THERE was some spectacular shooting in the junior ranks of the Irish Pony Club Tetrathlon championships with James Kavanagh of Carlow recording 10 bulls’ eyes using a pistol on his way to winning the boys’ individual international class on a total of 4,889.

Kavanagh, who also won the swim, was on the Irish silver squad which claimed the team event (19,300) and little wonder as it also contained Robbie Savage who finished second (4,821), James Drumm who was third (4,815), Tim O’Brien who finished fifth (4,775) and the sixth-placed Pádraig Fives (4,774).

Jack Sargent, who was fourth individually, was a member of the Ireland gold team which also finished second (18,260) along with Harry Swan, Dillon McAuliffe, Finn Heaslip and Daragh Fitzgerald.

It was an excellent weekend for Shillelagh’s Tim O’Brien who won the national individual championships and was also on the successful mixed squad which won the team event along with Waterford’s Niall Houlihan, Cavan’s Finn Heaslip and Noah Pim of the Warrington Branch. While O’Brien won the shoot (here by rifle), James Kavanagh won the swim for the Carlow branch while the run went to Kildare’s Jack Sargent. Placing third, Wicklow won the branch title.

Eight junior girls scored 960 points out of 1,000 in shooting in the international competition; seven members of Irish Pony Club branches and Emma Whitaker of the third-placed team United Kingdom 2 (17,633).

The winning team on 18,363 points was Ireland bronze whose members were four of the top shooters Alex Stewart, Rebecca Lowe, Leah O’Neill and Isobel Radford-Todd. The fifth team member was Hannah Gayer.

In her first year in Juniors, Lowe, who previously landed two Minimus championships, won the individual title on 4,735 points ahead of Whitaker (4,688). She also landed the national championship on 4,605 points and was a member of the third-placed South Westmeath team (12,756) which also included Louise Kennedy and Aoife Fitzgerald.

The branch championship was won for the first time by Waterford (13,336) whose four members Heather O’Connor, Ruth O’Connor, Eimear Larkin and Moya Whelan all recorded clear rounds on Sunday at Tattersalls.

For those who camped out at the sales venue, there was a lot of rain on Saturday and Sunday nights but, apart from a couple of showers, the weather was pleasant for both the ride and run phases.

It was good to see some long alternatives at fences which helped more riders complete and there will be plenty hoping that O’Neill produces similar at next weekend’s Connolly’s Red Mills championships which also take place at Tattersalls.

The Tetrathlon championships, which came at the end of a very busy week for Irish Pony Club members, their parents and competition organisers, were sponsored by Glanbia and Tayto Park.