TO the relief of some and the despair of others, the search for tickets for the working hunter pony section of the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show came to a conclusion on Wednesday at Sceilig Equestrian, where the Irish Pony Society ran the fourth and final qualifier.

Having hit the crossbar on a couple of occasions, persistence certainly paid off for Ellen O’Gorman, who, having competed at the previous three qualifiers in Banner Equestrian (May 24th), Raheen Na Gun (May 31st) and Knockagh View (June 7th), not only bagged a ticket in the starter stakes on Wednesday, but did so in first place on 79 marks.

Patience is a virtue

This much sought-after success came on her mother Kay’s CwmGwaun Lockdown Lad, a six-year-old 128cm British-bred chesnut gelding, who has no recorded pedigree but does have 54 Show Jumping Ireland points to his credit. All but six of those points were earned this year under O’Gorman.

Another well-travelled combination, Isabel Crews and Isabel Burke’s six-year-old Connemara mare Drumlin Isobel, a daughter of Hillside Joker, qualified in second place on a score of 74.5. The next two tickets went to the equally persistent pairings of Jamie Doyle and the 17-year-old piebald mare Summerwood Merry Berry (73) and Ronan Hynds with the 18-year-old grey mare Willow (72.5).

Having failed to finish on their only previous start in the series, Ella O’Brien and the 19-year-old grey mare Glandrine Wedding Belle, who finished fourth on a score of 72, couldn’t qualify, with the fifth and final ticket in the class being awarded to Tara Power and the 25-year-old Welsh gelding Millcroft Dow Jones (72).

133cm

Another pony without a recorded pedigree to win on Wednesday was the well-known Tinnecarrig Milo who, ridden for his mother Lucy by Tristan Kelly, topped the final leaderboard of judges Sharon Fitton and Simon Beirne in the 133cm class, having amassed 86 marks.

Unlike most others, the Kelly family only competed at one other qualifier, Tristan and the 15-year-old dun gelding finishing ninth at Knockagh View. They have, however, won and been placed at IPS-affiliated shows since the start of the season and won the 133cm class at the final of the IPS Sports Pony Challenge at Boswell in late April, placing third in the league. When Tinnecarrig Milo last competed at Dublin in 2023, he finished third in the 133cm working hunter pony class under Ned Kelly.

As Chloe Macnaughton filled the runner-up spot on Wednesday with the previously-qualified Tilly B (81.5), the second qualifying ticket was awarded to the third-placed combination of Sadie Lynch and the 17-year-old bay mare Inchydoney (81.5). In fourth on 78 marks on her second start in the series, Hannah Twomey claimed a ticket on board the Belgian Riding Pony Blossoms Ukkepuk Van Duyversputten, a 10-year-old mare by Calipso van de Vondelhoeve.

Dublin delight

Also delighted to be on their way to Dublin were Annie Stafford, who finished fifth (77.5) on board the five-year-old Welsh gelding Barnsview Going for Gold, a palomino son of Morrigan Caeradog, and Ruby Wrynn, who placed sixth (also on 77.5) with the 21-year-old skewbald gelding Newtown Rocket.

Not only did combinations who bagged tickets in these working hunter pony classes earn the right to compete at Dublin, but they also picked up valuable IPS points.