MEMBERS of the Irish Pony Club, who still have to achieve a qualification score for the Connolly’s Red Mills eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland (August 21st and 22nd), have plenty of opportunities to do so up to the final qualifier, which is being hosted by Area 5 at Ballindenisk on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3rd.

Area 7 are holding their qualifier today at Killossery Lodge Stud, while tomorrow the Tynagh Branch is running at Flowerhill. After that, it’s the Laois at Stradbally (July 4th), the Co Limericks at Crecora Equestrian (July 5th), the Tipperarys at Grove (July 12th), the Killinicks at Sleedagh on their traditional mid-week date of Wednesday, July 15th, the Kildares at Punchestown (July 18th) and the Island at Frankfort Stud (July 26th).

Many riders, who gained their qualification at an early stage of the season, are continuing to compete in a bid to collect Foran League points.

THE Duhallow Branch of the Irish Pony Club had the perfect start to their senior mounted games campaign, when winning the opening round at Gorey Show last Saturday. Tomorrow the circuit moves on to Charleville.

IT’s a busy period also in Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland), where tomorrow the Seskinore Harriers Branch is hosting the Area eventing at Ash Hollow Equestrian, near Omagh. The best-supported competition is that at PC90 level, where 12 teams are due to start

The Area show jumping will be held by the Tullylagan Branch on Friday, July 10th at The Meadows, where the qualifier for the popular Mini Major competition at the London International show at Christmas time will be contested. The following day, the North Derry Branch is staging the Area dressage at the same Lurgan venue.

The Down Leisure Centre and Hazeldene Equestrian will be the venues for the East Down-run Area Tetrathlon on Saturday and Sunday, July 18th and 19th.

And for those interested, page 89 carries details of the lucky pony club riders who are about to jet off to Australia to the International Tetrathlon Exchange, accompanied by the IPC’s Head of Tetrathlon and Minimus, John Flood, plus chaperones, Julie Quinn and Rebecca Lowe.