BOBBY Sparrow Blue was the king of Clifden after claiming the prestigious high performance final last Friday, producing one of only two clear rounds.

The sun shone for the final day of the Connemara Pony Show festival which saw a big crowd flock on the show grounds to watch the main event.

Alan Lynch built a testing track which included two banks, a water feature, a tough combination and a wide currach as the final obstacle.

Some 27 ponies qualified for the final, a two-phase competition of jumping and a ridden showpiece. For the first time, a British qualifier allowed ponies to travel to Clifden from the British Connemara Pony Society.

The first clear round of the day came after 15 starters from Glenford Scot with Charlotte O’Callaghan on board, which was good enough to take eventual third place.

The 20-year-old stallion Bobby Sparrow Blue, ridden by Justine O’Hara, followed with a foot-perfect clean sheet to claim the rich prize fund of €1,200 and the Westside Mirah Perpetual cup.

Double Joy

Owned by Patricia Dalton from Co Derry, Bobby Sparrow Blue is a grade A showjumper, sired by Ashfield Bobby Sparrow (see A75).

The runner-up spot went to Liam Lynskey’s 11-year-old stallion Black Shadow, sired by the European medal-winning pony Silver Shadow and ridden on the day by Hannah Gordon.

Owner Susan Gageby-Denham had a nice double with her two ponies, both ridden by Alicia Devlin Byrne, claiming the side-saddle class with Bertraghboy Heaven (Silver Heaven-Maoilisa) and Bertraghboy Beau Gest (Gwenic de Goariva-Maoilisa) winning the working hunter four to six-year-old class.

The five-year-old dun gelding jumped the first clear of the competition.

Cregduff Barney, a five-year-old sired by Currachmore Cashel, and ridden by Anna Ruth Dunne claimed second place, while third went to the six-year-old Dunlewey Ringmaster with Sophie Von Malzan in the saddle.

Pataire Crawford (13) aboard her mother’s Ardfry Jade won the working hunter rider under 16 division.

The six-year-old mare by Patty’s Sweet Dream gave an exhibition of jumping to win ahead of Phoebe Beaumont aboard Edie and Hazelrock Colleen, ridden by Evan McGrath in third place.

Blackwood Fernando gave Alicia Devlin Byrne another win storming to victory in the over 16 category, ahead of Rosscon Mr Whatson, ridden by Taylor Deane.

Pataire Crawford claimed the working hunter championship for the second consecutive year on Ardfry Jade, bringing the Mirah Hector Memorial Trophy back to Corofin.

Crowd favourite

Blackwood Fernando stood reserve champion, before going on to win the Clifden puissance competition, clearing the wall at 1.43 metres.

A real crowd favourite, only two ponies made it through to the third round of the puissance but the 18-year-old multiple winner showed his class to triumph.

Glencarrig Joey, ridden by Padraig Geoghegan faulted for the runner-up position, leaving Devlin Byrne and the versatile Blackwood Fernando as the outright winners scooping the €1,000 prize fund.