AREA 7 of the Irish Pony Club held its annual Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC eventing championship qualifier last Saturday at Killossery Lodge Stud, where Miriam Coakley, a former District Commissioner of the Ward Union Branch, was keen to deflect any praise for a smoothly-run day on to her fellow joint-organiser June Loughran and the venue’s Ciaran Glynn.

While those ahead of her after dressage had problems in one or other of the jumping phases, Killinick’s Kate Jordan moved up from third to win the 20-runner Intermediate on her flat work mark (28 penalties) with Serene Ace (Sandmason - Rosies Rocket, by Definite Article). This was a third success at this level this season for Jordan and her mother Emer’s unraced seven-year-old gelding.

Two combinations representing the Kildare Branch, Evie Holohan on Lady Ace and Hogan Byrne on Bert, completed on 34 penalties apiece, with the former being placed second, as she was closer to the optimum time across the country. Disappointingly for Megan Adams of Laois, she lost her hold on the early lead when lowering two of the coloured poles for a total of 35 with Corranvale Arabella.

There were six withdrawals from this class, a similar number of eliminations and one retirement. There were also half a dozen withdrawals, eight eliminations and one retirement in the Intro Intermediate where, again, 20 combinations faced the starter.

Here, the winner was the Brays’ Anna Boucher-Hayes who, co-third after the flat work phase, completed on her dressage score (27.25) with her mother Suzanne Campbell’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Tykillen Timberland (Cavalier Land - Drumin Magnificat, by Cougar), who is just a five-year-old.

The Bray Branch doubled up in Section B of the well-filled Junior class, where Emily Grimes continued her winning run on board the 21-year-old ISH gelding Millridge Buachaill Bui (by Templebready Fear Bui) who, once again, impressed the dressage judge as they led throughout on 16 penalties. Riding Branaduff Bob, Grimes had to settle for second (29.75) in Section A, where Co Meath’s Amber Geraghty recorded a pillar-to-post success on the Connemara gelding Ballindown Codie (28.25), a seven-year-old son of Gneevebrack Comet.

The Islands’ Georgia Kelly also went wire-to-wire in the 17-strong Intro Junior class, where she partnered the Connemara mare Doireánn (26.75), an eight-year-old grey by Rebel Mick.

Nine-year-old Faye French, a member of the Newcastle Lyons Branch, had six and a half penalty points in hand over her nearest rival, the Meaths’ Polly Geraghty riding Horse and Jockey Clasper (30.5), when she too led throughout the 18-runner Junior Section A on the 17-year-old grey gelding Sandy Banks (24). The honours in Section B went to another in-form combination, the Killinicks’ Pippa Barry on Lily, who were left in front on their second-place dressage score (26).

The Laois Branch are holding their Connolly’s Red Mills qualifier today at Stradbally Hall with the Limericks running tomorrow in Crecora.