THE Longford Hunt Branch of the Irish Pony Club is supporting the Longford Harriers who have booked the date of Friday, July 17th for The Rincoola Derby, which is open to all with special prizes for Pony Club members.

In announcing the event, the organisers mentioned some of the great horsemen who were born in Co Longford such as Frank Berry, Eddie Macken, Captain Gerry Flynn and the one of most interest to readers of this column, the late Harold McGahern, in whose memory a trophy will be presented to the highest-placed Pony Club member in the 1m class.

Further details will be announced nearer the date but, basically, the show, which is being kindly hosted by the McGahern family, will offer show jumping competitions from lead rein to 1m level and dressage classes from lead rein to Open Pony Club level, using the same tests as those for the Irish Pony Club Festival.

Prior to this Derby day, the McGaherns will be holding the fourth and final leg of the Young Eventhorse Series at Rincoola, on Tuesday, June 30th. This doubles up as a qualifier for the young event horse classes and the Junior/Young Rider event horse class at Dublin and, on the same day, Tuesday, June 30th, they will be running the last of the RDS horse working hunter qualifiers.

The following Saturday, July 4th, Rincoola will again be a busy spot as it stages the final round of the Connemara performance hunter, ridden Connemara and performance Irish Draught qualifiers for Dublin.