Lonsdale Legend from New Zealand

Lonsdale Legend Bloodlines & More Photos

In our search to widen the gene pool of our Connemara mares, we were directed to Tom McNamara, who in 1987 exported Ganty Champ to his Connemara Pony Stud in Auckland New Zealand. It was from Tom we learnt about Lonsdale Legend, owned by Mrs Winnie Tatham in the central North Island of New Zealand. Legend had the bloodlines that we were looking for. He is by the outstanding multiple champion winning stallion Spinway Comet who is owned by Sarah Hodgkins. He was bred from siemen exported from Oxfordshire, England to New Zealand. Legends dam is from the Rebel Wind bloodlines and the grandsire Chiltern Sunsilk was owned by Pat Lyne (author of numerous Connemara pony books) and later sold to the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

When initial photos of Legend were received, we were pleased to see how well the five year old had developed. We decided to wait until Tom McNamara (snr) would visit N.Z. and arrange inspection, vet checks etc. All of this with videos and photos convinced us that we had found the Stallion that we were looking for.

Legend then underwent more tests and blood typing to satisfy the N.Z. Authorities. DNA branding had to be carried out by the New Zealand Connemara Pony Society and he was then ready to start his long journey to the fields of Athenry.
At midnight on St Patrick's Day 2007 Legend was loaded at Auckland for his 21 hour flight which took him to Hong Kong for a short rest before traveling to London and then Dublin.

On his arrival at Dublin airport we were there to welcome him. Legend was everything we expected and more. After an overnight stay at a Kildare Stud he was ready to continue his journey in the morning to Bellville Stud. He was stabled for the first 3 weeks so that he could rest and acclimatize to the cold March weather after departing a hot summer in N.Z. He arrived in plenty of time before the new breeding season and Legend didn't waste anytime in getting down to business with new herd of Class 1 mares.

We have regular visitors to Bellville Stud. We were delighted to be hosts to Pat Lyne and Lady Hemple. Pat a well respected authority on Connemara ponies and the author of Connemara pony books such as "Shrouded in Mist" and most recently her excellent book "Arctic Moon". Lady Hemple who owned and had much success with the well known Connemara stallion Turlira Roebook. They praised Legends excellent bone, confirmation and gentle temperament.
Recently we had the pleasure of welcoming Sarah Hogkins (owner of Spinway Comet) to Bellville Stud.

Lonsdale Legend Bloodlines & More Photos