THE Laois Hunt Branch held their Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club eventing qualifier on Saturday, July 4th in the beautiful setting of Stradbally Hall where the hosts had the perfect start.

They did so through Megan Adams who, in the No 1 bib, recorded an all-the-way success on the only sub-30 penalty dressage score (29.25) in the Intermediate Section A, with Corranvale Arabella, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Antaeus.

The Kildares’ Evie Holohan also won Section B on her flat work mark (26.75) with the ISH mare Lady Ace, a 13-year-old daughter of Jack Of Diamonds. The leader after dressage, Wicklow member Louise McHugh, picked up a very expensive single show jumping time penalty to drop to second with Pop The Question (27).

Intermediate A winner Megan Adams Laois PC riding Corranvale Arabella \ Mel Doyle

The organisers also split the Intro Intermediate class with Section A being won by the Kilkennys’ Maebh Hearne who, in completing on her third-placed first phase score (31), claimed the win on the eight-year-old palomino gelding Comeragh Marko.

The early leader on 28.25, the Killinicks’ Keira Crowther, was eliminated across the country with OK Lucky Diamond while Longford’s Emma Kenny dropped from second (30) to last of the 12 finishers (17 starters) having had problems in both jumping phases on Ruby Menlo Kelly’s Boy.

Half of the 18-runner field were eliminated over the fixed fences in Section B where only two combinations finished on their flat work mark. One of these was Wexford’s Mai Donovan who, on 27 penalties in third, was left in front to take the win with Son Of Tillie, a six-year-old gelding by Knockferry Cheeky Boots.

There were three sections of Juniors. The very much in-form Bray combination of Emily Grimes and the 21-year-old Templebready Fear Bui gelding Millridge Buachaill Bui recorded an all-the-way win in Section A. Rosie Conlan struck in similar fashion on Clogheen Cody for the Offaly Branch in Section B as did the Killinicks’ Freya Barry in Section C with The Causey Girl, a 15-year-old mare by Rebel Mountain.

The Killinick Branch doubled up in the Intro Junior A where Ben Murphy, who had been lying second, was left in front to claim the win on the six-year-old piebald gelding Knocknacullen Bruno. It was back to an all-the-way success in Section B where Carlow’s Emily Flavin-Redmond completed on her winning dressage score with the Connemara gelding Annaveigh Mairtin, a four-year-old dun by Killaloe Buachaill Mor.

Two raiders from Area 7 won the divided Under 12s class. In Section A, this was the Ward Union’s Chloe Mollaghan who had been in a share of the lead on board The Grey Knight while the well-known working hunter pony combination of Nadine Dunne and the 11-year-old Carrwood Zeus gelding Fontmell Jack Sparrow recorded a pillar-to-post success for the Meath Branch.