"Wil'Ya Love Me"

[_downpour_]

How freeeaking adorable is this guy? I stumbled across some photos of him by accident and he is SO cute! And I believe he is purebred connemara, I've never seen a palomino purebred before. His color is so lovely too, goes well with the pink XC colors in the photo I saw!
Anyway, just wanted to say how cute I find him :)
Feel free to share any others if you feel the need!

[tarheelmd07]

His rider posts here under WakeRider :)

Willy is an amazing little guy - heck of a jumper and cute as a button.

[In_]

Willy is infamous in the region I grew up in. So – of course I had seen him, but I had the fortunate experience of watching Willy and his rider warm up at a PC Dressage rally years and years ago. We were the only two in warm-up at Seneca. It was unfortunate though – I was working with a total green bean, stiff-as-a-board, hit-with-the-ugly-stick QH (we were there to complete a team and therefore allow others to attend) and her on a gorgeous palomino doing effortless flying changes. Needless to say, the tiny bit of contentment/confidence I had spiraled downward at neck breaking speed.

I believe Courtney has done all of his training herself - what a testament to her eye for talent and skill as a rider.

[retreadeventer]

And yet another graduate of the T3D (winner actually)!

[birdsong]

So where are his photos??

[gchildean]

Here is courtney;s website:



http://www.defyinggravityeventing.com/Home.html

[GAEventer]

Willy is a purebred Connemara by *Grange Finn Sparrow and o/o Lady Doreen. I think he stands 14.3? Maybe Courtney will post more info on him. I think she got him as a 2 y/o and has done all of his training herself. They've competed very successfully through Intermediate and the 2* level. I've been lucky enough to watch the pair in person!

I own two of his half-siblings (same sire) and I hope that my little gelding follows in his brother's hoofprints!

[Centuree]

Wow, he sure is a cutey!! I would love to see some video, any youtube video's poking around of this guy.

[WakeRider]

Hey everyone!

I am the proud mother of Willy... or 'the pony' as we call him. I've had him for 10 extraordinary years, buying him as an unbroke two year old because, well, no one else wanted him.

I can give you the full story later this evening - i apologize its taken me so long to find this thread - senior year/senior thesis have not allowed much COTH time... but for those of you that do know him I'm happy to report that he looks to have made a full recovery, and competed in his first event this weekend at 5 points... finishing on his dressage score of 27.4, to win the Open Training B divison.

There is a YouTube of him at the CIC** at Poplar Place, and more videos are in the process of being uploaded. Additionally, I'm trying to give the website a facelift to include more clips/photos of the pony. This clip is compliments of GAEventer....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GATEhJ2sqDo

also he is in the Waredaca Slo Mo video... towards the middle (right after Sally C) at the bounce

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m52v-szAnh8

Again, I'll post more tonight and hopefully will have more videos. He is the love of my life... and I have no trouble going on all day about him! :D

[RunForIt]

Seeing Willy go last March at the PTF advanced HT was one of the highlights of the weekend - CP knows Courtney's mom so I got lots of background from both of them as we watched this amazing duo (getting to actually hold Wonderful Will right before XC while Mike Winter adjusted something was another fab moment for me :D )...I LOVED watching Willy FLY across the fences on the stadium course...sadly Intermediate didn't run XC cause I would've loved watching that even more...

Good luck, Courtney!!!!! Hugs to Willy from another adoring fan!

[Jealoushe]

Reminds me a lot of my friends Connemara pony

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/photo.php?pid=3889891&id=504766829

[CookiePony]

Seeing Willy go last March at the PTF advanced HT was one of the highlights of the weekend - CP knows Courtney's mom so I got lots of background from both of them as we watched this amazing duo (getting to actually hold Wonderful Will right before XC while Mike Winter adjusted something was another fab moment for me :D )...I LOVED watching Willy FLY across the fences on the stadium course...sadly Intermediate didn't run XC cause I would've loved watching that even more...

Good luck, Courtney!!!!! Hugs to Willy from another adoring fan!

RFI-- you are thinking of another palomino "Sparrow" horse-- Maddie Blackman's Meadow Sparrow, who is a mare. :cool: IIRC she didn't go XC in the rain but we watched her jump the heck out of the SJ course.

[RunForIt]

RFI-- you are thinking of another palomino "Sparrow" horse-- Maddie Blackman's Meadow Sparrow, who is a mare. :cool: IIRC she didn't go XC in the rain but we watched her jump the heck out of the SJ course.

well...you're right of course...Maddie's Sparrow was the cute thing we saw...I STILL think Courtney's pony is adorable (but of course have been mixing up the two for months! - ha!) :cool:

[GAEventer]

They look alike b/c Meadow Sparrow & Willy are siblings! :D Well, half-siblings anyway. Both are by the Connemara stallion, *Grange Finn Sparrow. Willy's a purebred and Meadow Sparrow is o/o a TB mare. Both are incredible!

[sch1star]

Inspiration to ponies everywhere!

Just curious, I didn't see on the site what his actual size is...I apologize if I missed it...but can anyone say?

[LisaB]

Saw you last weekend. We were walking the course and my instructor made a special stop to watch you go into the first water because she said "They should do it right". Well, kinda :winkgrin:

[RunForIt]

They look alike b/c Meadow Sparrow & Willy are siblings! :D Well, half-siblings anyway. Both are by the Connemara stallion, *Grange Finn Sparrow. Willy's a purebred and Meadow Sparrow is o/o a TB mare. Both are incredible!

AGREED!!!! :D :cool: thanks too for the info re: breeding

[WakeRider]

Willy actually measures a hair under 14.3

LisaB - hehe that was such an "interesting" course, shall we say? Willy has always been rather spooky, and not being out xc for 4 months was certainly evident. I think we spent more time going right-left-right-left then actually forward. He knows the intermediate course there, and was quite upset that I made him go training :eek: He still hasn't forgiven me....

[LisaB]

Well, honey, let's just say you hung on! My trip through the #@$%@$ flamingos was a roller coaster ride. And once he gets his knickers in a twist, it's hard to convince him otherwise. We were 2 away from home, jumped the skinny little house and I clocked on, trying to work on my time for going back up to prelim. So I was loosey goosey, in gallop position. Next thing I know, I hit the deck. Winston spooked at the prelim jump with the cut out dogs and sheep.
Thank God it's lovely Southern Pines sand!