RED MILLS EVENTING

QUALIFIER TINAHELY

THE Shillelagh & District Branch hosted last Sunday’s Irish Pony Club/Connolly’s Red Mills eventing qualifier at the Tinahely Riding Club grounds in Coolboy, Co Wicklow where the show jumping phase took place on sand and the cross-country course ran over an all-weather track.

In contrast to the previous week at Crecora, the Kildares recorded just a single success here, that coming in the 27-runner Intermediate through Emma Osborne on My Ballintoghers Cracker Jack who completed on their dressage score of 31.5.

The Tipperarys’ Leah Coen (Droma Joey) and the Westmeaths’ Sam Carey (Blessington Kamakaze) both finished on their first phase score of 32 with the former placing second as, in 4.39, she was closer to the optimum time (five minutes) across the country.

Michelle Dunne of the Bray Branch had a narrow lead (31.3) after dressage with A One Your Highness and show jumped clear but this combination was one of four to be eliminated close home at fence 19.

There were 27 starters also in Section A of the Junior class where Amelia McQuade of Meath recorded an all-the-way success on Twilight Oscar, a 16-year-old Connemara gelding on whom she competed under Eventing Ireland rules during the spring. Representing Bray, Clodie Coen also led throughout the 26-runner Section B with the Irish Sport Horse gelding Ballinglen Susies Master, a 10-year-old by Master Imp out of a Kildalton King mare.

Section C too went to the dressage winner, in this case Zoe Bolton and the 138cms Grade A mare Tilly B.

The previous Tuesday, this Meath pairing had competed at the final of the Sports Pony Challenge at Barnadown as did the Islands’ Ava Dowley and Magical Milly, a 128cms Grade A mare, who were comfortable all-the-way winners here of Section A of the Under 12s’ competition.

Waterford’s Gearoid Bolger and the 17-year-old bay gelding Freemount Tayto notched up another victory in Section B, this time winning with just over six points in hand over their nearest rivals.

The Tipperary Branch is hosting tomorrow’s IPC/Connolly’s Red Mills qualifier at Grove while, on Saturday, August 29th, the Island Branch is moving up country to stage their qualifier at Rosanna House in Ashford, Co Wicklow.

There, the Open class will be a qualifier for the UK Pony Club championships at Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire later in the month.