THE final Area competition of 2021 for Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland) was hosted by the Iveagh Branch last Saturday at The Meadows Equestrian Centre where the largest entry for many years was received for the pure dressage.
Disappointed not to have qualified for The Pony Club eventing championships, Claire Ireland bounced back to land the Open for North Down with Mission Ambition (70.2%) on whom she recently won the EI80 (T) at Tullymurry for the second year running.
Ireland and her 16-year-old palomino gelding finished ahead of the East Downs’ Tom Rowlatt-McCormick and Mon Ami Alme (69.4), his mount on the European Junior eventing championship squad. Ireland also finished third in the six-strong class with the Irish Draught gelding Dowdstown Dancer (69.2).
The hosts saw off East Antrim and North Down to win the Intermediate team competition. The Iveagh quartet comprised Ellie McElroy and the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Loughdoo Maverick, Zoe Daniel riding the former Junior event horse Anvil Lodge Pinnochio, a 14-year-old gelding by Grange Bouncer, Grace Kehoe and the ISH mare Killeshin Fifty Shades of Grey, a nine-year-old daughter of Overon Van Fyandra D’09, and Poppy Moore with D’Imagine That.
The last-named combination won Arena 4 on 73.6, narrowly beating East Antrim’s Alex Byrne on Major Cross (73.3). The honours in Arena 3 went to Byrne’s teammate, Helen Cunningham, on Leitrim Native Choice (72.1) with Daniel filling the runner-up spot on Anvil Lodge Pinnochio (71.4).
The winning team at Novice level were the Iveagh Zebras – Jessica Mulgrew on the 2011 Knockagarron Fear Bui Titan gelding Knockagarron Emperor, Eve Fitzsimmons with the 2015 gelding Emile Ford, Hollie Donnan on the Connemara gelding Killoughter Nugget, a 15-year-old by Ashfield Romeo, and Emma Irwin riding the 13-year-old Sing Song Blue mare, PSH Let’s Tango.
The second-placed Killultagh team included the two Arena winners, Anna McErlean on Raford Jack (70.5) and Hollie Fitzpatrick on Admirals Voyage (77.3).
The Grassroot team competition was won by the Iveagh Pandas – Beth Wishart on Bluebell, the Arena 1 winner Catherine Cowan with Lady Remarque (83.5), Lucy Donnan riding Holywood Pippin and Holly Rice on My Isabelle. Representing the Fermanagh Harriers Branch, Emily Black topped the scores in Arena 2 with Donn Boy (73.5).
Eleven teams contested the Walk Trot competition where the two Arena winners, Ellie Murphy on Waitwith Dynasty (73.5) and Lily Murphy on Millford Spectacular (73.8) joined forces with Sophie McBride who had two rides, Rolo and Buster, to win for the Iveagh Magpies.
Excellent riding standard
“We had a great day with just a little rain mid-morning,” commented the Iveaghs’ press officer, Áine Lavery. “The standard of riding was excellent while tack and turn-out were a credit to the members and their parents.
“This was the last Area competition and the qualified riders from all the Area competitions, and their parents, started wading their way through paperwork to ensure their smooth travel to and from The Regional Championships in Scotland (this weekend) and The Pony Club Championships in Offchurch, Warwickshire (August 13th to 22nd).”