2002 ARCHIVED news & activities

News from Ireland (12/02)

Michael also owns a 2 yr old colt (pictured below as a yearling) by Gun Smoke, who he currently calls 'Hurricane'.

Piedmont MoJo

Star heads south (12/02)
Blue Hills Morning Star moved to Prospect, TN, earlier this month, to live with Ann Bush. While at Corner Oak Connemaras, Star will be bred to Balius Turlough, pictured below. Ann and I are both hoping for fillies and I have requested a bay!

"Beacon's" mares move on to new homes (12/02)

Ripple goes to kindergarden (11/02)

The Cass clown (10/02)

An Irish Horse Story - Take 1 (10/02)
Last weekend was our shooting for "An Irish Horse Story" to be aired later this fall/winter. The series is being produced by Bruce Carroll Productions. Our photographer and crew were a husband-wife team, Jennifer White (photographer) and husband Mark (a.k.a. Mike, Jeff and Pumpkin:o), who spent about 12 hours with us on Sunday. First we walked around the farm to orient Jennifer to where we would be shooting and to discuss lighting. The day's shoot began with an interview of Jill Mooney. Then we stood up Balmullo's Beacon in-hand at the pond (wearing the beautiful Irish bridle that MaryNell brought back for us in August), then Jill rode - and Jennifer taped - Beacon on the flat in the ring, then over fenses in the big field. Next was *Gun Smoke's turn - same thing - in-hand, on the flat, over fenses.

After the in-hand stuff, the riders tacked up for the pleasure-under-saddle portion of the video. The horse and rider pairs were: Carole on Sheamus, Katie on Gremlin, Rachel on Lady, Parker on Candace (a.k.a. Phoebe) and Sara on Rhiannon. The riders were filmed riding across the creek, in the woods, at the top of the hill (beautiful view), over a few jumps and galloping up the pasture. After all the riding was done, the horses were cooled off and turned out and Jennifer taped the herd in the field, rolling and grazing. Lastly, Jennifer taped the final interviews of Katie, Rachel, Carole, the Morgan's Intro, Parker, Charlie and Vanessa.

Happy in Utah (10/02)
Dear Vanessa, These pictures are from the day Chic arrived in Park City. It took me a while to get them developed because I had to leave town...that was really hard to do so soon after Chic got here! She has settled in really well and is now in a nice pasture with five other horses including two other yearlings to play with. I am really amazed at her quiet disposition. Is this typical of the Connemara? I took her to my vet to get her teeth done and she was so tolerant. My vet also has camels and I let Chic take a look at them because I'm in charge of putting together a petting zoo for a school fund raiser and we may have some llamas. Chic is so sweet that I might bring her too! Anyway most horses really get worried about the camels or anything with a long snaky neck, but Chic just needed a minute to check the camel over and she was just find with it...not worried at all. (10/02)

Piedmont Indian launches a new career (9/02)

You would have been SOOOOOOO proud of Indy (we call him Paddy, long story) on Sat! He was a star! He was perfect! Went down to every fence like a champ, never even bothered to look at the hounds. One hound even ran under Paddy's tummy and he didn't even blink! He had the best time, his manners were perfect!

Thurs and Fri nights last week, I took him out to practice over some stone walls and coops. He would go down to them and slam on the brakes and look back at me like, um, excuse me, this is not a jump, this is a fence line. Fence lines keep me in! But I rode him down with LOTS of legs, clucking away and over he went! Once he figured out what I was telling him (yes, we DO have to jump what looks like a fence line) he was an angel. Man, can he jump!
We had the best time, pics are at the developers, then I will email copies...Amy (9/16/02)

Piedmant Indian has come to live in VA! He arrived two days ago and I took him out on trail last night. He was WONDERFUL!! I love him! He was such a good boy, I know he will love fox hunting. He jumped everything I pointed him at, and trucked right down the trails like he had been there a million times. He is such a character. He got hind shoes put on last night and kept turning his head around to watch the farrier work! I pulled his mane after I rode him and he yawned as I did it! Then when I pulled his forelock, he rested his chin on my chest and went to sleep! He is too cute. My mother is already trying to steal him from me! I will send pictures of us out hunting asap... then he can show off in his new career! He seems to love his new home and has already made best friends with our other 3 Connemaras. Amy (9/12/02)

Our 3rd September foal to arrive in August (9/02)
I have long believed that late summer foals come early. They were due Sept 7, 9 and 11, but foaled August 20, 29 and 31! So it seems that the ponies and horses agree that it's just too hot to carry them any longer than necessary:o) Our most recent arrival is Piedmont Nell, a really, really cute, leggy Conn-TB filly. Nell is by Balmullo's Beacon out of Rippleshaveruffles and is full sister to Piedmont Chicapea and Piedmont Ripple. Nell arrived just one day before her sister, Chic, left for her new home in Park City Utah.

Erin has her 13th foal! (8/02)

First FFC foal of the year has finally arrived (8/02)

Chic goes west (8/02)
Congratulations to Colette Madson on her purchase of Piedmont Chicapea (Balmullo's Beacon x Ruffles (TB)) Chic is currently awaiting arrival of her van to take her to her new home with Colette in Park City, Utah!

Freedom under saddle (7/02)

And another mid-summer stork report (7/02)

Piedmont Penelope foals again (7/02)

Lots of delivery news! Penny had another dun colt on May 29th, I had a baby boy, Lucas Henry Stout on May 30 (and her TB mare also foaled) ... Definitly a year for boys. As soon as I have some decent pics I'll forward you some. Penny's foal Jonto (Andy nicknamed him, his registered name will be Providence's Gaelic Pence, play on Penny!) is very sweet and looks like Moxley Duncan in
coloring, he's solid dun, was amazed he didn't get Penny's little star like Reilly did. Beury Stout

Waterford's Orion Turns Two (7/02)
I am appending a recent photo of Orion, at the age of 2+ years. He spent June at school with Kathy Hines at Cornerstone Farm and is well started under saddle. During that month he was ridden every day, in the ring and on trails, and has started lunging. He has been briefly cantered and has a very balanced canter. His disposition is wonderful--very friendly--and he accepts direction and discipline without resentment. We had him gelded early this spring... My goal is eventually to sell him... He would make a great project for a child with some experience and supervision. I visited with Sarah Trompeter last month to see her new foal out of our mare, Faline (Orion's dam), and I sold Faline to her. Her new foal looks very much like Orion, and I expect that she will raise more Ford-Faline babies. Nola Rich (7/02)

Pleased to announce the arrival of Balmullo's Rhiannon (7/02)
We are very fortunate to now have another bay mare from Florida here to join Candace in breeding to *Gun Smoke. Balmullo's Rhiannon (M1698 XXXV) is a 14.0 1/2 hand, 7 year old mare by one of our all-time-favorites, Concord River Roaringwater Bay and out of Tullymor's April Fool (dam of Balmullo's Beacon). Rhiannon has been inspected and approved by the ACPS and is a very nice pony, just like we would expect, given her breeding:-) We are very grateful to Mike Edwards for agreeing to let Rhiannon visit for a while to produce one of our first crop of *Gun Smoke foals.

A warm welcome to Ballywhim Candace (6/02)
So here we were with this fabulous new stallion, *Gun Smoke, and no mares of our own to breed to him. Well, we now have a wonderful mate for him, Ballywhim Candace! She is a very sweet, attractive mare who has been inspected and approved by the ACPS She is just the right size and build and has a lovely refined head. *Gun Smoke will compliment her well with his tremendous substance (and his wonderful dun color) and together they should produce an extra-nice Connemara that is both attractive and athletic. Ballywhim Candace (M1767 XXXVI) is a 14.1 hand, 9 year old bay by Greystone Dallen McMor (Greystone McErrill x Hideaway's Smitheranne), out of Bantry Bays Caitlin (Spring Ledge Bantry Bay x Lynfields Trudy). Many thanks to Anne Barkdoll (FL) for allowing Candace to come to FFC (she arrived on 6/12) to produce our first "Foothills" foal by *Gun Smoke!

Piedmont Ripple has a new home (6/02)
Congratulations to Peggy Crayton of Batavia, IL, on her purchase of Piedmont Ripple. Ripple will soon be moving to a nice new home in Illinois to be Peggy's future foxhunter!
I wrote to Charlie saying that Ripple arrived safely and in great shape at 6:00 a.m. this morning...They really like Ripple - said he came off the trailer like a gentleman and how pretty he is. They put him in a nice paddock right away (by himself for a few days). He can see lots of other horses in nearby pastures and paddocks and was trying to talk to some of them. I became his pasture mate for awhile as I began getting aquainted with him. He was interested in following me around and we inspected grass and water together. He's the kind of horse that you feel you've always known. (Peggy, 6/19/02)

Foothills Magnolia - going strong in Texas (6/02)
     Hi Vanessa! We took Maggie to a driving event yesterday, had a ball, and Maggie was, as always, the star of the show! I could have sold 10 of them. What they really, really like about her is her size. Both her pony height and her brawny build. There were both men and women who came up to admire her who thought that she was the perfect size and build for both driving and riding.
     There were 30 rigs there, and Maggie, Sam (my patient husband and navigator ) and I turned in the second fastest time in all divisions in the cross country course. I didn't push her at all, I just let her do her nice consistent, ground covering Maggie trot. I thought we would be some where in the middle of the pack, but I don't want her to be a speed freak who gets all nuts when you hitch her up, so I just let her cruise. Three cheers for that ground covering Connemara trot!
     Then in the obstacle course she was the 10th horse to go and the first to complete the entire course. They had to drive right through bed sheets waving in the wind, over two bridges made of black rubber (easy) and then blue astro-turf taped to boards resting on a bed of gravel (very tippy and VERY noisy), as well as the usual pivots and backing and 45 degree turns and all. Luckily, the really scary astro-turf bridge was the last obstacle and I just said "Let's go home, Maggie" and we were over it. We had to leave right after that and didn't get to see our placing or participate in the race through the trees. It was a gorgeous 150 acre farm where it was held and you would loved to have been there to ride cross country. Hills and creeks and gullies to jump, as well as tons of trees and open fields. Paradise.

Are your other Bubba babies typically as brawny as Maggie, or is that just the combination of him and her mom? I don't know if the American Connemara people like it, but I seriously could sell her many times over at every event I take her to. There is a big market around here for the stout ones. We are in a Morgan Open Show June 15th again. It is the 3rd in a 4 show series and Maggie is running high point for the series so far. She is sixth in halter, 1st in driving and 1st in English under saddle. There are 39 horses in the English under saddle division competing with her! 16 in the halter and 7 in the driving. It is a nice open show as they always have multibreed judges.

Bubba Babies' update from Florida (6/02)
Hi Vanessa, ... just wanted to update you on Bubba's babies. You know I've had Cassie (Balmullo's Cassiopia) for a few years now, and she continues to do great, went to her first show a few months ago and got a 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Acted just like a little old lady. She is still the barn favorite because of her goofy personality. She is VERY funny! Then a few months ago I bought Winnie (Balmullo's Winsome Sky) from Donna Duckworth. She is out of Beacon and Celeste... She is now filled out and beautiful. The most amazing thing is the way she moves. We took her to her first show last weekend and she floated through every class and was Grand Champion, firsts in all three classes. She is a 10 mover! A well known trainer came up to me to see if I had any more ponies like her, or if I wanted to sell her. He said we could take her to the A circuit in Wellington in the fall and I could easily get ... for her. Now obviously people always toss around numbers like that, but that would really be hard to turn down!! But for now, she is not for sale, in fact when I told the trainer that she was going to be a broodmare he almost fell over! I am planning on bringing both Cassie and Winnie to the Reg. 4 show in Atlanta in Aug. so maybe if you are there you can see them... Hope all is well, Jan

It was a good weekend at the Flying Cross horse trials (5/02)
Marion write from KY, "I met a lady (at the horse trials) who commented that she has a good friend who rides a connemara stallion named "Gun Smoke" and she thought he was wonderful. AND I met an Irish lady who said that Gunsmoke is "Class"! It was a good weekend in Louisville for Connemaras and Foothills Farms."
Marion's mare Foothills Juniper came in 2nd in her first horse trials (see Results). Also, Marion has recently confirmed that her TB mare is in foal to *Gun Smoke!
Congratulations Marion!

PNH Clinic at FFC, Athens, TN, May 26 & 27, 2002
Level 1; Partnership and the 7-games

With Sam Beechboard
Click here for PHOTOS

Another fun Connemara trail ride in East Tennessee (5/02)
Click here for PHOTOS
We lucked out and the rain held off (because we all remembered to pack our rain gear:-) to result in a perfect day for a 14 mile trail ride through Gee Creek Park on Star Mountain. There were 4 riders, all on pure Connemaras. Carole Moss rode her gelding, Sheamus, Elizabeth Hardison borrowed Foothills River Queen, Parker Morgan continued his training of Foothills Hopefilly, and this photographer (Vanessa Morgan) rode Foothills Ladybug. If any of you are ever interested in joining us on any of our rides, please let me know.

Three more Bubba fillies are born (4/02)
Congratulations are in order for Jane Williams, proud owner of two fillies by Balmullo's Beacon: Beacon's Whimsey, a 3/4 Connemara out of Bugge and Beacon's Caleigh, the 3rd Bubba baby out of Big Bear's Macushula.

First 2002 'stork report' comes from Florida (4/02)
Julie writes of her new foal by Balmullo's Beacon out of Big Bear's Lily,
"He's here, and he's a blue-eyed cream. He is fat and robust. I am used to the dainty little Arabian babies that always arrive looking like they could use several good meals. I'm not a bit upset about the color scheme, because I was prepared for this possibility. Being the contrary sort, I had already decided he'd be my perma-pet if this happened...Mother and child are doing fine." signed Julie Vandermeer

*Gun Smoke arrives in Tennessee (4/02)
*Gun Smoke competed in his first USEA Recognized Event at the FENCE Horse Trials in Landrum, SC, on 10/30 & 10/31/02.

Ridden by Jill Mooney, *Gun Smoke completed the event in style with very good scores in Dressage and Clean Cross-Country. A rail in Stadium kept him out of the ribbons. Considering that it was only his second time in stadium, we were very proud of his performance.

Sunday afternoon, *Gun Smoke found himself at his new home, and final venue, at FFC in Athens, TN. Within hours, we collected him for breeding his first mare of the season. I think he likes his new home!

Conn-TB in sidesaddle! (2/02)

Update on Foothills Waterford (2/02)

My friend, Lisa, in Roanoke, VA, tracked down Foothills Waterford, who is still with owner, Sarah Trompeter. She brought me some video which showed that he has filled out tremendously and still a very lovely pony type. Sarah reported that Ford won the stallion class at the Virginia CommonWealth Games in 2001 against several impressive warmbloods, and that his foals were also doing well. A TB-cross son (Waterfords S'il Vous Plait) was 2nd in the colt foal class and he, along with another Waterford filly, won the Get of Sire.

*Gun Smoke's competitive debut at Pine Top Farm (1/02)

On Saturday, January 26, Jill Mooney rode *Gun Smoke in the Open Novice division of his first U.S. horse trials. His first-EVER dressage test was certainly one to make us all proud. He demonstrated his willingness and ability and received some very nice marks and wonderful comments from the judge. He showed his greenness in stadium with a very fun and entertaining, yet clear, round and crossed the finish line with no penalties for the show jumping phase. Cross-country was a bit slow, but Jill rode conservatively, to be sure to give *Gun Smoke a confidence building first-time out. By the time I saw them on course, at jump 5, they were moving along as if this was an every-day affair. He jumped all the jumps with ease, including the bank up & down, the ditch and water, but the time penalties for X-Co left him with a 6th place finish. I could not have wished for a better performance or a nicer week-end! I traveled to the event with my friends Carole Moss, Elizabeth Hardison and Sharon Cannon. Although the morning was quite nippy, the afternoon turned into a most pleasant 65 degree sunny January day. The competition at the event was of excellent quality and the show, as is to be expected at Pine Top, was very well managed and the facilities were perfect. *Gun Smoke was very well behaved as he soaked in all the excitement and atmosphere. I was very impressed with the number of people who seemed to know him or had heard of him, even before coming to the event. All day long, people approached us about his breeding and just to get a chance to admire him up close. He is quite an impressive stallion and we are most blessed that he came into our lives:-) Stay tuned for photos!! signed, Vanessa

Another fun ride at the Chicamauga Battlefield (1/02)

Jan. 26: Pine Top, GA, 1-day event with Jill Mooney on *Gun Smoke.

March 30-31: Jill Mooney and *Gun Smoke compete at the FENCE Horse Trials in Tryon, NC, then he comes to FFC in Tennessee!

May 11: ACPS Region 4 meeting at May Medley's Tullymor Farm in Plainville, GA

May 26 & 27: Parelli 7-games (Level 1) clinic at FFC, Athens, TN, with Sam Beechboard

July 20 & 21: ACPS Region 3 Connemara Show, Middleburg, VA region3@acps.org

August 3: ACPS Region 4 Show, Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers, GA.
DIRECTIONS TO GIHP: I-20 East, Exit 82 (Hwy.138), Left/North 4 miles, Right at Light (Centennial Olympic Parkway), through one more traffic light. The Main Entrance is down the hill on the Right. Click here for map
August 3: Evening after the show, ACPS Region 4 Meeting and Silent Auction - Restaurant to be announced, Conyers, GA
August 4: ACPS Inspections - Georgia Horse Park, Conyers, GA

September 5-8: American Connemara Pony Society Annual Meeting, Rochester, NY, immediately followed by an Inspection Tour through out New England and eastern Canada.

September - Halfbred foal (Balmullo's Beacon X Rippleshaveruffles [TB]) is due!
September - Purebred foal (Balmullo's Beacon X Blue Hills Erin) is due!
September - Purebred foal (Balmullo's Beacon X Foothills River Queen) is due!

Sept-Oct: End FFC breeding season (at least, winding down!)

October 19 & 20: Lendon Gray Dressage Symposium, Knoxville, TN

October 27: Taping of "An Irish Horse Story

November 1-3: River Glen Horse Trials

November 3: Purebred foal (Balmullo's Beacon X Blue Hills Morning Star) is due!

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