EXCITEMENT is building among Irish Pony Club members who are interested in eventing, as the first qualifier for this year’s Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC national eventing championships takes place on Saturday, May 16th at Ballinamona, where it will be hosted by the Waterford Hunt Branch.

While most of the qualifiers are scheduled for the summer holiday months of June and July, the Wexfords are also running their qualifier in May, on Sunday, May 24th to be exact, when IPC members from around the country will descend on The Kennels, Ballinaboola.

In June, qualifiers will be held on Bank Holiday Monday, 1st at Kilguilkey (Duhallows), on Sunday, 7th at Lisgarvan House (Carlows), on Sunday, 21st at Coolboy (Shillelaghs) and at Ballindenisk (United and Carbery Branches), on Saturday, 27th at Killossery Lodge Stud (Area 7) and, on Sunday, 28th at Flowerhill Equestrian (Tynaghs).

In July, the dates and venues are Saturday, 4th at Stradbally (Laois), Sunday, 5th at Crecora (Limericks), Sunday, 12th at Grove House (Tipperarys), Wednesday, 15th at Sleedagh (Killinicks), Saturday, 18th at Punchestown (Kildares) and Sunday, 26th at Frankfort Stud (Islands).

Area 5 is due to stage the final qualifier on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3rd, at Ballindenisk, after which all roads will lead to Tattersalls Ireland, where the championships will take place over the weekend of August 22nd and 23rd.

Pony Club Festival qualifiers

To suit the purists, the following is a list, in date order, of the Area show jumping qualifiers for the 2026 Irish Pony Club Festival, which will run from Wednesday, July 22nd to Friday, July 24th at Barnadown.

Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th at CoilÓg (Area 2), Saturday, May 9th at Warrington (Area 4), Sunday, May 10th at Tubberbride (Area 6), Saturday, May 16th at a venue to be confirmed (Area 5), Saturday, May 30th at Castleisland (Area 9) and at Killossery Lodge Stud (Area 7), Saturday, June 20th at Glenamaddy (Area 8), Sunday, June 28th at a venue to be confirmed (Area 1) and Monday, June 29th at Tipperary EC (Area 3).

Some of those dates and venues will double up as dressage and combined training qualifiers for the Festival, such as on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th at CoilÓg (Area 2), on Sunday, May 10th at Tubberbride (Area 6), on Saturday, May 30th at Castleisland (Area 9) and at Killossery Lodge Stud (Area 7), on Saturday, June 20th at Glenamaddy (Area 8) and on Monday, June 29th at Tipperary (Area 3).

Standalone dressage and combined training qualifiers will take place on Saturday, May 16th at Ballindenisk (Area 5), on Saturday, May 23rd at Marlton (Area 1) and on Friday, June 26th at Barnadown (Area 4).