IN glorious sunshine, the Midlands Connemara Pony Breeders Group reached new heights at Mullingar Equestrian Centre last Sunday with record entries, especially in the performance section.
Judge Madeleine Beckman from Sweden selected as her new Willows Ingredients/Midlands All Ireland Broodmare champion Cloverhill Princess Jade, owned by Padraic Folan from Inverin, Co Galway, and exhibited by his sons Paid and Sean. Princess carries a mixture of Ireland’s best old bloodlines – her sire Janus (Oxenholm Marble Junior) was by Marble and her dam My Sweet Princess (Glencarrig Lexus - May Morning) has many great names in her pedigree such as Village Boy, Coosheen Breeze and Village Grey.
The Reserve Supreme Champion was last year’s All Ireland Broodmare winner Loughmore Suzy (Linsford Barney - Hazy Rebel), owned by Paddy Kearns from Brocklodge Stud and bred by show chairman Sean Cooney.
Kearns also took the Foal Championship with Loughmore Suzy’s daughter Brocklodge Emma, by his resident stallion Brocklodge Buster.
The junior classes were judged by Rachel Bennett Hamilton from Dublin, who awarded the championship to Padraic Hynes from Canal Stage with his beautifully-bred filly Canal Lucy (Glencarrig Knight - Canal Linnett).
The three-year-old colt Ballinlough Prince (Western Boy - Ballinlough Lady), owned by Noel Mahon from Castlerea, Co Roscommon, stood Reserve.
In a departure from the usual format, a new class made up of mares and the stallion class winner were judged, it was Noel Noonan’s Manor Duke who took the title of Senior Champion.
The Five Counties Combined Mare and Foal class had a disappointing turnout, however the winner, Eamon and Darren Spain’s Ballacurra Beauty (Cashelbay Cruise - Ballindoon Anna), deserved her trophy.
The show concluded with the Supreme Championship – sponsored by Connolly’s Red Mills – as the two judges were joined by Hugh Leonard for the final summation, comprising the Broodmare Champion and Reserve, Junior Champion and Reserve, plus Senior Champion and Reserve.
The three judges were unanimous in their decision to award the Connolly’s Red Mills Supreme Championship Trophy and the new George and Mary Ledwith Perpetual Cup to the stallion Manor Duke, owned by Noel Noonan from Manor Connemara Ponies and exhibited by Joe Burke.
PERFORMANCE
The Performance classes attracted many entries and judging went on from 9am to 7pm.
Midlands Performance chairperson Lorli Higgins and her team were outstanding in their organisation of each event combined with hardly any delay in the marking of each class, which, as we all know, can at times be very slow resulting in long delays.
The Ridden stallion winner was Lucinda Kelly’s Killaneen Boy, while Thomasina O’Reilly from Athlone on Rosscon Camile was best in the side saddle class.
The Ridden Championship, sponsored by Connolly’s Red Mills, was awarded to Fiery Diplomat, owned by Harriet Byrne from Rathangan and ridden by Jenny Byrne.
Zohra Smyth from Dunsaney, Co. Meath, riding her mare Susie’s Tiffin, was judged Reserve.
The new Working Hunter Challenge Championship, sponsored by Willows Ingredients, proved to be a big success with the winner’s sash awarded to Ballinasloe owner Kieran Egan’s Lonesome Luke, ridden by Caitlin Glennon.
The late Sarah Miller would have been very proud to see so many competing in the Sarah Miller Future Performance Championship, sponsored by Devenish Nutrition. Marjorie Hardiman’s Creggan Dandini took home the Sarah Miller trophy with the Booth Concrete cup for the best rider under 18 awarded to Pataire Crawford on Ardfry Remy.