TV fame for Ballymore-based Connemara pony

A Ballymore-based Connemara pony called Choral Gold is now famous after featuring in a RTÉ 2 documentary during Christmas. The programme ''The Irish Pony - Return of a Native", that was broadcast, traced the origins of the Connemara breed, which is considered to be the only true Irish native equine species.The star of the show was the 8-year-old pure bred Connemara stallion, owned by brothers Donal and Gerard Murtagh, who run Tubervale Stud in Ballymore, and was chosen to appear on tv because of true Connemara traits.Choral Gold was originally bred by Bobby Bolger of Clifden"s Coral Stud, and was purchased two years ago by the Murtagh brothers to add to their breeding operation, started in Ballymore in 2007. The Tubervale stud, which is said to be one of the largest Connemara stud in the midlands, breeds only pure bred Connemara ponies, whose bloodlines come from Abbeyleix Owen, Moy Hazy Cove, Boden Park Finnard, Temple Brady Fear Bui, Ruaille Buille Bui, Village Boy, Island Lad, Cuchulainn, Silver Cloud, to mention just a few.The documentary highlighted the stallion"s excellent conformation with all of the essential features of the true native Connemara stallion, along with his high performance bloodlines and excellent temperament.Coral Gold, along with being a high performer in Clifden, was selected as one of twelve ponies from all around Ireland to be performance tested in Rockmount Riding Centre in Galway back in 2005. Choral ranked second in the country in regard to performance, jumping ability, fitness and conformation. During the pony"s twelve weeks stint in Rockmount, he was professionally broken and trained, which has now led to the start of his show jumping career which is showing great potential, according to Donal, as he is starting to gather a huge collection of red rosettes.'Coral"s unique abilities are shown through his jumping bloodlines, which date back to Coral Dun to Loobeen Larry and Cuchulainn. He has a full brother jumping in America and a half brother who is one of the top show jumping performers in England,' says Donal.Donal and his brother Gerard who are from a farming background, are currently in the car sales business, but decided to get into the Connemara Pony business more out of their own interest than anything else.'The Connemara is such a quiet and gentle breed, we decided it was something we wanted to get into. We did our research and Choral was the first stallion we purchased,' he said.For more information on Choral Gold and the other Connemara ponies at Tubervale Stud go to www.tubervalestud.com