SISTERS Zara (22) and Ella (16) Burke Ott finished first and third in the Intermediate class at the first of this year’s RDS working hunter pony qualifiers which was held last Saturday at the Banner Equestrian Centre, Co Clare.

The Newmarket, Co Cork siblings, who were divided by south Dublin’s Alisha Vard on Lookout Bundaberg, rode a gelding, Landfield Temple Ferro, and a mare, Kilclogher Klassy Lady, belonging to their mother Janet Burke.

Here, we are concentrating on the winner, Landfield Temple Ferro, a seven-year-old skewbald gelding by S Creevagh Ferro on whom Zara has done some affiliated show jumping, some eventing (both affiliated and unaffiliated) and some hunting. They have also competed in a small number of working hunter classes and, having qualified for the Northern Ireland Festival, won the Festival 1m final at Cavan early last month.

Zara, who worked for five months for Hans Kuehnle on leaving school and then for three years for Austin O’Connor, is currently studying writing and literature online with ATU Sligo. “I ride my own horses, help my mother with her Gooseberry Hill Horses and her Valley View Equestrian Centre and also ride out for my father (Alexander Ott) who combines training racehorses and producing sport horses.”

The Burke Ott sisters plan to take in the qualifier at Killossery Lodge Stud (June 25th) and, if required, the last of the four at Hollypark (July 2nd) to fulfil the qualifying criteria.