THE National The Irish Field Horse and Pony Racing Awards were presented by in Letterkenny last Saturday night by Leo Powell at the annual North-West region dinner.

The overall The Irish Field National Champion Title went to 14-year-old Graignamanagh, Co. Kilkenny-based Mikey Sheehy who followed in the footsteps of his brother Danny who was victorious in 2015.

THE IRISH FIELD NATIONAL RIDER AWARD WINNERS:

  • The Irish Field National Champion Jockey 2017: Mikey Sheehy
  • The Irish Field National Champion Lady Jockey 2017: Christina Simpson
  • The Irish Field Horse Category Award 2017: Dylan Browne-McMonagle
  • The Irish Field 14.2 - 15hh Category Award 2017 : Ben Coen
  • The Irish Field 12.2 - 14hh Category Award 2017: Conor Walsh

    • It was a well-deserved win for Mikey who looked a likely winner of the overall title in 2016 until his season was curtailed by a fall meaning he had to settle for the runner-up spot behind Rossa Ryan.

    Mikey partnered 47 winners in the season and this was good enough to see off the challenge of 15-year-old Letterkenny rider Dylan Browne-McMonagle who missed a crucial part of the season with a shoulder injury.

    Dylan did take the Horse Category Award and he will be many peoples fancy to take the main award in 2018.

    Christina Simpson spent time with Tyrone trainer Andy Oliver a few years ago, in which she rode two winners as an apprentice, and her return to the horse and pony racing sphere last year saw her take the National Champion Lady Riders Award.

    Ben Coen is a rider who moved in the opposite direction and he has made a very big impression in Dundalk over the winter since taking out his apprentice licence.

    Ben signed-off his pony racing days by taking the National Award for the 14.2hh-15hh Category.

    Taghmon, Co. Wexford rider Conor Walsh had a phenomenal year in which he partnered 20 winners from 22 rides. Conor took the Award for the 12.2hh-14hh category.

    NORTH WEST REGION AWARD WINNERS

  • North-West Champion Horse Jockey - Dylan Browne Mc Monagle
  • North-West Champion Lady Jockey - Christina Simpson
  • North-West Champion Pony Jockey - Dylan Browne Mc Monagle
  • North-West Champion Local Rider - Daniel Day
  • North-West Champion Owner - Adrian Browne
  • North-West Champion Trainer - Johnny Holian
  • North-West Most Improved Jockey - Sam Ewing

    • Dylan Browne-McMonagle took both the horse and pony riding honours in the North-West region last year, while Christina Simpson took the Leading Lady Rider award to go with her National The Irish Field title.

    The award for the most improved rider went to Sam Ewing who had a memorable year, the highlight being his victory in the Dingle Derby. Derry rider Daniel Day took the award for the local novice riders’ races while Letterkenny-based Adrian Browne, who was instrumental in the award winning season of his nephew Dylan Browne-McMonagle and Christina Simpson took the leading owner.

    Keith Donoghue who partnered Tiger Roll to victory in Cheltenham is one of the many riders who have received their start in racing from Adrian. Ramelton Co. Donegal handler Johnny Holian took the Champion Trainer Award.

    SOUTHERN REGION

    AWARD WINNERS

  • Southern Region Overall Champion Rider – Mikey Sheehy
  • Southern Region Horse Category Winner- Michael O’Connor
  • Southern Region Pony Category Winner – Conor Walsh
  • Southern Region Novice Rider Winner – Philip Byrnes
  • Southern Region Juvenile Rider Winner – Luke Burke Ott
  • Southern Region Lady Rider Winner – Ava Sugrue

    • The Southern region had their awards ceremony recently and Kilkenny rider Mikey Sheehy took the overall honours here as it provided the foundation for his National The Irish Field Championship win.

    The horse category award went to Michael O’Connor. Michael, who is from Curraglass near Middleton in Cork, is now apprenticed to Fozzy Stack and he recently had his first ride on the track.

    The pony award went to Wexford rider Conor Walsh who built on the promise shown in 2016 to dominate the pony classes completely through his association with the Pat Collins/ Jack O’Sullivan stable.

    Philip Byrnes made a large impact in his initial season in horse and pony racing and the son of well-known Ballingarry trainer Charles had a national total of eight winners on his way to taking the novice rider award.

    Luke Burke Ott started the year by claiming victory in the pony races held at the Dromahane and Tralee point-to-points before teaming up with fellow Newmarket, Co. Cork-based Jerry and Ben Daly who gave him the ride on the remarkable veteran Tail To Tail. This allowed him to take the Juvenile Award. Ava Sugrue from Farmer’s Bridge in Tralee was crowned Lady Champion Rider in the south.