WHILE most interest at Burghley last Sunday was centred on the show jumping phase of the Land Rover CCI4*, for members of the Hancock family, it was the British Show Pony Society sports pony final Gold Cup which held them enthralled.

Here, Tiggy Hancock won the 133cms section on her mother Jane’s nine-year-old grey gelding Corries Jack In A Box. The Carlow combination had secured their Burghley ticket at the recent BSPS summer championships at Grantham where they claimed the restricted working hunter pony title.

Twelve-year-old Tiggy also competed in Sunday’s 153cms class where she finished sixth on Coppenagh Spring Sparrow, having had a pole down. Another nine-year-old grey, this gelding won the class last season under Twiggy’s sister Lucy and went on to be crowned Gold Cup champion.

This year’s champion and reserve, both Connemaras, came from this 153cms division. Lucy Robinson took the title on the Danny Regan-bred Townranney Brian, a 2009 dun gelding by Tulira Robuck, while Georgina Horsley-Gubbins stood reserve with Ella’s Melody, an 11-year-old by I Love You Melody who was bred in Co Tipperary by John O’Malley.

Townranney Brian used to event in England and Ella’s Melody still does. Lucy Hancock competed Coppenagh Spring Sparrow at Junior one-star level last season and, next Sunday, Tiggy is due to make her Eventing Ireland debut on the grey in the EI100P class at Lisgarvan.

Both Lucy and Tiggy are scheduled to compete at next month’s Horse Of The Year Show, with Coppenagh Spring Sparrow and Corries Jack In A Box respectively. After this, Lucy, who is taking a year out before going to college, is heading to J.P. Sheffield’s yard having won a week’s tuition with the British event rider when landing the young rider’s prize at the Stepping Stones to Success League at Wexford Equestrian in the Spring.

Before then however, there are still some shows on the Irish Pony Society circuit that are being targeted by the Hancocks such as this weekend’s Limerick/Clare Area harvest show, the Tipperary Area show next Saturday and the working hunter show which will bring the curtain down on the outdoor season on Sunday, September 23rd at Barnadown.