THE Working Hunter Committee of the Irish Pony Society were delighted to host a show last Saturday at Joan Keogh’s wonderful Spruce Lodge in Co Wicklow.

While a larger entry would have been appreciated, there were plenty of quality ponies present and the competition was tense throughout, especially in the Tiggy Hancock performance championship.

Claiming the title was the 50cms class winner, the 11-year-old Welsh mare Neuaddparc Spring Song who was ridden by Co Meath’s Freddie Greene for his mother, Clare Smith. Standing reserve was the 1m class winner, Lily Nadir’s well-known 2011 Mermus R mare, Country Strong.

Dublin-based Nadir and Country Strong, who were on the winning Irish working hunter team at Grantham last month, won their 158cms sports pony challenge class and were reserve in the intermediate working hunter championship to Jessica O’Connor Murphy on Chantelle de Darcy.

Other champions on the day included the Charlotte Kelly-ridden Goldengrove Maydream (show hunter), the Cian Greene-partnered Woodroyd Go Go Girl (mini), High Tops Allegro who won the starter stakes championship under Holly Logan, the Conor Cusack-ridden Evenmist Bobs Your Uncle (novice working hunter) and Rowdown Archer who claimed the open working hunter crown in the hands of Ned Kelly.

The other sports pony challenge winners were Ellie Kavanagh with Innish Turk Beg Cloisin (133cms), Ned Kelly on Rowdown Archer (143cms), Alisha Vard with the overall winner Blackwoodland Breeze (Connemara with rider up to and including 16), Katie Wyse on Illaunurra Bay (Connemara with rider over 16) and Hazel Barden with Kilmaspic Lily (153cms).