About Lockinge Connemaras

To read our latest news on the stud click here.

Brief History
The Lockinge Connemara Pony Stud was started in the early 1980’s by Mrs Guy Knight. These bigger native ponies replaced the numerous Shetlands which had been successfully bred on the farm, since 1957. The foundation Connemara mare was Faddiley Flora by Island Duke and she produced some particularly good foals to Ginette Mason’s famous stallion, Atlantic Swirl. Notable amongst these were Lockinge Foxglove, Lockinge Frederick and Lockinge Frank.

Lockinge Foxglove was a beautiful mare and was in-hand champion at the English Connemara Pony Society Breed Show in 1991 and 1992 as well as being Working Hunter Pony Champion at the same show in 1990.

The stallion, Lockinge Frederick is now in his twenty-first year and stands at Mrs Staveley’s Eastlands Connemara Pony Stud in Scotland. He has proved one of the most successful sires in the U.K. and is noted for the success of his offspring in the show ring both in hand and under saddle- his most illustrious daughter being Eastlands Burniebrae who has won numerous championships including the Supreme at The Royal Dublin Horse Show in 2005. He also sired Eastlands Dunrose Supreme Champion BCPS Breed Show 2009.

Lockinge Frank, a gelding, has also been a most consistent winner in the show ring and was an Olympia qualifier in 2000. Foxglove died in 2002 but her last daughter, Lockinge Flossie, is continuing the successes of the ‘F’line. Owned by Isabel Brydie from Calder in Scotland, Flossie has won many prizes as a ridden pony including at the British Connemara Breed Show in 2006 and at the Ponies U.K. Summer Championships 2007. In 2008 she qualified for HOYS and continues to do well in 2009.

In 1984 Abbeyleix Delphinium, by Coosheen Finn out of Callowfeenish Dolly II, was added to the stud. She was purchased in Ireland from her breeder, Lady de Vesci. This pony had been Supreme Champion at the CPBS Breedshow in Clifden as a 2 year old in 1983. She was an outstanding individual and the most perfect pattern of a Connemara pony. Irish breeders still hold her in high esteem. She was unbeaten in the show ring and when in England, won in hand at The Royal Show and at the Bath and West. She was Working Hunter Pony Champion as well as Ridden Champion at the English Connemara Breed Show in 1987. Sadly, Delphinium never produced a pure bred Connemara filly and was extremely difficult to get in foal. However, she did have two offspring by thoroughbred stallions – Lockinge Daffodil and Lockinge Daisy, who have acquitted themselves well as ridden ponies but her inability to carry on her wonderful ‘line’ was a huge disappointment to everybody who knew and admired her.

On Hester Knight’s death in 2001, the Lockinge Connemaras were passed on to her daughter Henrietta, who, in partnership with her sister Celia Vestey, has gradually started to rebuild the herd and buy in some new mares and fillies for future breeding. In 2008 Lecarrow King was purchased to stand as the resident stallion at the stud. He was only registered in the spring of 2008 and since then has been combining showing and covering mares. For further details on him, and the Mares at Lockinge please read the news page.

The Aim of the Stud

Hester Knight, who for many years served on the British Connemara Pony Society Council and was President of the Society when she died, had a wonderful eye for a pony. Her daughters, Henrietta and Celia, grew up riding Connemara ponies and in particular had a special gelding called Irish Mist by Carna Bobby out of Patricia II. His granddam was Windy – a very famous mare in the Connemara Pony Breeders Society (CPBS) Stud Book. In the 1980’s Grayswood Starlight and Grayswood Village Peregrine, both by Atlantic Swirl - were purchased and they had countless successes under saddle – the latter was Champion Ridden Mountain and Moorland pony at Olympia in 1982. Hester always stressed the importance of nice heads, correct conformation, free movement and good bone. Today, the same principles are being applied at West Lockinge Farm and foals are being bred from select mares who have good temperaments and top pedigrees.