THE Carlow Hunt Branch of the Irish Pony Club held their Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC eventing qualifier on Sunday, June 7th at Lisgarvan House, where heavy rainclouds threatened from all directions, but never got to the Corrigan family’s well-known international eventing venue.

With 268 entries spread over 11 classes, organisers, officials and volunteers had to keep things moving like clockwork, and they did, from the start of the tack inspections before dressage on to the show jumping rings, where Michael Doyle presented two inviting but adequately challenging tracks and, finally, on to Clive Corrigan’s cross-country course.

The host Branch got off to a perfect start when Rosemary Dundon and Alannah Bailey, wearing the No 3 and No 1 bibs respectively, finished first and second in Section A of the Intermediate class on their dressage scores.

Dundon did so on Indigo Lily (Coolkeeran - Amaduke, by Bachelor Duke), an eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare she has competed twice at EI100 (J) level this season with Eventing Ireland. Bailey was on board Kilpatrick Sparkle (Cullintra Bonfire - Kilpatrick Fushia, by Mervyn Kingsmill), a seven-year-old Connemara gelding on whom she has been placed on all three of her 2026 EI100 (J) starts.

Charlotte Roe, a member of the Laois Branch, led after dressage but had a fence down show jumping to drop to third with Silver Brog (31.75). Only six of the 14 starters completed.

There were 15 starters in Section B, 11 of whom completed, four on their dressage scores. The final leaderboard was headed by Co Clare’s Grace Murphy who, eighth following the first phase on 34.25, was left in the lead when those ahead of her had problems over the coloured poles or fixed fences. Murphy recorded her win on the eight-year-old ISH mare KEC Arctic Maxi (KEC Maximum Joe - KEC Arctic Alli, by Alldatus Z).

Joe Ryan (Killinick Hunt PC) riding Ted to win Intro Intermediate A at the Irish Pony Club Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC eventing qualifier, hosted by the Carlow Hunt Branch \ Mel Doyle

Intro Intermediate

The Intro Intermediate was also divided, the Killinicks’ Joe Ryan leading from start to finish in Section A on Ted (29.25), with the Ward Union’s Poppy O’Dwyer moving up from second after dressage to claim the win in Section B on board the 11-year-old Fear An Ti gelding Mac An Ti (31.25).

The Killinicks won two of the four well-filled Junior divisions, thanks to the efforts of Freya Barry, who recorded an all-the-way win in Section B on the 15-year-old ISH mare The Causey Girl (25), a daughter of Rebel Mountain, and Donnacha Cousins who, second after dressage, was left in front in Section C on the six-year-old bay mare Roses Lane (27.50).

The Brays’ Emily Grimes is having a wonderful 2026 with the former international eventing pony Millridge Buachaill Bui and added to her list of successes here when, despite the addition of 1.60 cross-country time penalties for a total of 26.60, she led Section A throughout on the 21-year-old Templebready Fear Bui gelding.

The Tipperary Branch initiated a double on the day in Section D, where Lucy Meagher, on board the Connemara gelding Foley’s Marl 16, a 10-year-old grey by Foley’s Marlhill, completed on her winning dressage score (22.75). The double came up in the 30-runner Intro Junior, where Judy O’Donnell also completed on her impressive flat work mark on the Connemara mare Cluainin Spring Johnson (16.75), a 10-year-old grey mare by Robe Johnson.

Katie Murphy (North Kilkenny PC) riding Cartoor Larry to win U12 A at the Irish Pony Club Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC eventing qualifier, hosted by the Carlow Hunt Branch \ Mel Doyle

Unders 12s

The North Kilkenny Branch got on the scoreboard in Section A of the Under 12s’ qualifier, where Katie Murphy completed on her flat work mark with the Connemara gelding Cartoor Larry (30.75), a 12-year-old son of Gurteen Cathal, while the Duhallows struck in Section B where Sophia Philipott recorded a narrow, all-the-way win with the 17-year-old bay gelding Kilbeg Tommy (21.75).

There were a lot of withdrawals and, unfortunately, a high number of eliminations across the levels during the day.

Two Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC qualifiers are taking place tomorrow. The Shillelagh and District Branch are running at the Tinahely Riding Club grounds in Coolboy while, further south, the United and Carbery Branches have joined forces to hold a qualifier at Ballindenisk. On Saturday next, June 27th, Area 7 are staging a qualifier at Killossery Lodge Stud with the Tynagh Branch running the following day at Flowerhill.