THE Kildare/North Leinster Area of the Irish Pony Society held their annual awards lunch last Saturday at Kettles Hotel, Swords where the rosettes and trophies were presented by committee member Anne Watchorn.
As there is a need to encourage more young males into showing, we’re going to start off here with the KNL boy rider of the year, Rohán Moloney, whose once Kildare-based family retain their contact with this Area although they now live in Co Kilkenny.
The seven-year-old had had a busy afternoon as, in addition to that riders’ award, he was presented with the mini pony champion of the year award for Tabita Mini Minx who was then crowned overall pony of the year for the fourth time.
Owned by the rider’s mother Zoe Shannon, the rising 23-year-old Welsh mare, who was bred in Co Westmeath by Mary Dooner, is by Tabita Show Time out of Gwendraeth Mari Lwyd, by Bengad White Pine. Ronhán hopes to qualify for the first ridden class at Dublin next year on the bay who the family have owned for the past nine years.
Moloney’s 12-year-old brother Lennan, who is setting his sights on the 133cm show hunter pony class at Dublin, won the 2025 Area starter stakes and Mountain and Moorland championships with Penny Hard’s home-bred 14-year-old Welsh gelding Glynsylen Magellan (Russetwood Elation - Araglen Marilyn, by Gigman Orinocco).
Leading girl rider Kate Lawlor at the IPS Kildare/North Leinster Area awards lunch \ John O'Carroll
Lawlor is ‘girl of the year’
The Area’s girl rider of the year is 15-year-old Kate Lawlor who mainly claimed the title through her results with the show pony champion of 2025, her father Brendan’s 11-year-old British-bred mare Roseberry Make Believe (Chiddock Time Lord - Roseberry Serendipity, by Botingelle Swansong). Her other winning rides were the Connemaras Rathcline May, an eight-year-old mare by Gwennic de Goariva, and Castletown Shade, a five-year-old gelding by Moonlight Silver Shadow.
The 2025 show hunter champion was the nine-year-old British-bred Welsh mare Rockbury Amelia who was ridden by the young handler of the year, Ada Logue-Purcell; Charlotte Ferris was presented with the part-bred championship rosette and the equitation award following her season on the Michael Hourigan-bred 17-year-old gelding Ahane Valiant (Holyoake Czar - Ahane Beauty, by Sparnbrook Blue Gem).
The Area’s champion Connemara of the year was the Amira Curran-partnered nine-year-old gelding Caherpuca Chappy (Coolin America - Loughfadda Darling, by Rebel Justice), who was bred in Co Galway by Michael and Kendra Rabbitte. Rosita Dunne won the performance championship with the 10-year-old British-bred gelding Fontmell Jack Sparrow (Carrwood Zeus - Fontmell Joie de Vivre, by Fontmell Race Against Time).
Harriet Baker, winner of the Durham trophy, with her grandmother Angela Baker at the IPS Kildare/North Leinster Area awards lunch \ John O'Carroll
The locally-based Nancy Caffrey claimed the Area’s working hunter title with the 19-year-old Bowmount Rusty, who has no recorded pedigree, while Ann Grimes, who doesn’t live too far from the venue either, won the youngstock award for the ponies she breeds at her Lambay Stud.
Finally, the Durham trophy, which is awarded to the top KNL rider at the Area’s summer show in Tattersalls Ireland, was presented to a delighted Harriet Baker who had won the mini supreme championship in July on Greendown Mandarin.
Owned by the rider’s parents Lisa and John, the 16-year-old British-bred Welsh gelding is by Millay Consort out of the Twycross Consort mare Greendown Fergie.