Margie McLoone

IRISH competitors recorded some excellent results at The Pony Club tetrathlon championships in Bishop Burton, England, last week, highlighted by Ireland’s team victory in the international senior boys’ event where the Ward Union’s Chris Coakley was individual winner.

The cross-country phase of the senior competitions took in some of the track and fences used in the recent junior European eventing championships at the east Yorkshire venue and it was difficult to achieve the full 1,400 points. A double of hedges on the top of a hill followed by a steep downhill run to a sharp left-handed corner caused a lot of problems.

Of the IPC senior boys’ team, only Coakley managed to pick up maximum points, a feat which was all the more remarkable as he had only twice schooled Tom Kent’s 10-year-old Clover Echo mare Eliza Bleu. The 19-year-old, who is starting dentistry in UCD shortly, completed the four phases on 4,465 points with the Four Burrow Hunt’s Christopher Harris next best on 4,429.

Of the other team Ireland competitors, Warrington’s Mike Healy won both the swim and run phases en route to his total of 4,388, Kilkenny’s Luke Sutherland completed on 4,300, Patrick Duggan of the Co Limerick Branch finished on 4,312 while Jamie Carroll of Laois had a total of 4,139.

The East Down team of Paddy Erskine, Ewan Findlay, Andrew Turley and Rory McMullan, who were second to the Kilkenny Lions in Limerick earlier this month, accumulated 12,645 points to also finish second to the South Nottinghamshire Branch (12,681) in the club competition.

England won the international senior girls’ event but the IPC team put up some good performances. Co Clare’s Harriet Flynn was one of just 16 competitors, out of 43 starters, to achieve the full 1,400 points in the ride phase as she completed on 4,280 to finish fifth behind the Percy Hunt’s Steph Courty (4,424).

East Galway’s Ciara and Aoife Greene finished on 2,948 and 3,544 respectively, the Duhallows’ Faye Mansfield accumulated 4,244 points and Eimear O’Brien of the West Waterford Branch, achieved a total of 4,164.

The Ireland boys’ team were also on the mark at intermediate level where all five IPC members were clear across the country.

Liam Kelleher of the Duhallow Branch picked up 4,260 points, the West Waterfords’ Padraig Fives had a total of 4,056, Wicklow’s Robbie Savage finished on 4,135, Co Limerck’s Eoin Duggan McSweeney was on 4,119 with Timmy Love of the Meaths on 4,176. The individual winner was Jamie Butt of the Surrey Union Hunt on 4,420 while Scott McIvor of the Seskinore Harriers completed on 3,944.

intermediate

There was a large IPC representation in the intermediate girls’ championships where the Co Limerick trio of twins Roisin and Aoife Duggan McSweeney and Alex Stewart won the clubs’ competition on a total of 12,352. The Glaisdale Hunt Branch finished second on 12,012.

Thanks to her good run phase, the Meaths’ Eimear O’Neill finished second individually on 4,336 behind the Hurworth Hunt Branch’s Ella Eadon (4,400). The other IPC members were Duhallow’s Patricia Hayes (4,044), South Westmeath’s Sophie Lowe (4,054), the Brays’ Ellie Scott (4,296), Waterford’s Anna Kent (4,104) and the Carbery pair Ella Nicholson (4,028) and Elsa Harte (3,624).

The Iveaghs’ Sarah and Claire Sinton, who finished on 3,382 and 3,908 respectively, and Ellen Erskine (4,012) of the East Down and Lia McKenzie (3,816), represented Area 17 (Northern Ireland).

There were no IPC members in the junior section where the North Down squad of Izzy Riley, Charlotte de Montmorency, Katie Riley and Rose de Montmorency finished fourth (12,773) in the girls’ team competition behind the Beaufort Hunt Branch (13.707).