.2 + 16.2 =17??)…but I had already re-bred the TB to the WB. The next filly (her 3rd) is 16.1 -2 at 6.
I then put the 17 hand tb/trak to a connemara (Top Gun) who is *Gunsmoke son and 14.3 and my 3 year old filly is 15.2. I expect she will mature close to 16 hands. The colt who is a full sibling to the half-bred by Top Gun is larger, and may well finish 16.1. Height can really surprise you.
I just bred my 15.3 TB mare (by Mokhieba) to Art…hoping for a smallish sport horse for myself. I chose him because he is proven in competition and because of his stellar temperament. I am really looking forward to this foal! Good luck, there are so many good stallions out there, it is overwhelming!
[QUOTE=pcwertb;6374778]
I used *Gunsmoke (15 hands) on a 15.2 hand TB mare and the resulting filly at 8 is 15.1. The TB mare was not a maiden, one previous foal. I took the same TB to a WB, 16.2…her first filly by the WB is 17 hands (15.2 + 16.2 =17??)…but I had already re-bred the TB to the WB. The next filly (her 3rd) is 16.1 -2 at 6.
I then put the 17 hand tb/trak to a connemara (Top Gun) who is *Gunsmoke son and 14.3 and my 3 year old filly is 15.2. I expect she will mature close to 16 hands. The colt who is a full sibling to the half-bred by Top Gun is larger, and may well finish 16.1. Height can really surprise you.[/QUOTE]
I bred my 15.3 hand Erin Go Bragh mare to *Gunsmoke. The 4 YO filly is hovering around 14.2. I red the mare to Bridon Belfrey RID and the 2 YO should go well over 16 hands
i really can’t wait to see how Arts kids do as they come under saddle 
