ANNABEL McKeown is on a bit of a roll at present and added a third significant win to her CV last weekend at Moreton Morrell in Warwickshire where, we believe, she became the first member from Area 17 (Northern Ireland) to win the girls’ individual title at The Pony Club GB’s Junior home international tetrathlon.

Having a new horse to compete, the Irish Sport Horse mare Colacentric, McKeown, driven by her mother Marian, travelled from Co Down to Punchestown (and Athy) for the Fun Minimus and Tetrathlon held by the Kildare Branch of the Irish Pony Club in early May, when she won the Junior girls’ tetrathlon. The following weekend, she was a member of the Area 17 trio who won the Junior regional tetrathlon at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, where she rode a borrowed pony.

On Saturday, McKeown who is a member of the Killultagh, Old Rock and Chichester Harriers Branch, didn’t have the best of starts as, due to a malfunction, she had to use an alternative pistol and only earned 820 points in the shoot. Her day improved in the pool and she finished the first day’s action on a score of 1,994.

It was just a few months ago that the McKeowns purchased Colacentric, but the 14-year-old Lancelot mare answered every call from the saddle in Saturday’s ride phase over a technical, challenging cross-country course to go clear inside the time and move her rider up to seventh. It was then up to Annabel herself again and, in her strong run phase, she stormed around to earn 1,069 points, which propelled her to the top of the standings and her historic win.

Colacentric was first produced on the young event horse circuit here by Alyssa O’Neill, who evented her to 4*-S level. The mare has spent the past four years on the British Eventing circuit but, as she had asked to be informed if Colacentric was looking for a new home, O’Neill bought her back only to be contacted almost immediately by the McKeowns, who are delighted they could buy her.

Colacentric travelled over to Moreton Morrell with the large IPC contingent, who had gathered at Punchestown racecourse as Annabel had exams to sit on the Friday. Flying over to England with her mother meant she missed the ‘craic’ on the ferry, but this hard-fought win was more than a just reward.

“Annabel might do some Pony Club eventing, or even EI, with the mare, but tetrathlon is her thing,” revealed Marian. “She is also a member of the City of Lisburn Athletic Club and Lisburn City Swimming Club.”

The Iveaghs’ Annabelle Clarke, who was the only other Area 17 member among the 91 starters, finished 40th having amassed 4,015 points.