BEFORE heading to CoilÓg on Tuesday for the Irish Pony Club Equieire national dressage championships, where, representing the Co Limerick Branch, they were narrowly beaten into second in a section of the Under 10s’ competition, Enzo Rocca Houlihan and Bronheulog Gold Dust were among the winners at the Irish Pony Society Limerick/Clare Area’s Spring Show in Banner Equestrian on Saturday.

Enzo and his mother Tara’s 14-year-old British-bred gelding by Eyarth Figaro were crowned mini show hunter champions after which they stood reserve in the mini supreme championship to the Mountain and Moorland champions, Dulcee Morrison and the nine-year-old Thistledown Vierra mare Cosford Wishes Vow. The mini classes were judged by Ryan Anderson, whose other champions were Seamie Braddish and Newoak Hot Gossip (show pony) and Sam Moran with Littlewern Chelsea (working hunter pony).

Denise Colebrook judged the action in the working hunter ring, where her champion, and winner of the 143cm class, was the Evelyn Tighe-owned, Mollie Russell-ridden Miss Serena Royal, a nine-year-old mare with over 600 Show Jumping Ireland points to her credit. Anna Doolan, winner of the show’s young handler title, also claimed the starter stakes championship with the 14-year-old bay mare Shangan Tiggles. Rowan Freeney landed the performance championship with Kevin McCabe’s six-year-old bay gelding, Muiream Fancy.

Combinations in the flat classes were judged by Rosaleen Barry, whose show hunter pony champion was the British-bred mare Rockbury Amelia, a 10-year-old chesnut daughter of Eyarth Areia, who was ridden by Ada Purcell Logue for her mother Emily. Sadhbh O’Connor won the ridden Mountain and Moorland championship on board her mother Aoife’s Connemara gelding Teach Mór Sparrow, a six-year-old dun by Blakehill Sparrow.

In the supreme championship, which was the first of the season’s qualifiers for the Killusty final in early July, O’Connor and Teach Mór Sparrow stood reserve to another Connemara gelding, James Braddish’s seven-year-old Glencarrig Knight grey, Robyn Hood.