THE Conlans Defender/Irish Pony Club national tetrathlon championships were held last weekend when the senior classes were contested by most of those who represented the IPC, and Ireland, at the 2026 Tetrathlon International Exchange in Australia last month.

Saturday’s swim phase took place at K Leisure in Naas, but the other three were held at Punchestown racecourse. While it’s not always possible, it was great to see the competition conclude on Sunday with the ride phase over what was basically the Kildare Hunt Branch’s cross-country track, but with fences designed by the IPC’s Head of Minimus and Tetrathlon John Flood and built by TJ Dillon.

“I have to say, it was a brilliant course, big and strong, but the riding too was fantastic, with 30% of competitors going clear,” commented Flood, who was keen to thank all those involved in the running of the championships. As is so often the case, the girls outnumbered the boys.

Only one Branch squad contested the Senior Boys’ team championship and, while they finished third of four on 10,913 points, the Golden Vale Vikings’ trio of Sean Maher, Leo Cleere and Alexander Maher were presented with the Jobling Purser cup for their achievement.

The win, on a total of 12,348, went to a mixed trio of North Kilkenny’s Sean Cooke, Waterford’s Darragh White and Wicklow’s Peter Galligan, while Co Limerick’s JJ Power and Offaly’s Tom O’Rourke, plus Britain’s Ryan Widdicombe (South Pool), finished second on 12,024. The runners-up were presented with the Stephen Downes trophy for best riding team, as all three members held on to their full 1,400 ride points.

Power and O’Rourke finished second (4,105) and third (4,097) individually behind Cooke, whose total of 4,373 saw him being presented with the winner’s Langford salver.

Amelia Henson and Lucy O’Rourke, who represented the Offaly Branch, were joined by the Ward Union’s Clodagh O’Reilly and the Meaths’ Ava Donnellan to win the Senior girls’ championship on a total of 12,218. They were also the recipients of the Quorn cup for the best riding team, as three of the four held on to their full 1,400 ride points.

The Carew cup for the highest-placed Branch team was presented to the Kildare White Koalas’ trio of Ellie Dillon, Katie Dillon and Annabelle Dunne, who amassed 11,972 points for second place, while Wicklow’s Tianne Kelly, Co Clare’s Grace Murphy and Golden Vale’s Evelyn Fahey finished third on 11,938.

Junior Girls winner Ali Hughes from Carlow PC at the Conlans Defender/Irish Pony Club national tetrathlon championships \ Mel Doyle

No surprise

There were no surprises in the individual championship, where West Waterford’s Margaret Verling, who finished a close-up second last year, claimed the title, and the Gordon salver, with 4,288 points to her credit. As in 2025, Verling finished just ahead of Leitrim’s Grace Quinn (4,194), with Offaly’s Amelie Henson placing third on 4,190.

Nineteen teams contested the Junior girls’ team championship and, again, it was a mixed quartet of the Islands’ Lucie Donovan, the Killinicks’ Caitlin and Shannon Griffith, plus Molly Jean Clarke of the North Kilkennys, who came out on top with 12,642 points.

The Carew cup for the highest-placed Branch team went to the Carlow Cavaliers’ Ali Hughes, Orla Kelly, Rosie Fitzgerald and Rebecca Salter, who finished second (12,514), ahead of the Co Limerick Hunt Stars’ Martha Buckley, Ruth Cregan, Freya Barry and Grace Power (12,452).

Annabel McKeown of the Killultagh, Old Rock and Chichester Branch in Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland) has been in winning form throughout the season but, for the second year running, she had to settle for second (4,438) in the Junior girls’ individual championship.

This time, McKeown was beaten by Carlow’s Ali Hughes (4,445), who had finished fourth last year, with third place in this 70-runner class being filled by Waterford’s Aerin Tabb (4,396). The winner was presented with the Meath Branch Paul Smith trophy.

The Co Limerick Branch was the recipient of the Irish Pony Club trophy following their win, on a total of 13,288 points in the nine-strong Junior boys’ team championship, of their Legends foursome of Alex Barry, John Kirby, Archie McCartan and Henry Buckley. The Golden Vale Hyrox team of Breandán Purcell, Patrick Purcell, Jack Mockler and Ben Long placed second (12,195), comfortably enough clear of the Tipperary Eagles’ Ollie Long, Dave Hennessy, Jack O’Connor and Ben Long (11,840).

There were 33 starters in the individual championship, which was dominated by Barry (4,525), McCartan (4,441) and Kirby (4,322).

Between the Senior and Junior competitions, eight members of English Pony Club Branches contested the championships. In a Facebook post, which gave an excellent account of their experience, the visitors commented: “Overall, a fantastic, fun-filled trip, enjoyed by competitors and parents / support crew alike. Thank you to John Flood, the Irish Tet Committee, the Kildare Hunt Pony Club and John Dillon for hosting us and organising a fabulous event at such a special venue.”