AREA 17 of The Pony Club held their Home Championships in eventing last Saturday at the Laurelview Equestrian Centre. They were hosted by the Mid Antrim Branch, who were delighted with the sponsorship they received from local companies and others further afield.

Although there was no team competition at 80cm level, there were two sections of the open individual championship, with the first being won by the Iveaghs’ Sophia Madeley on Murphy. Madeley and the 18-year-old skewbald gelding led throughout, despite picking up 2.4 cross-country time penalties for a total of 26.4.

North Down’s Anna Reid was also penalised for time across the country, but the 4.8 penalties she incurred to finish second on Quality Quick Star (30.6) were for ‘speeding’ as she came in well under the optimum time.

Despite being a second over, Tullylagan’s Ava McKay moved up to claim the honours in Section B on the 18-year-old grey gelding Clonalee Tomboy (35.2). North Down’s Lucy Kirkwood had to settle for second, having picked up 4.8 time penalties over the fixed fences with Dominoes Way (37.8). Only one of the 14 finishers (21 starters) avoided time penalties on the final leg.

Six Branches fielded eight of the 10 squads in the 70cm team championship but the win, on a three-rider total of 103.6 penalties, went to the composite Dolly Mixtures quartet of Leah McCord (Mid Antrim), Bella Smith (Killultagh, Old Rock and Chichester), Pippa Leathem (Killultagh) and Erin Bates (Tullylagan). The Iveagh Magpies finished second on 111.8.

The sole section of individuals, which was contested by 35 starters, was won by the Route Hunt’s Oliver McGlinchey, who completed on his winning dressage score with the nine-year-old piebald mare Izzy (22.8). Representing the Iveagh Branch, Annie Crawford finished second on her first phase score with Lockdown (30.4).

The Iveaghs also won the 17-runner open competition at 70cm level through the efforts of Skye Jolmes, who led throughout on the 13-year-old British-bred mare Comberton Coda (28.6) to beat the East Antrims’ Elsa O’Kane and the East Downs’ Poppy Millar into second and third on Derravaragh Princess (32.2) and Toberpatrick Flash (32.6) respectively.

In her Eventing Ireland past, Comberton Coda won the 2021 EI100 national championship under Co Wicklow-based New Zealand international Amanda Goldsbury and an EI100 (P) competition the following season when she was ridden by Carla Williamson, a member of Ireland’s bronze medal-winning team at last weekend’s European Junior eventing championships in Sweden.

The North Down Branch dominated the 60cm championships. Their winning team comprised Isabella Graham, Lucy Cochrane, Lucy Prior and Mylie McAllister, whose score of 92.6 penalties left them well clear of the three-rider Iveagh Penguins (109) and the East Antrim Robins (132.8). Eleven teams came under starter’s orders.

Cochrane landed the Section A individual title on the 19-year-old chesnut gelding Knockash Willis (31.2), with Tullylagan’s Emily Watters finishing second on Greendown Ozzy (33.2), beating the Iveaghs’ Edie McClelland into third with Shanmoy Buzz (35.8). All three completed on their dressage scores.

All-the-way win

Isabella Graham recorded an all-the-way win in Section B, where she and the seven-year-old piebald gelding Kildenoge Boy had five points in hand throughout over Grace Jackson riding Stracomer Super Mario. In her turn, that North Down member held off the challenge of the East Downs’ Daisy Murphy on Bonecastle Lass (32).

Eleven squads also contested the 50cm team championship, where the Iveagh Pandas’ quartet of Emilie McCullough, Ella Hagan, Sadie Keys and Alexis Trainor narrowly came out on top on a score of 82.3.

Second place went to the composite Strawberry Bonbons (87.6), with the North Down Robins slotting into third (89.8).

The North Downs had some consolation when, on their dressage score of 27.1, the Robins’ Tilly Jones and Ziggy managed to hold off the East Antrims’ Aria Kirk riding Chloe (27.4). The Iveaghs’ Sadie Keys finished third and fourth here on Drumhass Diamond (29.4) and her flat phase winner Bailey, who had a fence down show jumping for a total of 29.6.

Alexis Trainor, who was on the winning Iveagh team, doubled up when, on his dressage score (19.1), he narrowly claimed the honours in the Section B championship with High Ho Silver. Lilian Hutchinson, a member of the Route Branch, finished second on Summer (20), just ahead of Tullylagan’s Clara O’Neill on Eugenes Stateside (20.6).

As usual, there were two competitions at 40cm level. Three of the five squads completed in the unassisted team championship where the Route finished third, some way adrift on 213.7, but there was little between the Gummy Bears (126.3) and the East Antrim Caterpillars (128.1). The winning quartet comprised Erin Tennis (North Down), Rebecca Thompson (Mid Antrim), Minnie Fullerton (Tullylagan) and Emma Berry (North Down).

The Fermanagh Branch got on the scoreboard in the individual championship thanks to Katie Cathcart, who completed on her first phase score (31.8) with the Welsh gelding Talponciau Centurion, an 11-year-old son of Willowdene Coriander. Tennis finished second on Popcorn (32.9), with the East Antrims’ Charlotte Morton placing third on Brynrodyn Robbie (35).

The performances of the leaders aren’t judged in the assisted competition, which always attracts attention.

Here, the team honours were claimed by the East Antrim Butterflies trio of Mateo Carey, Thomas Forbes and Jacob Barry, who posted a score of 73.5. The North Down Ladybirds finished second on 79.7, with the Iveagh Ocras filling the minor placing on 85.2.

Evie Thompson, who was on that North Down team, topped the final leaderboard in Section A of the individual championship on Toffee (24.7). The Killultaghs’ Libby Leathem slotted into second on Silver Jubilee (27.4) with the Iveaghs’ Henry Titler filling third place on Lizzie. All three recorded double clears in the jumping phases.

There were 19 starters in that Section and one more in Section B, where the Iveaghs’ Josie Crawford claimed the honours on Percy, despite adding four show jumping penalties to an impressive dressage score of 15.3 for a total of 19.3. The East Antrims’ Carey placed second with Minuet In Motion (20.9), with the North Downs adding to their good championship results with a third place finish through Sophie McKibbin riding Skippy (21.8).