THE IPS South Leinster/Waterford Area held the 2016 AGM and Annual Awards at the Black & Whites GAA Club, Skeaghvosteen, last weekend. Only three families were unable to attend so there was a good turn-out.

Emma and Hannah Mackey, Tiggy Hancock and Oscar O’Connor were congratulated on their achievements at both Grantham and HOYS while all members were acknowledged for a very successful year.

The annual general meeting ended in an interesting and open discussion on many topics, followed by the important business of the presentation of the awards.

It was unfortunate that the results of the larger height M&M and Connemara classes were inadvertently overlooked, and apologies were quickly given to Kate Rath Doyle and Shauna Furlong, the main contestants in this section, but the rosettes were handed out as soon as the mistake was realised.

The Mackey sisters Hannah and Emma dominated the mini show pony and show pony sections with Brynoffa Jonquil and Mount Pleasant Rosebud who was also overall part-bred, while the mini show and working hunter rosettes were shared between Ciara O’Connor (Linksbury Goldilocks), Jordan Murphy (Waxwing Pimms) and Oscar O’Connor (Birtley Rainbow Quest) with Linksbury Goldilocks being the overall winner in both sections.

Eimear Furlong received the show hunter award with Thistletown Olympia and also took home the intermediate cup with Rosie FitzGerald’s Brandon Nairobi. The working hunter cup went to Tiggy Hancock with Noble Toreen Lass, and Tiggy also gathered an armful of rosettes with Longthwaite Red Robin. The starter stakes overall went to Parcglas Splendid Rainbow with Emma Mackey and this combination also collected the coloured and Irish-bred rosettes.

Gleiniant Camelot (Rebecca Cleary) and Waxwing Pimms were successful in the mini M&M classes, but it was Kate Rath Doyle’s consistent Monaghanstown Rory who took the overall M&M award as well as the Connemara Cup. Kate also took home the overall novice award with Irishtown Byren.

Rosie FitzGerald’s Brandon Reepicheep was awarded the in-hand cup, while the Brandon achievement award went to Rebekah Rochowiak, who, having had a difficult year with a broken ankle, had remained helpful and cheerful throughout. The overall pony of the year award, the Larchgrove Juno cup, went to Emma Mackey’s 128cms show pony Mount Pleasant Rosebud.