THE Tipperary Hunt Branch held their Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club eventing qualifier last Sunday at Grove where the beautiful trees provided shade for riders and their mounts waiting to compete. Spare a thought for the day’s scorers who, in contrast, were sweltering in a small marquee from 9am until 8pm.

The day’s action started with a seven-runner Open class where, despite the addition of four show jumping penalties for a total of 31.5, the Uniteds’ Isabel Fitzgerald recorded an all-the-way win on the Irish Sport Horse mare OLS Pixie Hollow, a 17-year-old bay by Master Imp who she has competed at CCI2*-L level. Also with a pole down show jumping, Laois’s Megan Adams finished second with Oliver’s Girl (33.8).

The Offaly Branch struck in the sole Intermediate class (27 runners) where Saoise Carty led from start to finish on board the Connemara gelding Culmore Apple Jack (29.25), a six-year-old dun by Doonard Lad. The Meaths’ Caoimhe Owens finished close-up in second on Luke Edge Cruiser (30.5). In finishing sixth on Bellscross Lad, Mary Kennedy was presented with the Kilcooley Cup as the highest-placed Tipperary member.

Kennedy’s teammate, Emily Gleeson initiated a double for the day’s hosts when, on 27.75, she recorded a pillar-to-post success in Section B of the Intro Intermediate with the Connemara gelding Illaunurra Lusca. This seven-year-old bay son of Ross Fear Bui is out of the Silver Shadow mare Illaunurra Heather, dam previously of the well-known Castleside JJ gelding Illaunurra Bay among others.

The Stradbally winners, Meabh Hearne and the eight-year-old palomino gelding Comeragh Marko struck again for the Kilkenny Branch when landing Section A on their winning dressage score (30.25). The Kingdom’s Eimear Ambrose and Shirocco made up for their disappointing Ballycahane results by finishing second here on 30.75.

Once again, there were three well-filled sections of Juniors. In Section A, Scarteen’s Orlagh Lane led from start to finish on the 19-year-old skewbald gelding Jamie Son; Carlow’s Muireann Tooher did likewise in Section B with the Connemara gelding Slieve Rushen Don, a 12-year-old son of Dromore Peter; in Section C, where she also made all the running, the Brays’ Emily Grimes recorded her fifth win of the season on board the well-known ISH gelding Millridge Buachaill Bui.

The Bray Branch doubled in Section A of the Intro Junior class where Isabel Hamilton had 9.5 penalties in hand over her nearest rival when also leading from start to finish on board the Connemara gelding Carrawina Dusty, a nine-year-old son of Kingstown Archie’s Boy. Eleven of the 24 runners in that section failed to complete, a number which dropped to five out of 21 in Section B.

Here, Judy O’Donnell gave the Tipperary Branch their second win of the day when leading from start to finish on a score of 17 with Cluainín Spring Johnson, a 10-year-old Connemara mare by Robe Johnson with whom she has qualified for the 133cms working hunter pony class at next month’s Gallagher Dublin Horse Show. In her bid to pick up Foran league points, The Kingdom’s Saibh Prenderville finished second on the 18-year-old Wings Of Justice mare Sunny Girl (17.8).

There were 30 starters in Section A of the Under 12s’ class where Carbery’s Charlie Scriven completed on a very impressive dressage score of 18.75 with Ballybrit Cashel. Despite picking up six cross-country time penalties in Section B, in which there were also 30 starters, Waterford’s Ella Mai Power recorded an all-the-way win on Ballyerk Floss, an eight-year-old Connemara gelding by Ballybeg JJ.

A report on the mid-week qualifier staged by the Killinick Branch at Sleedagh on Wednesday will appear in next week’s issue.