Doran flies the flag for Fledglings

FAYE Doran, who featured on the front page of the Irish Horse World section of The Irish Field following last year’s Irish Pony Club National Minimus Championships, was presented with a special prize as leading fledgling at Clonshire last Sunday.

Now seven, Doran again rode the 19-year-old dun mare Canoy, who she also competes under ShowJumping Ireland rules, along with the former 1.10m performer Bilbo Baggins, who is 24.

Faye’s brothers, Scott and Hugo, plus Frankie Rath and Billy Scallan, were on the 10th-placed Killinick squad, who won the Sisk Cup as the leading all-boys’ team.

Birthday celebrations at Clonshire

THE youngest competitor at the Lyons of Limerick DEFENDER/Irish Pony Club National Minimus Championships was Paddy Donovan, a member of the Island Hunt Branch, who turned seven over the weekend.

Fellow competitors, parents, supporters, volunteers and officials all gave the young rider a huge cheer, when he got himself back in the saddle on Charlie’s Friend at the DEFENDERS slip gate in Clonshire on Saturday. Donovan and all Fledglings at the championships were presented with rosettes.

Festival entries open on Monday

ENTRIES open on Monday next, June 22nd, for The Irish Pony Club’s three-day Festival at Barnadown, running from Wednesday to Friday, July 22nd to 24th.

Day one will see members compete in Under 10s, Under 12s, Novice and Intro Intermediate combined training, in Junior mounted games and in the musical ride.

Combined training for those competing at Junior level and higher takes place on the Thursday, plus the first of the team show jumping competitions (the Alice Mernagh for Under 12s), pure dressage and Senior B mounted games.

There are mounted games for Under 10s on the final day when the Robbie Bailey (Junior), John Ledingham (Intermediate) and Senior team show jumping competitions will be followed by a Senior individual class.