QUALIFIED members of the Irish Pony Club descended on the very popular venue of Tattersalls Ireland for the Connolly’s Red Mills IPC national eventing championships in August with a selected number then competing in the inaugural Pony Club Nations Cup at Ballindenisk the following month.

Qualification for the national championships began in mid-May, when the Waterford Branch hosted the first leg at the former Eventing Ireland venue of Ballinamona where members also started collecting Foran Equine League points and, where applicable, Treo Eile thoroughbred league points.

There continues to be poor support for the higher-graded championships but, hopefully, with the chance to represent the IPC/Ireland against teams from Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, there might be a return to Branches from those who, over the past few seasons, have only competed with Eventing Ireland.

Between team, arena and individual competitions, plus dressage awards and league results, we can’t mention all winners here. However, we must refer to the 2025 Connolly’s Red Mills Open champion, Ben Buckley, a member of the Co Limerick Hunt Branch, as he and his winning mount, the Irish Sport Horse gelding Tullabeg Flamenco, went on to win the CNC2* section of the Nations Cup at Ballindenisk.

The CNC1* section was won by England’s Henry Davis on the ISH gelding Rebel Edward with the highest-placed Irish rider being Keira Crowther, who finished second on Tomoka Spots. Crowther and the appaloosa gelding had been on the Killinick squad who won the Intermediate team championship at Tattersalls where they also won their Arena and comfortably claimed the Foran Equine league at this level.

Up in Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland), there were two main fixtures, both of which were held at Dirraw Farm.

The Area eventing championships were staged in late June, when higher-graded members could qualify for UK Pony Club championships in England in mid-August, while those competing at PC80 level or lower qualified for the Regional final in Scotland earlier that month.

It was disappointing to see the low turnout for the PC100 and PC110 classes, but the PC90 section attracted 11 teams which then formed two well-filled individual sections. However, the Area’s best result at the JCB-sponsored championships in Offchurch Bury came at PC100 level.

There, the mixed quartet of Hannah Thompson (Mid Antrim), Lauren McGlennon (North Down), Cayleigh Erwin (East Antrim) and Erin McCrea (East Antrim) claimed the reserve slot in the 26-strong team championship, while Thompson fared best individually when finishing second in her Arena on her ISH mare Jameela Charm.

At the Home Championships in late August, when competitions ran from open PC80 level down to PC40 assisted, the best supported team event was the 12-strong PC50 championship, which was won by the North Down 50 Tigers quartet of Carter Greeves, Caelan Greeves, Georgia Davis and Grace Jackson. The last-named won the individual title on board the Connemara gelding Stracomer Super Mario.