Following an extraordinary HOYS 2026, which saw two Copperbeech-bred Connemaras qualify and one crowned champion, ConnemaraHQ caught up with Fiona Grimes to discover the story behind the success.
Two homebred Connemaras at the Horse of the Year Show. One crowned champion. But behind Copperbeech’s remarkable success lies a story that began almost 40 years ago, with a little pony, a father’s generous gift and three mares whose influence continues to shape the stud today.
In a breeding world where stallions often command the headlines, it’s worth remembering that some of the most remarkable stories begin with a mare.
For Fiona Grimes of Copperbeech Connemara Ponies, that story began not with a champion, or even the ambition to become a breeder, but with a 13.2hh Connemara she affectionately remembers as a “pocket rocket”.
Bought originally for showjumping, the little mare quickly proved there was very little she couldn’t turn her hoof to. Hunting, pony games, jumping and even the local St Patrick’s Day parades were all part of her repertoire.
But to Fiona, she was something far more important.
“To me, she was my best friend.”
It is a simple sentiment, but one that goes a long way towards explaining the philosophy behind Copperbeech today.
And in October 2026, they formed part of a story that would take two Copperbeech-bred ponies all the way to the Horse of the Year Show.
Almost four decades later, the qualities Fiona loved in that first pony — willingness, versatility, intelligence and kindness — remain at the heart of everything she hopes to breed.
A Man With Land and Three Connemara Foals
Not every successful breeding programme begins with a carefully drawn-up business plan.
Sometimes, it begins with a mother’s advice. “My mother always jokingly said I should get a good job and find a man with land, as my hobby was an expensive one!”
As it happened, Fiona met her future husband, Tomás, at college.
Originally from Milltown, County Galway, she made the move to Mayo, where the couple established their home.
Then came a gift that would change the direction of their lives.
Fiona’s late father gave the couple three Connemara foals.
From those three youngsters, the beginnings of Copperbeech Connemara Ponies took shape.
Officially established in 2003, the stud is based in Ballinrobe, South County Mayo, close to the heartland of the breed.
Its original ambition was straightforward: to breed Connemaras that remained true to type, with soundness, athleticism, intelligence and temperament at their core.
More than two decades later, that ambition remains.
But behind those familiar breeding ideals lies something considerably more personal — the influence of Fiona’s own experiences.
Her second Connemara, a 14.2hh pony, had reinforced everything her first had taught her.
A good Connemara, in Fiona’s eyes, was never simply a beautiful pony or one that could win a class.
It was a pony that could turn its hoof to different jobs, be a pleasure to own and offer the kind of partnership that stays with a person long after the pony itself has gone.
Those early experiences would become the blueprint for Copperbeech.
The Mares Behind the Names
Ask someone to name an influential Connemara bloodline and the conversation will often turn quickly to stallions.
Their names appear prominently in pedigrees, their offspring are compared, and successful sires become familiar throughout the breeding world.
It is understandable. A popular stallion may leave his mark on hundreds of ponies.
But the mare provides half the genetics of every foal, and within an established breeding programme, generations of carefully selected mares can become its defining feature.
At Copperbeech, three mare lines sit at the centre of that story: Lackragh Beauty, Lishín Star and Curragh Court Lady.
These are not simply names on a pedigree.
They are the foundations upon which Fiona and Tomás have built their stud.
Each achieved significant success in the show ring.
Lackragh Beauty was crowned Supreme Champion at Clifden in 2016.
Curragh Court Lady enjoyed a remarkable 2009 season, winning a highly competitive young mares’ class at Clifden. Today, her daughter and granddaughters continue her influence at Copperbeech.
And then there is Lishín Star.
A successful show mare in her own right, Lishín Star collected numerous wins before becoming Reserve Supreme Champion at Clifden in 2019.
Her daughters and granddaughters have continued to distinguish themselves, including champion and reserve champion honours at Clifden.
But in 2026, her family would reach another milestone.
Two of her descendants were heading to Birmingham.
From Ballinrobe to the Bright Lights of HOYS
Copperbeech Encore and Copperbeech Emperor are separated by a generation in their maternal family, but both carry the influence of Lishín Star.
Encore is her grandson. Emperor, her great-grandson.
Both qualified for the Horse of the Year Show in 2026.
For any breeder, seeing one homebred pony reach such a stage is an achievement worth celebrating.
Seeing two, from the same mare family, in the same year is something rather special.
Copperbeech Emperor finished tenth.
Copperbeech Encore went even further.
Ridden by Vikki Smith and owned by Debbie Todd, Encore won his class before being crowned the overall Mountain and Moorland Ridden Champion.
It was a landmark victory, ending a nine-year wait for a Connemara to claim that championship.
For Fiona and Tomás, it was the culmination of breeding decisions made years earlier, and of the work, care and dedication of the people who had brought the ponies to that stage.
But perhaps the most interesting part of the achievement lies in what connects the two ponies.
Different individuals, different journeys, different generations — yet both trace back to the same influential mare.
There is something rather satisfying about that.
The winning photograph may capture a single pony, rider and championship sash.
The pedigree tells a much longer story.
Breeding the Pony Is Only the Beginning
It would be easy to measure a breeding programme’s success entirely by championships.
Clifden winners. HOYS qualifiers. Supreme champions.
And Copperbeech certainly has achievements worth celebrating.
But Fiona is clear that producing a good pony is only part of the breeder’s responsibility.
“As breeders, we can breed a good pony, but finding the best homes is equally important for their future.”
It is an observation that deserves attention.
A breeder may make the mating decision, raise the foal and lay the foundations. But what happens next depends on the people who take that pony forward.
The rider who understands its temperament. The owner willing to give it time. The producer who recognises its abilities and helps develop them.
Behind almost every successful competition pony is a partnership between the people who bred it and those who subsequently shaped its career — even if those contributions take place years apart.
Fiona believes Copperbeech has been fortunate in the homes its ponies have found.
And perhaps that is another measure of breeding success: not simply producing ponies capable of achieving great things, but seeing them given the opportunities to do so.
What Makes a Connemara Worth Breeding?
The Connemara has become an increasingly sought-after performance pony.
Its ability to jump, event, show and compete across a remarkable range of disciplines is now recognised well beyond Ireland.
That popularity presents opportunities for breeders, but it also raises an important question.
As expectations of the breed evolve, what should remain unchanged?
For Fiona, the answer lies in the qualities that made her fall in love with Connemaras in the first place.
Her aim is to produce what she describes as the complete Connemara: a pony with quality and substance, correct movement, athletic ability, a kind temperament and genuine versatility.
None of those qualities exists in isolation.
A beautiful pony must still be functional. Athleticism should be accompanied by a trainable mind. Performance ability should not come at the expense of the temperament that has made Connemaras so valued by families and riders for generations.
It is a philosophy rooted in preserving the breed’s identity while recognising the demands of the modern equestrian world.
And it brings us back to that little 13.2hh mare.
The pony that hunted, jumped, played games and joined the St Patrick’s Day parade was not defined by a single discipline.
She was valued because of everything she could do — and because of who she was.
Decades later, Fiona is still trying to breed ponies with those qualities.
Looking Back to Move Forward
There is a particular responsibility that comes with breeding animals whose pedigrees stretch back through generations.
Every mating contributes, in a small way, to what the breed will become.
For Fiona, breeding Connemaras is as much about looking backwards as it is about looking forwards.
Preserving established bloodlines matters. So does recognising the value of the mares that have consistently produced sound, capable and kind ponies.
But preservation does not mean standing still.
A successful breeding programme must also consider the needs of modern riders and the opportunities now available to Connemaras across the world.
Finding that balance is rarely as simple as choosing a fashionable stallion or following the latest success in the show ring.
It takes patience, experience and a willingness to think beyond the next foal.
At Copperbeech, the continuation of those three foundation mare lines is evidence of just how seriously that responsibility is taken.
The mares are part of the stud’s past.
Their descendants are its future.
More Than a Championship
Perhaps that is what makes the Copperbeech story so appealing.
Yes, there are the Clifden championships, the HOYS appearances and the extraordinary achievement of Encore’s victory.
But look beyond them and there is a much more human story.
A little girl and her first Connemara.
A mother joking about the cost of keeping ponies.
A father who gifted his daughter and son-in-law three foals.
A husband and wife building a breeding programme around the qualities they believe matter most.
And, years later, two descendants of a much-loved foundation mare competing beneath the bright lights of HOYS.
It would be difficult to imagine a more fitting illustration of why mare families deserve their place in the spotlight.
Stallions may be the names that catch our attention.
But sometimes, to understand the champion standing in front of us, we need to look several generations back — and remember the mares who helped make it possible.
For Fiona Grimes and Copperbeech Connemara Ponies, the story has never been just about winning. It has been about breeding the kind of Connemara that first captured her heart almost 40 years ago.
And that may be the greatest legacy of all.
Our sincere thanks to Fiona Grimes for sharing her story, memories and photographs with ConnemaraHQ.