NO doubt it took a bit of planning, but Lilymai Walsh has qualified for both the 153cm and 158cm working hunter pony classes at next month’s Gallagher Dublin Horse Show with Marie Kent’s Chapel Hill Chino.

Having achieved a qualifying score at Knockagh View early last month, Walsh just had to complete in the 153cm class on Wednesday at Sceilig Equestrian, where the fourth and final qualifier was run by the Irish Pony Society.

And she did so in style, the Jenny Hunt-bred eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Chapel Hill Chino (Krafty Clover - Annaghdown Rockmount Alice, by Smokey Finn) topping the combined scores of judges Sharon Fitton and Simon Beirne on 87 marks.

Walsh and Chapel Hill Chino also compete at 1.20m level with ShowJumping Ireland and represent the Waterford Hunt Branch with the Irish Pony Club.

Further qualifiers

The first qualifying ticket was awarded to the second-placed combination on 84.5 of Sadhbh Mannix and her mother Sarah’s eight-year-old Connemara gelding Grantstown Misty Star (Doonhill Billy - Moycullen Mist, by Kippure Alkatraz), who competed in one of the Junior equitation classes at Dublin last August.

Another combination who first qualified for the 158cm class at Dublin, Irisha Meabh O’Neill and the 14-year-old gelding Clonagoose Daniel Dubh (Roches Dunn - Laura Dubh, by Scribano), claimed a ticket for the 153cm final when finishing third here on 84 marks. O’Neill and the dun compete regularly in SJI-affiliated shows at Sceilig. In its further removes, this is the family of Zeta’s Lad, whose 17 track wins included 15 over fences, once in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran.

Busy week

It was a busy week for Co Wexford’s Lily Walsh who, on Sunday, qualified for the 153cm Junior equitation class at Dublin on the five-year-old ISH mare Uilinn Gleorte and, on Wednesday, for the 153cm working hunter pony final, having scored a third-place finish on 84 marks with her mother Jenny’s Redinagh Kate.

Registered with Leisure Horse Ireland, this five-year-old bay mare, who has 51 SJI points to her credit, is by Cavalier Land.

She was bred by Padraic Leacy out of Graceful Kate, a daughter of Rashar.

Multi-talented

The fourth and fifth qualifying tickets went to the Jack Costello-ridden 16-year-old black mare Zenzi Girl VDK (82) and the Connie Turnbull-partnered FS Stormborn (also on 82). The latter, a six-year-old ISH mare by Lagans OBOS Quality, is more often competed in IPS classes and arena eventing by her Scottish owner, Becky Scott.