TRISTAN Kelly made his Eventing Ireland debut last Sunday at Frankfort Stud, where the 13-year-old marked the occasion by winning the Coffee Express EI90 (P) class with Andrew and Maria Tyrrell’s Fiona’s Fionn.

The Co Wicklow rider, who is also a very keen hockey player, has spent the last two years getting to know the now 18-year-old Connemara gelding, competing him successfully in working hunter classes and, as a member of the Shillelagh Branch, with the Irish Pony Club.

Last August, Tristan and the Monaghanstown Fionn grey won the dressage phase in their Junior arena at the IPC/Connolly’s Red Mills eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland, finishing sixth of the 44 starters in their class following a fence down show jumping.

“Tristan has a new pony (Garvagh Moonlight Boy) for workers this year, so he will be taking it handy with ‘Cupid’,” commented the young rider’s mother, Lucy.

“They are going to the Pony Club dressage championships at CoilÓg on Tuesday (of this week) and, after that, we will pick and choose where to run the pony, with the Pony Club, or Eventing Ireland, depending very much on the ground.”

This eight-runner class proved a resounding success for the country’s native pony breed.

Five of the first six are listed as being Connemara Ponies, while the second-placed Lucy Ferris-ridden How Ya Sammy, although missing his CP suffix, is a 10-year-old gelding by Woodfield Sammy out of the Robe Earl mare, Robe Cheeky Lass.