ON Sunday, February 22nd, the Co Clare Branch of the Irish Pony Club held the second of the season’s Triathlon/Biathlon qualifiers, staging the swim phase at Active Leisure Ennis followed by the shoot and run phases at the local showgrounds.

The host Branch fielded two winners, the first being Grace Murphy who topped both the swim and run scores in the Senior Girls’ competition en route to a winning total of 2,476 points. Meath’s Bridget Corcoran, who won the shoot, finished second on 2,396 in this seven-starter class.

The Co Clare double came up in the 10-strong Junior Boys’ qualifier where Cillian Considine’s successful total of 2,917 included the top score in the shoot. The swim winner, Co Limerick’s John Kirby placed second on 2,848. Here, the run scores were headed by Aaron O’Sullivan, a member of The Kingdom.

Three representatives of the Co Limerick Hunt Branch secured victory, J.J. Power amassing 2,643 points to see off his two rivals in the Senior Boys’ competition, Duhallow’s Edward Healy (2,395) and Waterford’s Darragh Walsh (2,584). The three won a phase apiece.

It was the turn of Grace Power to strike in the 34-runner Junior Girls’ competition, where her win in the run helped boost her total to 3,005 points. Carlow’s Ali Hughes, who topped the scores in the shoot, finished second (2,975), ahead of the winner in the pool, Kilkenny’s Anna Rose Hughes (2,853).

In completing the Co Limerick treble in the 25-strong two-phase Minimus Boys’ class on 2,490 points, having won both the swim and run, Archie McCartan was following up on his success a week earlier at the Carlow qualifier. His feat was mirrored in the Minimus Girls’ section by North Kilkenny’s Molly Jean Clarke, who saw off 51 rivals on her way to victory.

The Scarteen Branch won both Fledging classes through the efforts of Charles Purcell and Patricia Ryan.