THE final two qualifiers for this year’s Irish Pony Club/Connolly’s Red Mills eventing championships were held last weekend when the Killinicks’ Keira Crowther further increased her lead at the top of the Foran Equine Intermediate league by winning at both fixtures.

On board her mother Clare’s Tomoka Spots, the 15-year-old appaloosa gelding with whom she competed in the Pony Club combined training final at this week’s Dublin Horse Show, Crowther got off the mark on Saturday at the Shillelagh Branch’s qualifier held at the Tinahely Riding Club grounds in Coolboy.

The organisers were delighted with the entry – and even more so with the perfect weather – while the vast majority of competitors were delighted with the cross-country course which was built by Patricia Doyle and Robert Darby.

Crowther and Tomoka Spots recorded a clear-cut victory in the opening Intermediate where they completed on their winning dressage score (22.75 penalties). In the Intro Intermediate, a fence down show jumping resulted in the first-phase winners, North Kilkenny’s Leah Dooley and Emly Rose drop to second (29.5) behind Bray’s Anna Malone on the 15-year-old skewbald mare Garbally Suzie (26).

In the well-filled Junior class, there were wins for Wexford’s Mai Donovan on Arthurstown Raven (Section A), Newcastle Lyons’s Lucy Flynn with Rock Houdini (Section B) and Kildare’s Sasha Perrin riding Carra Silver Bells (Section C). The Kildares doubled up when Nia Webbon comfortably landed Section B of the Under 12s’ class on Bruckless Elmar, Katie Murphy and Cartoor Larry first winning Section A for the North Kilkenny Branch.

The last of the 2025 qualifiers was staged by Area 5 on Bank Holiday Monday at Ballindenisk. Following a bit of rain during the morning’s dressage, the weather picked up and was perfect for the cross-country phase where Tom Busteed’s commentary kept everyone involved. The track, designed by Peter Fell, asked plenty of questions but was inviting at all levels.

The Under 12s prixe winners Lauren MacMahon, Hannah McCoy, Isobel Landy, Alexis Jordan and Maria Fleminghand at the Area 5 qualifier held at Ballindenisk

All-the-way win

Isabel Fitzgerald’s all-the-way win on OLS Pixie Hollow for the United Branch saw her close to within one point of this week’s Dublin pairing, Ben Buckley and Tullabeg Flamenco, in the Foran Equine Open league. Fitzgerald has taken over the ride this season on the 2009 Master Imp mare OLS Pixie Hollow who was bred in Co Kildare by Kieran Connors out of the top-class eventing mare Just Beauty Queen (by Seamanship).

Here too, Crowther and Tomoka Spots completed on their winning dressage score to record their fifth Intermediate success in the series, which were backed up by four second-place finishes. Saturday’s unlucky runner-up, North Kilkenny’s Leah Dooley, had no problems this time, leading from start to finish in the Intro Intermediate on her mother Vanessa’s Irish Sport Horse mare Emly Rose, a 19-year-old bay mare by Kings Master.

With members anxious to achieve qualification for the championships, all the classes were well-filled but particularly so the Junior where the South Union’s Molly Egan was left in front to claim Section A on board Houndswood Moonbay. The Tipperary Branch struck twice at this level through Sarah Kennedy riding Lough Eyes Lad (Section B) and Lucy Meagher riding Cosmic Call (Section C).

Representing the Carbery Branch, Maria Fleming Hand won Section A of the Under 12s class on board Bishopshall Joe with Section B going the way of Waterford’s Tara Power riding Millcroft Dow Jones.