THE Meath Hunt Branch of the Irish Pony Club accepted an invitation to demonstrate their IPC Festival-winning musical ride on day two of the Barron Transport Dressage Ireland Youth National Championships Festival at Castle Irvine, Necarne.

The troupe of 16 members, ranging from eight to 16 years of age, put on their brilliant Julianne Baker-designed costumes of ringmasters, clowns, zebras, elephants, trapeze artists and mimes for one last time and danced their way around the Walled Garden in Necarne to the soundtrack of The Greatest Showman. The floor plan was designed by Aoife Clayton, who was assisted by Joey Moore.

Aoife’s daughter Eabha-Lilly competed in the Trailblazer Under-12 ranks over the two days of the Festival, winning the Preliminary title on board the 15-year-old skewbald mare Moonlite Splash of Colour (126.25), before recording an uncontested victory in the Novice championship on another skewbald mare, the 18-year-old Haybells Cinderella (193.4).

Also on the team, who possibly performed their best ride to date, were Polly Geraghty and Rachel Westphal, who had been competing at the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show the previous weekend. Polly had finished second on Horse And Jockey Claper in the working hunter starter stakes, while Rachel, last year’s winner, had once again contested the 138cm Junior Equitation final on Clonross Giselle.

The youngest rider in the troupe was the smallest elephant, eight-year-old Freya Lynch.

The other Trailblazer winners at Necarne were Maeve McGinn riding Katharina Suhl’s 18-year-old 127cm Dutch-bred gelding Ruby (126.25 in the Mini championship), Amelia Santos with Emma McAuley’s nine-year-old thoroughbred gelding Dapple Delight (183.25 in the Over 12s Preliminary) and Erin Dowling and her six-year-old Irish Draught-cross mare Superior Duchess (198.1 in the Over-12s’ Novice).

Following the withdrawal of her two intended rivals, Lily McLaughlin was the sole starter in the open Trailblazer Freestyle, where she scored 69.72% on the 17-year-old Welsh Section D gelding Camarnaint Rambler.