ERIN Sweeney, a member of the Laois Hunt Branch of the Irish Pony Club and pictured in this newspaper on page 97, featured on the front page of Monday’s issue of the Irish Independent following her win in the Connolly’s Red Mills Pony Club exhibition race at Fairyhouse the previous day.

Fourteen-year-old Erin ran out a comfortable winner of the four and a half furlong race on her mother Sharon’s Cisco Sweet, an eight-year-old palomino gelding on whom she competes under Show Jumping Ireland rules as well as in Pony Club eventing, show jumping and hunter trials.

Like all others who took part in the Fairyhouse race, and in a similar race at Cork racecourse on Monday, Erin had to attend a day course at the Racing Academy & Centre of Education (RACE) in Kildare and this has really fired up her interest in the sport.

The aspiring jockey was one of four members of the Laois Branch who took part in Sunday’s race which, unusually, was held at 12.35pm, before the day’s opening maiden hurdle which was due off at 1.30pm. The other Branch members were Caoimhe Casey (Killia Beauty), Seanan Farrell (Briar Cottage Boy) and Juliet Fingleton (Mirahs April Sparrow).

The Meath Branch was represented by Chloe Macnaughton (Highthyme Cool Guy), Cian McCarthy (Rineen Millers Melody), Emma Williams (Gleann Mor K.C. Buachaill), Eva Kieran (Cute Prince), Kate Sharkey (Beech Hill) and Kieran Dunne (Napolean). Lining out for the Ward Union Branch were Alfie Broderick (Amber Isabella), Kate Broderick (Ruan Boy) and Sadie Woods (The Mighty Man).

On Monday at Cork, where their race received much-appreciated sponsorship from Greenvalley Transport and Plant Hire Ltd plus Pegus Horse Feed, all 10 riders were members of the Duhallow Branch. The race was run in two divisions, the first for riders under 12 (six runners) and the second for those over 12 (four starters).

The first division was led home by Sophia Philpott (11) riding Kilbeg Tommy and she was followed across the line by Lucy O’Sullivan (Clonmoyle Tiger) and Gemma Coleman (Indian Wind). Also taking part in this division were Yasmin Sweetnam (Mon Petit Amie Dante), Sean Quish (Neverlands Party Piece) and Aiden Quish (Tableybrook Henry).

All four of those who contested Division Two had previous experience of riding in the race. The winner on this occasion was 13-year-old Jack Withers on board on Clash Of The Ash. Behind him came Emily O’Leary on Teeveeny Bridge, last year’s winner Olivia Roche on Lissuralla Smokey Bob and Sarah Withers riding Ashill Oreo.

Olivia’s sister and fellow top tetrathlete Victoria Roche, who was lead rider for the race on her horse Andy, was among the many thanked by the event organiser, and the Duhallow Branch’s Children’s Officer, Michelle Archdeacon. She also thanked fellow committee member, and former top amateur jockey Tom Lombard, former Branch member and a current top lady amateur jockey Maxine O’Sullivan, and Anne O’Connor and all at RACE who were a huge help.

Michelle also paid tribute to Eoghan O’Grady, the Manager at Cork Racecourse, and all the staff at the track who, she said, went out of their way to make the race such a success, plus Brian Arnold and Justin O’Hanlon for the introductions and commentary. Even though the official three-day Cork Easter Festival had come to an end by the time the Pony Club race was due to start, all these stayed on to ensure that the young riders enjoyed the experience.

Members of the Kildare Branch are in hard training for their pony race on Saturday, May 2nd, the final day of the Punchestown Festival which starts on Tuesday, April 28th.