THE first supreme champion crowned at last weekend’s very successful 20th Northern Ireland Festival was Garnagree Golden Bravado who, ridden by Amelia Logan for her mother Ruth, departed Cavan Equestrian Centre for their Co Antrim home as the mini novice champion of champions.
En route to claiming this accolade, nine-year-old Amelia and the year-older Goldengrove Bravado gelding won their novice show hunter pony first ridden class, going novice mini show hunter champions, and their open show hunter pony first ridden class, going reserve champions.
Up from Co Wexford, Roisin O’Connor Laird finished reserve supreme with Eileen Millar’s novice Mountain and Moorland mini champion Springbourne Commodore, a nine-year-old Welsh gelding by Cascob Silverghos, with the ultra-consistent Co Armagh combination of Lauren O’Rourke and her mother Sarah’s eight-year-old Barrera Duke Of Windsor gelding Pineview Romeo standing first reserve having earlier won the novice M&M working hunter pony championship.
“We have had Garnagree Golden Bravado for just over a year,” related Ruth Logan. “He was bought as a cradle stakes pony and had never done first ridden until Amelia took a big step up to give first ridden a try last year along with some small working hunter classes at IPS shows. We are taking him across to England to compete in some RIHS qualifiers.” Amelia also had a great Festival with her coloured pony Fielden Real McCoy who, too, will be heading over to England.
Mini pony supreme
Seven-year-old Alia Massey headed home with a couple of souvenir Nifty bears following her great results at last weekend’s Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan where, ultimately, she won the mini pony supreme championship with Colandra Meant To Be.
Riding this season for Co Antrim sisters Cherie McHugh and Chloe Cannon, Massey partnered the British-bred Colandra Meant To Be to win their part-bred lead rein class, and go reserve mini part-bred champions, and their mini open show pony lead rein class, going mini open champions.
In the mini pony supreme championship in the Gold Ring on Sunday evening, Amelia Logan finished up reserve supreme with her mother Ruth’s 13-year-old piebald gelding Fielden Real McCoy who won the mini part-bred championship on the Saturday, ahead of Colandra Meant To Be, and was reserve mini show pony champion on Sunday.
Lottie Aindow stood first reserve with Sara Traynor’s open mini Mountain and Moorland champion, the 13-year-old Dartmoor pony Parkbourne Roebuck.
The British-bred Colandra Meant To Be, an eight-year-old gelding by Marty, was untouched when purchased by his present owners three years ago. He had his first season out last year when, then partnered by Brylei Gallagher, he won the novice supreme championship here at NIF and qualified for the Royal International Horse Show which he has done again this season. Last month, he went champion mini at the Irish Pony Society’s spring show in Barnadown.