Spring Ledge Irish Whiskey (1971, out of Dublin Grey by Spring Ledge Bantry Bay) was the longtime stallion of Dr. Marian “Doc” Molthan of Foxglove Farm in Laveen, Arizona.

Whiskers was trained across a range of disciplines (endurance, hunters, eventing, driving) and was a genuinely nice and unflappable Connemara.

He finished eight Tevis Cup competitions with Doc aboard. The Tevis is the toughest endurance ride in the US and involves riding 100 miles in 24 hours.

Whiskers also had 21 foals, including Foxglove Killian Red, who succeeded him as Foxglove’s stallion.

Through Studbook XVII, published in 1981, the combination of Whiskers’ sire and dam, Spring Ledge Bantry Bay and Dublin Grey, was tied for the No. 1 combination in the American Connemara Pony Society, producing nine offspring. It was tied with the pairing of Tooreen Laddie and Erinbay.

Whiskers and Foxglove Farm trainer Kathy McCarthy competed in the West Coast Connemara Show in 1986 in Ventura, California. Whiskers cleaned up.

The McKennas, then living in Arizona and keeping their horses at Doc’s farm, took two Connemaras to the show, as well: Kerrymor’s Autumn Hope and Kerrymor’s Lady Diana. And Joan McKenna Jr. competed on Kerrymor’s Spotlight, then owned by Doc and in training to be sold.

Photos from that trip are in the gallery below. Note that the Arizona horses had to cross a very hot desert in August to attend the show. It was a major effort and stressor on the Connemaras, but the venue was beautiful, and the hosts were lovely to us at the show. Seems like only yesterday … and a lifetime ago.

Whiskers subsequently competed in the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show’s Challenge of the Breeds event in the fall of 1986, finishing fifth.