Inspections

What are inspections?

Since the very start of the Irish Connemara Pony Society (the CPBS) in 1923, inspections have been practised in order to identify those pure-bred Connemara mares and stallions of sufficient quality to enter the Stud Book as breeding stock. As such, fillies and colts must be inspected from a certain age in order to achieve adult status.

Today the quality of a pony is assessed by a three-grade classification used for all Connemara ponies. At initial registration, all foals are automatically entered in Class 3 (Foal Certificate status)  – effectively a birth notification – and must be upgraded to Class 1 or 2 in order to gain adult status. The inspection procedure is fully explained below and all relevant documents can be downloaded from this page.

Please note that no Connemara filly or gelding pony over the age of 4 years, or entire male over the age of 3 years, can be shown in pure-bred Connemara Mountain and Moorland affiliated classes.   No pony which is still on a foal registration can be used to breed potential Class 1 or 2 foals.

Quick guide to inspections

Our brilliant BCPS social media ambassador Ellis Simister made a great video explaining inspections and the class gradings, as well as talking about how she got on at her own inspection! Why not check it out for a quick introduction to inspections. For more detailed information, keep reading.

Pure-bred colts and stallions

Pure-bred colts and stallions must be inspected to qualify for Class 1 or 2 status. For a colt to be eligible for inspection, the following criteria must be met:

• Both parents are Class 1 or 2– if either parent is Class 3, then the colt itself cannot be upgraded to Class 1 or 2
• The colt is registered (on a Foal Certificate) in the BCPS Stud Book
• The colt is 3 years or over at the time of inspection
• The colt is in the name of the owner at the time of inspection.

Colt inspections are held at certain times of the year and this information will be on this page when available.   When you have chosen the inspection that you would like to attend with your pony, fill out the Colt Inspection Application Form and send it to the BCPS Office along with the appropriate fee.

At inspection, the colt is presented before three Society-appointed colt inspectors. You must bring your pony’s passport to the inspection. The inspectors who will check the colt’s identity and decide whether it should be placed in Class 1 or Class 2.

The colt must also pass a veterinary inspection specified by the Society, during which the height will be recorded. Please note that any pony over 148cm is not eligible to be placed in Class 1. If the inspectors decide that the colt is not of sufficient quality for Class 1 or 2, or if the pony is not presented for the veterinary examination, the pony will remain in Class 3. An example veterinary assessment can be downloaded from this page.

A colt placed in Class 2 or 3 may, on appeal, be presented for re-inspection in the same year, in order to attain Class 1 or 2; this applies to the visual and veterinary inspections. Colts placed in Class 2 may be re-presented, but no earlier than the year following the first inspection. It is important to remember that the progeny of a Class 3 pony cannot themselves attain Class 1 or 2 as adults, but will remain in Class 3.

Ponies that don’t need to be inspected

Pure-bred geldings

Pure-bred geldings do not need to be inspected in order to gain adult status. For a gelding to gain adult status, the following criteria must be met:

• The gelding is registered (on a Foal Certificate) in the BCPS Stud Book
• The gelding is 2 years or over
• The gelding is in the name of the owner
• A vet has confirmed that the pony has been gelded and has given an approximate height (unless the pony already has a valid JMB certificate)

For geldings, Class 1 and 2 are awarded based purely on height: All geldings of 148cm and below will be classed as Class 1, those over 148cm as Class 2.  Geldings parentage can be Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3.

In order to upgrade your gelding to adult status, send the following to the BCPS Office:

• The pony’s passport
• Written confirmation from a vet of the pony’s approximate height
• A covering letter explaining that you wish to upgrade your pony to Adult Gelding Status

There is no charge for upgrading your gelding to adult status.

Part-bred fillies, colts and geldings

Part-bred Connemara ponies do not need to be inspected. For more information on registering part-bred Connemaras, please see our Registrations page.