Lorna Keogh

SHILLELAGH and District Hunt Pony Club captured the Irish Pony Club senior mounted games championship for the third time in their history, with team-trainer John Driver presented with the Leonard Perpetual cup.

The games proved to be a huge attraction on Sunday afternoon in the RDS as riders demonstrated accuracy, agility and horsemanship at high speed in front of a huge watching audience.

The fishing game saw riders hooking wooden fish on to fishing poles and balancing them there at full tilt, while the sack race delighted the watching audience. Two teams, Galway Mid County and Shillelagh and District Hunt, were tied on an equal score after the final round, so a short tie-breaker game was held to decide the overall championships winners.

This provided a nail-biting finish as Shillelagh crossed the finish line first to take the title for 2015.

The Shillelagh and District team included Niamh Kinsella, an experienced games competitor who has been on the winning under 10 pony club championship team previously and has also represented Ireland at pony club games in Wales.

She had an extra challenge at the championship as her pony Allegra picked up an injury. Luckily, however, her brother John was on hand to loan his gelding Travis and the pair proved to be a winning combination.

Fellow team member Cliona Mordaunt made her second RDS appearnce, where she partnered her pony Sassy having also benefited from international experience this year at games in Wales.

Beibhinn Byrne also played a key role with her pony Dazzle, having only started pony club games training last November.

The squad also included two riders making their debut at the RDS in Robbie Jackson riding Archie and Eoin Kavanagh with his pony Ruby.