TODAY is the busier day of the weekend as far as Pony Club action is concerned.

The Route Branch is hosting the Area 17 eventing competition at Dirraw Farm, where the three higher-graded classes are qualifiers for The Pony Club JCB national championships at Offchurch Bury (August 8th to 16th) while the lower three will see members qualifying for the NAF regional championships at Auchlishie Eventing (August 1st to 3rd).

Under Irish Pony Club rules, the second of the mounted games qualifiers for the Dublin Horse Show is taking place at Charleville show while Area 3 is holding its Festival qualifier at Ballindenisk. Also today, just two weeks after the national Minimus championships, IPC members will again descend on Killossery Lodge Stud for the Red Mills eventing qualifier being staged by Area 7. Tomorrow, the Scarteen Branch is holding another qualifier at Hillcrest Equestrian.

Next Saturday, July 5th, the Laois Hunt Branch is running a Red Mills qualifier at Stradbally Hall, while Area 8 is holding Festival and Show Jumping Classic qualifiers at Glenamaddy Equestrian Centre.

A reminder that entries are now open for the IPC Festival at Barnadown (July 23rd to 25th) and close on Monday, July 14th. Pony Club members aged 13, 14 or 15 who are considering a career in riding racehorses or those who are working towards becoming a jockey might also like to find out more about a half-day course run by CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise) at its Enniskillen Campus on Tuesday, July 1st.

The course, which offers hands-on experience using a Mark 10 state-of-the-art horse racing simulator, is led by jockey coach Paddy Flood. The cost is £30. Places are limited so, if interested, you need to check out CAFRE’s Facebook page immediately. It’s very late notice but there is a similar course on Monday for those aged 16 and over.