THIS weekend, a strong squad of Irish Pony Club members is competing in the Senior Home International Tetrathlon being run by The Pony Club UK, mainly around the Pontispool Equine Sports Centre in Somerset.

They left yesterday morning for the shoot and swim phases at Taunton School, but returned in the afternoon for a course walk of today’s cross-country phase. The run is also taking place at the Pontispool Equine Sports Centre tomorrow.

The Ireland boys’ team comprises JJ Power (Co Limerick), Sean Maher (Golden Vale), Edward Healy (Duhallow), Alexander Maher (Golden Vale) and John Asple James (Island). Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland) is represented by the Iveagh Branch’s Harry Purdy.

There are just four boys’ teams competing, with that number climbing to 10 in the girls’ tetrathlon. The five IPC team members are Aoife Griffith (Killinick), Tianne Kelly (Wicklow), Grace Quinn (Leitrim), Mia Perry (North Kilkenny) and Emily Quinn (Leitrim), who are backed up by the individuals Ava Donnellan (Meath) and Kayleigh Hoban (North Kilkenny).

There is no Area 17 competitor listed, but those who have qualified are, no doubt, instead looking forward to The Pony Club championships in tetrathlon, dressage, show jumping, horse/pony care and eventing taking place between August 14th and 29th.

Area 5

It has been a busy time in Area 5 of the Irish Pony Club. Some members of the Carbery, Duhallow, South Union, Muskerry and United Branches were extremely fortunate to be selected to lead out the teams competing in the recent inaugural FEI Under 25 World Eventing Championships as they paraded through Millstreet.

Happily, the weather was a lot better for the parade than it was on Monday of this week at Ballindenisk, where Area 5 held the final qualifier for this year’s Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC eventing championships. A report on this qualifier will be carried in next week’s issue, along with updated points in the Foran Equine league. After that, the countdown begins to the national eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland over the weekend of August 21st and 22nd.