THE final of this year’s Irish Pony Society’s Sports Pony Challenge was held last Sunday at Boswell Equestrian, where the organisers were delighted with the great weather conditions and the co-operation they received from the team at the Co Wicklow venue.

The flat phase of the 133cm, 143cm, 153cm and Connemara classes was assessed by Bernie Webb, who was recently upgraded to List 2 with Dressage Ireland, while Vicky Cloney (List 5) judged the Starter Stakes, 158cm and Novice classes. The task of judging fell to Jane Darragh in the working hunter phase and to Gillie Beere in the show jumping phase.

Killian Clarke built both jumping tracks, which were well up to standard for a final. The working hunter course proved quite challenging with eliminations in six of the eight classes. Final winners received trophies plus prize money, while the League winners were presented with rugs sponsored by Rachel Bennett Hamilton.

The winners of the opening starter stakes were the very consistent pairing of Rosita Dunne and the Welsh-bred Fontmell Jack Sparrow. In the league, Dunne and the cream 11-year-old had to settle for second (25 points) behind Abbey Cassidy and the 12-year-old dun mare Darkly Julie (27), who finished fourth on Sunday.

There were only four starters in the 133cm class, half of whom failed to complete. The winner was the locally-based Tristan Kelly on the 15-year-old dun gelding Tinnecarrig Milo. Second on Sunday, Louisa Dalton won the league (34 points) with the 21-year-old British-bred skewbald gelding Frosthill Jackaroo.

The well-known 17-year-old Connemara gelding Little Dromin Phoenix, a son of Lettermuckoo Lad, landed Sunday’s 143cm final under regular partner Evie Kennedy. Aisling Malone finished second with the Connemara gelding Barravalley Bailey (by Barravalley Jack), but the positions were reversed in the league which Malone and the seven-year-old dun won by two points (30 to 28).

Strong field

The scorers had to work a bit harder to find the winner of the 153cm class, as both Katie Meany on the seven-year-old Irish Sport Pony gelding My Gurranes Amigo (by Kippure Mo Cuisle) and Charlotte Goor on the five-year-old ISH gelding Redinagh Wild Card (by Cavalier Land) completed on the same score.

As they had recorded the higher working hunter mark, Meany and My Gurranes Amigo were deemed the winners, but they were beaten into second in the league (again 30 points to 28) by Morgan Leahy and the eight-year-old Connemara gelding Eitherard Lad (by Caherlistrane Bay).

The Rough Diamond trophy for the Challenge champion was presented to Lily Nadir following her win in the 158cm final and league on the 11-year-old ISH gelding Zavy Echo (Zavatar F - Taylor Echo, by Clover Echo).

The dedicated Connemara classes were won by Lara Field on the 11-year-old home-bred Silver Shadow mare Creganna Kerfuffle (90cm/1m) and by Sarah Maguire with the 12-year-old Dancing Tego mare Star Of The Night (1.05m/1.10m). In the 90cm/1m league, Field and Creganna Kerfuffle had to settle for second on 19 points behind Roisin Casey and the six-year-old Oscar Liath gelding Oorid Alfie, while Maguire and Star Of The Night doubled up in the higher league.

Sunday’s novice class was won by Evie Holohan on the six-year-old Connemara gelding Ballyerk Minuet, a son of Ballyerk Cream on whom she recently landed an EI80 on the grey’s eventing debut at Lisgarvan House.

Jane Hancock and Tiggy’s Trust sponsored rosettes for the highest-placed Pony Club members over the course of the league and presented a cup to the winner, Sophie Cusack who rode the 15-year-old Connemara gelding Clareville Codiac.

Ireland is hosting the European working hunter championships in 2027, so next spring’s Sports Pony Challenge will definitely carry a higher profile as this competition follows the same format as the Europeans and so will provide a good opportunity to prepare for the championships.