THE Northern Area of the Irish Pony Society held their autumn show last Saturday week at Knockagh View Equestrian where, as mentioned last week, the ridden supreme champion of the show was the Zoe Price-owned, Holly Logan-ridden eight-year-old Connemara gelding, Lough Derg Star, the ridden Heritage champion.

The ridden supreme was judged by Ryan Anderson and Paddy Trainor, whose reserve was the six-year-old Goldengrove Dancing Spirit (by Wycroft Rainbow Dancer), who had earlier claimed the show hunter pony title under Lauren O’Rourke. Sarah O’Rourke’s bay gelding was also shown to victory in the young handlers’ championship by Sophia Martin.

Anderson and Trainor were joined by Laura Haslett for the mini supreme championship, where the O’Rourkes came out on top with their overall starter stakes champion, the seven-year-old grey gelding Pinegrove Remeo (Barrera Duke of Windsor - Dryfe Sceptre Fantasy, by Tangle Wood Fantasy), who was bred in Co Louth by Sharon Walsh.

In the mini supreme, Pinegrove Remeo stood ahead of the mini show pony champion, the 13-year-old gelding Fielden Real McCoy (by Ninfield Eureka), who was ridden for his mother Ruth by Elliot Logan.

Haslett’s winner of the supreme working hunter championship was the Joanne Sloan Allen-bred Irish Sport Horse mare WKD Little Gift (WKD Aris Boy - WKD Gazella, by Balou du Rouet), who is ridden by Max McDonnell for his mother Mary, who revealed: “We got ‘Lola’ during the season. She hadn’t done much on the circuit at that stage. We first took her to Scotland and put her in a HOYS qualifier, which she won. We then took her to Malvern, where she had another successful week, and then to the BSPS championships at Grantham, where she also had another good week. En route to the supreme title, she won the metre performance hunter class, the performance championship, the open 153cm working hunter class and championship.

On a dry and warm day, Paddy Trainor judged the in-hand section, where his champion was the Jocelyn Hutchinson-produced four-year-old bay gelding Brookllan Beau’s Delight. Elaine Sherrard stood reserve with her two-year-old show hunter pony Parkhill Garnacho (Centurion Bolero - Parkhill Araminta, by Mynach Arion).

Martin is magical

Sophia Martin won the mini working hunter pony championship on the 19-year-old grey gelding Magical Merlin. Jacob Barry partnered the 21-year-old grey gelding Rhydygrug Peter Pan into the reserve slot.

Staying with the workers, the Heritage champion was the over 16s’ Connemara class winner, the Megan Houston-ridden 14-year-old Connemara gelding Western Ocala (Creemully Western Melody). Elissa Cowan was the reserve here on board the 133cm class winner, the Welsh gelding Janala Mr Tom, a 13-year-old bay son of Eyarth Enzo.

Other champions included Pippa and Poppy McIlduff’s four-year-old ISH mare Gortnalea Echo (Echo King), who claimed the Intermediate title under Ben Rainey; the Myia Latto-partnered eight-year-old Ninfield Eureka gelding Newfielden Eureka (show pony); the Amelia Logan-ridden appaloosa gelding Garnagree Golden Bravado (mini show hunter pony); and the Myia Armstrong-partnered Ronelle Ebony (ridden mini Mountain and Moorland championship).