THE Verling family from Castlelyons in Co Cork recorded a treble last weekend.

A former top Tethrathlete, William rode his third winner of the point-to-point season when the Denis Ahern-bred and trained St Lawrence’s Well landed the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at the Ormond Foxhounds’ point-to-point in Ballingarry on Saturday.

The following day, it was the turn of William’s younger siblings Peter (17) and Margaret (15) to make their mark which they did at the Fun Minimus and Tetrathlon training day run by the Laois Branch of the Irish Pony Club. This started with the swim phase at the K Leisure Centre in Athy before members and their support crews moved on to Stradbally Hall for the shoot, run and ride phases.

Representing the West Waterford Branch, Peter Verling saw off three rivals to win the Senior Boys’ Tetrathlon on 4,056 points while, on 4,232 points, Margaret won the six-strong Senior Girls’ competition where she was one of three to hold on to their full quota of ride points.

Large contingent

The ever-consistent J.J. Power, who is one of the large contingent of IPC members competing in the Tetrathlon Junior home international in England this week, topped the final leaderboard in the 18-runner Junior Boys’ Tetrathlon. The 14-year-old was third in the swim, won both the shoot and run phases and was one of just three to go clear in the ride phase for a total of 4,603 points.

Representing the Carlow Branch, Ali Hughes ran out the narrow winner of the Junior Girls’ Tetrathlon having amassed 4,343 points. Best of the remaining 42 starters was Kilkenny’s Caroline Hughes (4,328).

In the day’s three-phase events, there were wins for Tipperary’s Dave Hennessy (3,564 points) who saw off 38 rivals to top the scores in the Boys’ Minimus, for Duhallow’s Olivia Roche who amassed 3,584 points in the 61-runner Girls’ Minimus, for the Ward Union’s Fionn O’Brien (3,036) in the 11-strong Fledging Boys’ competition and for Faye Luby (2,826) who struck for the Wexford Branch in the 26-starter Fledgling Girls’ class.

The Golden Vale Branch is running a Fun Minimus competition centred in or around Thurles tomorrow after which young IPC members can start their countdown to the Agria National Minimus Championships over the weekend of June 14th and 15th.