THE county’s footballers weren’t the only ones celebrating last Sunday as, through their Maltesers team, the Kildare branch recorded their first success in the Holmestead Saddlery Irish Pony Club minimus championships.

The squad, which comprised Julia Adams, Tom Murtagh, Cathal White and Jodie Zebedee, posted a score of 10,762 points when beating last year’s winners, the Ward Union Whizz Kids (10,726), and the Carlow Eagles (10,496) into second and third. Ninety-three teams competed in the ranch competition including three from Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland).

Sara Egan, the Kildares’ minimus head of discipline, didn’t have much time to talk to The Irish Field following this great success and before she headed out of the country. However, she was immensely proud of the Maltesers’ achievement, the efforts of the other nine Kildare teams at the championships and the fact that the branch had finally been rewarded for all its hard work and hours of training.

“It was a very close result,” continued Egan. “Last year, the Ward beat us by 42 points while this year we beat them by 36. Julie and Jodie both got the full 1,400 points for their ride while Tom and Cathal were joint-winners of the run on 1,258 points apiece. Jodie was third in the girls’ individual rankings and Cathal was fourth in the boys’ table.”

A perfect weekend had a slightly disappointing conclusion when there was a problem with the computer programme which delayed prize-giving but, on a lovely summer’s evening, people displayed a lot more patience than they would have had it been raining.

Sheila Gayer, chairman of the IPC’s Tetrathlon Committee thanked sponsor Bill Holmes and his team at Holmestead Saddlery for their generous support of the Championships and the goodie packs they presented to all competitors. She also praised the many volunteers who worked tirelessly at Punchestown, and on Sunday morning at the swimming pool in Athy, to ensure the smooth running of the championships.

On two very hot days, Gayer also thanked those “officials, parents and members of the Kildare Hunt Branch who kept everyone topped up with lots of water, food and sunscreen.”

John Flood, chief steward for the cross-country, was fulsome in his praise for the course at Punchestown which was designed by Michelle Nelson and built by John Dillon, both members of the Kildare branch committee.

“I met with Michelle during the Punchestown National Hunt Festival and she showed me her basic plans for the course,” said Flood who has been delighted by the recent performances in Britain of the Irish tetrathlon and minimus teams.

“The Monday before the championships we met up again and walked the track which, of course, was laid out by then.

“We just tweaked a couple of things to ensure that it was a proper championship track. It was strong and rewarded brave riding. Those going the straight routes were rewarded, but there were plenty of options and it was great to see competitors use these alternative routes sensibly. Punchestown is a fantastic venue and the Kildares put on a great show so it was good to see them finally win the Championships.”

As they were last year’s winners, the Ward Union Whizz Kids wore the No 1 bib and, first out on the cross-country course, two of the team, Ruth Barrett and Jed Collins, picked up the full 1,400 points. The in-form Barrett, who was third in the swim, completed the two days on a total of 3,788 to finish second on the girls’ individual leaderboard behind the East Galway Unicorns’ Emily Martin.

The latter, whose team placed fifth (10,316), also picked up 1,400 points on Saturday and finished a place ahead of Barrett in the pool. As mentioned previously, the Kildare Maltesers’ Jodie Zebedee was third top girl (3,622) followed by Sarah Kehoe (3,560) of Carlow Eagles, Jane O’Donnell (3,560) of the sixth-placed Tipperary Talents team (10,254) and a second East Galway Unicorns’ team member, Caoimhe Ní Thuairisg (3,500).

BRAY BULLDOGS

Topping the boys’ leaderboard on a total of 3,752 was the Bray Bulldogs’ Conor Bourke who took the full 1,400 points on Saturday and picked up 1,216 points when third in the run back at the racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Matthew Farrell, competing as an individual for the Carlow branch, was second on 3,738 with 1,400 ride points, sixth in the swim (1,152) and fifth in the run (1,186) while Aonghus Cooke of Galway Mid County was third (3,736), mainly thanks to his winning score in the pool (1,336). Cathal White, a member of the successful Kildare Maltesers’ team, finished fourth (3,682) following his joint-winning run (1,258) while another Carlow individual James Browne, who had a clear ride score, was fifth (3,644).

Sam Cahill, who finished sixth (3,568) having placed fourth (1,240) in the swim, was one of three members of the Limerick Lords team who picked up the full 1,400 ride points which helped them finish fourth (10,362) in the Branch competition. All three members of the Bray Bobcats team were clear across the country as were three members of the four-strong Duhallow Dashers, Nenagh Purples, Tipperary Talents, Tipperary Trojans, Carlow Eagles and Shilellagh Shamrocks squads.

Ninety-seven boys took part in the competition as opposed to 255 girls, while a further 45 IPC members competed hors concours.