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sport · Saturday 1 August 2026 · Daily events throughout festival 
Clifden Connemara Pony Show Festival 2026
At Clifden Show Grounds · Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
At Clifden Show Grounds · Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
The Clifden Connemara Pony Show is one of those events that stops a town in its tracks - in the best possible way. Every August, the Showgrounds in Clifden fill with over 400 ponies, their handlers, breeders, and spectators from across Ireland and well beyond. Now in its 101st year, the show is the world’s largest gathering dedicated to the Connemara pony breed, and it rewards anyone with even a passing interest in horses, country life, or the west of Ireland at its most characterful.
The 2026 show runs over four days from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August, with each day having its own focus. Tuesday opens with the Loose Jumping Championships and the official launch. Wednesday is the big in-hand day - ponies are led and judged on conformation, movement, and type, culminating in the Supreme Championship alongside Irish dancing performances, a dog show, and a Domestic Arts competition. Thursday shifts to ridden classes, where judges assess how the ponies go under saddle. Friday wraps up with Working Hunter Classes and the Parade of Champions, a procession of the week’s winners that draws crowds to the ringside.
New for 2026 is a Young Rider Derby for riders aged 16 to 25, with ponies jumping a timed course of fences up to 1m. Craft stalls and trade stands run throughout the week, so there is plenty to browse between classes. The atmosphere is sociable and unhurried - this is as much a gathering of the Connemara community as it is a competition.
Entries for competitors open through itsplainsailing.com from June 2026. Spectators simply turn up at the Showgrounds on the day.
Clifden sits at the western edge of Connemara, roughly 80 km west of Galway city via the N59. The drive through Oughterard and Maam Cross is part of the appeal. Bus Eireann operates a service between Galway and Clifden, and private coaches sometimes run for the show - check connemaraponyshow.ie for any shuttle updates closer to August. Parking at the Showgrounds is available, though the town is compact enough that many visitors park on the edge of Clifden and walk in. The show week is busy, so arriving early on the main in-hand day (Wednesday) is worth the effort.
The town has good cafes, pubs, and accommodation for a stay of a night or two, and the Sky Road loop just outside town is one of the finest short drives in Connacht. There is more to see in Clifden and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Clifden Show Grounds in Clifden? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Clifden area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.