IT’s a very busy period for the Kildare Hunt Branch of the Irish Pony Club, who held two TRM-sponsored pony races at Punchestown last Saturday, contested the Area 2 Festival qualifier at CoilOg on Monday and, during that period and since then, have been organising tomorrow’s fun minimus/tetrathlon.

For the race, which was split into two divisions, members had to ride their own Pony Club ponies and there were far more greys among the runners than would have been seen in the thoroughbred races later in the day. No doubt some, if not all, will be competing at Punchestown again tomorrow and later in the season when the eventing qualifiers start.

We received the following report from the Branch’s Assistant District Commissioner, and race co-ordinator, Rosemarie O’Reilly whose daughter, Emily Gannon, landed division one on board the seven-year-old Connemara gelding Shanna Dexter (Dexter Leam Pondi - Shanna Rose, by Janus). Division two was won by Marina Bolton riding her mother Aoife’s home-bred 128cm Welsh gelding Kilcoagh Chervil (Moelview Cherokee - Kilcreen Poise, by Gigman Orinoco).

“On a week where champions are crowned and reputations are cemented, the Pony Club race provides a refreshing reminder of where it all begins. Here, silks hang a little looser, strides are a touch shorter, but the determination and competition are every bit as fierce. For these young riders, this is not just another race - it is the race. The one they have walked in their minds 100 times before ever setting foot in the saddle.

“The race was split into two divisions. Emily Gannon on Shanna Dexter, carrying the famous green and gold hoops of J.P. McManus, came out on top of a tight finish to division one, winning by a nod on the line. I am sure J.P. himself would give a nod of approval to the winning distance.”

Here, Hollie Blake finished second on Carrowmore Cuckoo, crossing the line just ahead of Orla Cleary on Red Brandy Boy. The other riders in this division were Evie Holohan, Marcella Gannon, Emily Condon and Keljd Hemsing.

“The second division was an entirely different affair,” reported O’Reilly. “Mounted games queen Marina Bolton, on Kilcoagh Chervil, was certainly not worrying about a handicap rating when they crossed the line with a distance between them and Oxhill Harry, who was given a marvellous ride by Christopher Pugh.”

The latter was followed home by Olivia Condon riding Shannon Gemini, with Elsa Walsh, Erin Dowling, Alex Shortt and Aela Twomey crossing the line behind them.

“Enda Kelly from sponsors TRM, presented a wonderful loot of prizes to each of the riders and the personlised number cloths are certainly a lovely momento of a very special day,” continued O’Reilly. “For some, this will be the first step on the horse racing career ladder. For others, it will remain a treasured memory of a day when they rode at Punchestown.”

The race received great coverage on RTÉ and also on Racing TV, where Kevin O’Ryan, whose daughters were all members of the Kildare Branch, interviewed District Commissioner Una Holohan at length.

The swim phase of tomorrow’s TRI Equestrian-sponsored fun minimus/tetrathlon takes place at K Leisure in Athy, after which it’s on to Punchestown for the shooting, running and riding phases.

LAST weekend, three teams represented the Irish Pony Club in a two-day mounted games friendly run by the Wynnstay Branch of The Pony Club at Malpas near Chester.

The Chester 1 team, who finished sixth in the A Final in the maroon colours of the Galway Mid County Branch and were accompanied by trainer Michael Finn, comprised Robyn Hatton (Carlow), Ciarán Hillary (Galway Mid County), Joel Keane (Shillelagh & District), Rebecca Salter (Carlow) and Faye Warren (Wexford).

Edel Nolan was team trainer of the Chester 2 squad, who won their B final in the red colours of Carlow. Here, the successful players were Reuben Buitlaar (Carlow), David English (Tipperary), Ellie Mae Fortune (Shillelagh) and Emily O’Leary (Duhallow).

Also trained by Nolan were Wexford members Roisín Byrne, Hannah Dooly, Ciara Stafford, Katie Murphy Kehoe and Chloe England who, having won the Under 10s’ final at last year’s IPC Festival at Barnadown, qualified for the Junior competition at Malpas, where they finished third.