WHILE we have mainly concentrated on competition results in this column up to this point, today we are looking at the higher proficiency Tests available to members of the Irish Pony Club.

Fiona Cloke, chairperson of the IPC’s training committee, revealed that 2025 was a very successful one for those took the senior Tests, starting in late April with a Foundation Coach Test held in the Cherry Orchard Equine in south Dublin.

“We had five successful candidates from the Island, Shillelagh, Scarteen, Carlow and Nenagh Branches,” revealed Cloke.

“The Test ran very smoothly as there were horses and ponies on site and Cherry Orchard members were the demo riders. We were also able to use the cross-country course, which had been recently upgraded by Tiggy’s Trust.”

Next up was the Lungeing Test which was held on May 3rd at the Grennan Equestrian Centre.

“Over the years Grennan has proven to be a wonderful venue with great horses and all the tack and equipment you could wish for. We had 11 successful candidates, two from Waterford and one each from Tipperary, Westmeath, Wicklow, Carbery, West Carbery, Duhallow, The Kingdom, Sligo and Killinick.”

A second Foundation Coach Test took place on August 14th at the Mullingar Equestrian Centre. “We were very thankful to all the surrounding Branches, who provided us with the many demo riders needed for the Test. We had 12 successful candidates with two each from Westmeath, Shillelagh, Carlow, Tipperary and Duhallow and one from both Longford and Clew Bay.”

For the third year running, Cherry Orchard was the venue on August 30th for the H Test. “This is the highest standard of horsemanship for the Irish Pony Club,” commented Cloke. “There were seven successful candidates. Three of them, Sophie May Nolan, Grace Hanna and Anna Marchant, are members of the Meath Branch, while the others were Mia Gately (Sligo), Lily-Mae Berry (Killinick), Ellie Fleming Hand (Carbery) and Ella Buttimer (Muskerry).

“Our final senior Test of the year, a second Lungeing Test, takes place in Grennan on November 5th.”