Kerrymor’s Autumn Hope, a 13-2 hand, dark brown roan mare (1976, out of Round Robin’s Easter Bonnet by Texas Hope), seemed destined for the show ring right from the start. She won the first class she entered, 2-Year-Old Connemara Mare In Hand, at the A-rated St. Louis National Charity Horse Show in 1978. She won the 3-year-old Connemara Mare in Hand class in 1979, as well.

Ultimately, she would go on to become a three-time winner of the USEF Clifden Trophy for the highest scoring Connemara in US Equestrian Federation pony hunter divisions, an award that didn’t exist during some of Hope’s biggest show years.

Hope took to jumping like an old pro. Videotape of her competing at age 5 reveals a pony truly in her element as she romps around a course (see below).

During the early 1980s, Hope competed in A-rated pony hunter divisions across the Midwest, bringing home blue ribbons and championships from familiar show names in the open hunter world, including Bridlespur, Boystown, Lancers, Springtime Encore (Germantown), Traders Point, White Fox, Equiventure, the Go Show and Ledgers.

Hope’s year-end awards during those years included Missouri Horse Shows Association (MHSA) Open Pony Hunter Champion and Connemara Champion.

Hope was trained by Susan Baginski in St. Louis and ridden by Katie Dalzell from 1979 to 1982. Katie and Hope’s championships also included the biggest Connemara show at the time, the annual ACPS Region 1 Connemara Breed Show at Woodstock, Vermont, where Hope took home the titles of Performance and In-Hand Grand Champion Connemara in 1981.

Hope then became the mount for the McKenna’s son, Terry, with the two showing from 1983 to 1986 before Terry’s feet started dragging the ground. They, too, traveled to many open shows and earned many championships.

From 1980 to 1984, Hope dominated the Connemara hunter classes at the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show — classes judged by top national judges. Her titles included:

— 1980 Performance Connemara Champion.
— 1981 Performance and In-Hand Connemara Champion.
— 1983 Performance Connemara Champion.
— 1984 Performance Connemara Champion.

In 1985, Hope and Terry were the crowd favorite as the Connemara representative in the multi-phase Challenge of the Breeds event at the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show, competing in driving and barrel racing, along with the more familiar phases of riding and jumping.

Their final competition together was the West Coast Connemara Show in 1986. Hope was Performance and In Hand Champion Mare and overall Reserve Champion In Hand (she lost the in-hand championship to her handsome nephew).

Hope and Terry later went on cattle drives and jackrabbit hunts in Phoenix.

Hope’s desire to continue working, even after the McKennas had run out of riders who could fit her, led the family to sell her with much sadness.

Hope had the same breeding as Lynfields Kiltuck and was a year younger.