FORTY duos vied for honours in the Under 12s’ pairs championship, which opened proceedings at last Saturday’s Mackey/ Irish Pony Club national hunter trials championships at Ballycahane Equestrian.

Fifteen pairings failed to complete, while only four did so without jumping faults over the 19-fence track, where the optimum time was set at 4m 44secs. The winners in 5.06 were the Carbery Greys comprising Charlie Scriven on Ballybrit Cashel and Caitlin Walsh Flynn riding Cosmic Cowgirl.

The Duhallow Branch fielded five teams at this level and finished second (5.07) and fourth (5.51) through their Ducks (Harvey Goold (Knockanroe Splash) and Orlaith McCarthy (Ballyerk Paulo)) and Dragons (Yasmin Sweetnam (Ashill Oreo) and Lucy O’Sullivan (Clonmoyle Riger)). They were split on 5.14 by The Kingdom’s Sunday Drivers, Riain Daly on Ballyincourty Galway Beauty and Chloe O’Sullivan riding Ashgrove Josie.

The North Kilkennys’ Nancy Lyons Teehan (Dartans Brandonwell Jack) and her good friend Molly Jean Clarke (Currasilla Dawn) stopped the clock dead on 4.44 but, unfortunately, lowered the knockable at 17 and so had to settle for fifth.

Success for Saoirse

Thirty-six of the 86 starters in the singles’ championship recorded clear rounds, with fence 17 being responsible for most of the five faults that were picked up by the other finishers. Fifteen riders failed to complete.

Westmeath’s Saoirse Lynch claimed the title when home in 4.45 on the 17-year-old Connemara mare Garvagh Moonlight Star (Moonlight Silver Shadow - Garvagh Morning Breeze, by Monaghanstown Boy). This is Saoirse’s first year to compete the Mary Tynan-bred bay, who was previously the mount of her sister Lily.

Justin Lynch, who was responsible for transporting the winners down to Co Limerick, was very proud of his 12-year-old daughter’s success.

“Saoirse only really started riding ‘Maggie’ this year and had her first real cross-country schooling session in May. She competed in her first qualifier on June 21st at Ballindenisk, where she finished fifth. She finished fifth on another occasion and was second once and then placed fourth in the Under 12s’ individual championship at the finals in Tattersalls.”

Saoirse, who is now in Sixth Class, loves playing hockey and may well start competing in Pony Club tetrathlon, as she is also very keen on athletics and swimming.

Newcastle Lyons’s Zara Groves finished second when clear in 4.46 on Kelly’s Young Hero. Zara, who only turned 10 in June, is at the very beginning of her Pony Club career, while 21-year-old ‘Toby’ brings many years of experience to their partnership.

Their IPC season has included National dressage placings, the Area 2 U10 combined training title, Festival silver at Barnadown, fourth at the National eventing championships, victory in the Foran U12s’ eventing league, and two 80cm show jumping classic qualifier wins.

For Zara’s mum, Ailish Groves, what makes the piebald Toby particularly special goes well beyond the results. “Zara is the fourth rider that we know who has had him, and his previous riders still keep in touch and love following the pair’s progress,” she told The Irish Field.

“Toby is also something of a familiar face on the Pony Club circuit. With his distinctive markings, people regularly recognise him when Zara is out competing, often stopping to say they know Toby or remember him from an earlier chapter of his long career.” After a busy and successful season, Toby now heads for a well-earned break.

There was a second also between the third, fourth and fifth-placed pairings of Offaly’s Alice O’Rourke on Kilmaine Bay (4.47), the Killinicks’ Polly Murphy with Knocknacullen Bruno (4.48) and another Westmeath member, Eve Morrin riding Dooncastle Jake (4.49).