THE main Irish Pony Club competition to have been held this week was the Equieire National Dressage Day at CoilÓg on Tuesday (see page 111) but last Sunday provided IPC members around the country with a busy start to their Easter holidays.

Up country, the Meaths were in Abbotstown where they held the third and last qualifying round of their inter-Branch show jumping league, the final of which is scheduled to take place at the Emerald Equestrian Centre on Sunday, May 11th.

The final of the Area 5 arena eventing league was hosted by the United and Araglen Branches at Ballindenisk where the West Carbery Branch fared best on the day with outright wins for Patrick Keane on Moonacurra Lucky Lady (70cm) and Grace Wycherley with Caheragh Lad (90cm) while Wycherley and her Connemara gelding, a 17-year-old bay by Woodfield Sammy, shared first place in the 1m competition with the Duhallows’ Zoe Boyle on Carnabay Diamond.

Riding Bramblebrough Angus, Emily Mulcahy won the 80cm for the United Branch whose Julia Murphy won the league at that level on Moet & Chandon while her teammate, Kesha Harding, claimed the league honours at 70cm level with Kestrels Strawberry Bon Bon.

Harding and Wycherley enjoyed a very rewarding day as not only did they win the 90cm and 1m leagues respectively but they were also announced as winners of the horsemanship awards which were judged throughout the league. At 70cm level, the horsemanship award was won by West Carbery’s Anna Connolly with the 80cm horsemanship award being presented to Muskerry’s Emily Macken.