AREA 17 of the Irish Pony Club held its Home Championships in eventing at the Laurel View Equestrian Centre outside Templepatrick on Monday, a Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland.

Although there were plenty of counter attractions such as racing in Downpatrick and Beth’s Charity Show at The Meadows, roughly 230 combinations were listed for five classes which ranged in height from 85cms down to 45cms, with the lowest class being divided into unassisted and assisted.

Ten teams started in the 85cms class, seven of whom completed. The Iveagh Branch, which is, by far, the largest in Area 17, fielded three teams and won through its Dalmatians quartet of Emily Duncan, Thea Walsh, Robert Fitzgerald and Simone Leatham.

They completed on a penalty score of 124.5 with the East Antrims finishing second on 132.9, while a mixed team of Route and Fermanagh members were third on 153.1.

Riding The Ice Man for her North Down Branch, Emmalee Turley landed Section A of the individual competition when adding 4.4 cross-country time penalties to her winning dressage score of 26.9, while the honours in Section B went to the East Downs’ Abby Cumminsky, whose total of 33.2 on Holiday Graceful Lady included 2.4 cross-country time penalties.

Some 16 teams lined out for the 75cms class and here it was the East Antrims, the day’s hosts, who came out best through their Black squad of Katie Bamford, Katelyn Irvine, Laura McKay and Toby Davison who posted an excellent team total of 79.8.

North Down A were second on 103.7 with the A team from RD Equestrian, one of 15 designated centres in Area 17, placing third on 106.5.

INDIVIDUAL

In the individual competitions, McKay topped the leaderboard in Section B when completing on her winning dressage score of 21.2 with Spartacus Boy while Sam McElroy, a member of the Iveaghs’ Piebalds team, also recorded an all-the-way success in Section A with Tutti Fruittii (24.8).

Disappointingly, nine of the 15 teams which started in the 65cms class failed to complete but here there was another clear-cut winner in the sole East Down team of Sam Hamilton, Lauren Madine, Fergus Emmett and Emma Burns.

Their three counting scores amounted to 133.8 penalties which left them some way ahead of the second-placed Tullylagan A team (193) who had just a point in hand over the Iveagh Magpies.

Representing Iveagh Penguins, Hollie Fisher won the individual Section A with Breeze on her dressage score of 36.9, while, in Section B, it was Adam Booth of North Down who topped the rankings on his flat work mark of 35.8 with the Welsh pony Maxwelltown Moonmythe.

The East Downs doubled up in the unassisted 45cms team competition through Andrew Sharvin, Oliver Kinnear, Daniel Toner and Mya McMullan who posted a score of 80.4 penalties.

The East Antrim Leopards finished second on 95.4, their team featuring the sole individual winner at this height, Eve Lindsey on Laffar Barthez (23.9), with the Route in third on 96.1.

TULLyLAGAN TRIO

The Tullylagan trio of Zoe Caskey, Abbie Harkness and Emily Maneely won the assisted 45cms class on a total of 126.1, ahead of the Iveagh Dolphins (131.1) and Iveagh Whales (139.3).

Riding Grange Minstrel, Harkness claimed the individual honours despite adding four show jumping penalties to her dressage score of 30.

“It was a great event, especially for our younger members competing in the 45cms assisted and unassisted classes,” commented Area 17 representative Liz Lowry.

“The day was a bit dull and grey but the weather wasn’t as bad as forecast and, while the going was a bit soft on top, the younger ones seemed to enjoy the mud.”

Those leading the assisted riders might have had other thoughts on the subject!