FOLLOWING four very competitive qualifiers and two highly-charged finals in the EOS IT Solutions Arena last Sunday morning, Mia Grey O’Leary was crowned the Karlswood High Performance Centre junior equitation champion at the 2026 Gallagher Dublin Horse Show.

Only the performance of the rider in one round of jumping was assessed by the judge, New York-based Irish native Jimmy Doyle, and Grey O’Leary, who turned 13 in June, recorded her championship-winning score of 98 points in the opening 138cm class.

George Kelly finished second on Miss Lexi (96), with Milly Draper, riding Glenmore Acrobatique (95), narrowly holding off the challenge of Maisy Murphy on Lde My Girl.

The new champion partnered her mother Camilla’s 12-year-old Connemara mare Castlegannon Tara (by Grange Finian Sparrow), who she has been riding since October 2025. On Saturday, Grey O’Leary, who is a member of the Kildare Branch of the Irish Pony Club, and the grey finished eighth in the 143cm working hunter pony class.

As many will know, Mia’s father Vincent died suddenly in early July, so this was a very emotional success.

“I don’t know how Mia held it together for the presentation,” said Camilla, who remained outside the ring. “I’m so very proud of her. She has been riding this mare since October 2025 and this was her first year to try the qualifiers. I have to pay credit to Tom Walsh, who took over Mia’s training about a year and a half ago.

“I also have to mention the wonderful show of camaraderie for Mia from her friends and supporters in the Pony Club and all those at Abbeyfield Farm where we keep our horses and ponies - it was incredible.”

The Show Jumping Ireland National Pony and Children on Horses Championships at Mullingar (August 20th to 23rd) are the next target for Grey O’Leary, as they are for Chloe Dempsey, the clear-cut winner of the 153cm final on 97 points with Carnhill Stormy Boy.

Thanks to her higher score in the ‘use and effectiveness of the aids’, Melanie Marnane narrowly claimed second place on Krafty Tim Hunt, ahead of Sophie Morrin and Cappog Lui Surprise - although both completed on 92.5 points.

Qualified

Sixteen-year-old Chloe qualified first time out at Mullingar this year on Carnhill Stormy Boy, the nine-year-old Connemara gelding by Dunloughan Scot on whom she finished second in this class last August. The north Co Dublin combination also qualified for Saturday’s 153cm working hunter pony class, in which they finished fifth.

Chloe is trained by her father Paul who, in starting the pony for his daughter, partnered the Dermot Rowley-bred grey in the younger Connemara performance hunter class here in 2024.

“We bought the pony locally as a six-year-old from Roisin O’Scanaill,” revealed Chloe’s mother Geraldine Dempsey, treasurer of Cheval Riding Club.

“He had done very little at that stage bar compete at one show in Cheval.

“Chloe rode ‘Stormy’ on the 148cm debut team at Wales and West last month and is bringing him and Pat McCormack’s Cavern Hill Anney to Mullingar, where her brother Sam (13) has three ponies to compete. We’ll then think about the Leinster Championships.”

At the prize-giving ceremony on Sunday, sponsor Karlswood was represented by Ruth and Cara O’Connor.