KILDARE’s Sadhbh O’Connor continued her excellent start to the showing season at last Sunday’s Irish Pony Society spring show in Barnadown, where she claimed the supreme pony championship on her mother Aoife’s traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Griffinstown.

En route to landing the show’s overall title, O’Connor and the Imperial Tiger seven-year-old won their open Intermediate show hunter/show riding type class, the Royal International Horse Show Intermediate show hunter qualifier and championship and the show’s Intermediate championship. In most instances, O’Connor and the bay finished in front of Sophie Cusack and her mother Oorla’s 17-year-old British-bred gelding Tiger Eye.

The O’Connors have two major targets for Griffinstown this year - the Agria Royal International Horse Show (July 21st to 26th) and the Dublin Horse Show (August 5th to 9th). One gets the impression that they are definitely on a mission when it comes to Dublin, where Sadhbh and Griffinstown finished reserve in the show hunter pony championship last year, having won the 158cm class ahead of Cusack and Tiger Eye.

Back in 2024, when the pair won that 158cm class at the RDS showgrounds but didn’t feature in the championship, Griffinstown was then in the ownership of Mary-Ann Casey, whose mother Jill bred him out of her Irish Draught mare Ducharraig (by Allys Bridge).

At present, combinations don’t have to qualify for the show hunter pony classes at Dublin, but they do for both the ridden and performance Connemara sections and many have already been getting ready for the first qualifier at Tullylish on Saturday, June 6th.

On Sunday, the open Connemara working hunter championship was claimed by the Over 16 class winners, Emma Mackey and her mother Emily Widger’s eight-year-old bay gelding Dereen Lightening (Maam Hero - Dereen Rosie, by Silver Shadow), who was bred in Co Clare by Kevin Howley.

In reserve stood the Under 16 class winners, Amira Curran and her father Daryl’s nine-year-old grey gelding Caherpuca Chappy (Coolin America - Loughfadda Darling, by Rebel Justice), who was bred in Co Galway by Michael and Kendra Rabbitte.

On the flat, the championship sash was awarded to the Over 16 class winners, Jessica Murphy and her grandmother Noreen O’Connor’s grey gelding Barr A Leam Shadow (I Love You Melody - Léim Ladybell, by Silver Shadow), a six-year-old bred in Co Galway by John Sullivan. Riding for Emma Walsh, Lyla Vile slotted into the reserve spot on the Bartley Conroy-bred six-year-old grey gelding Emlaughmore Mistro (Dunloughan Troy - Emlaughmore Girl, by Callowfeenish Grey).

Combinations also have to qualify for the working hunter pony classes at Dublin and many owners, riders and producers are availing of the opportunities provided by shows such as this to warm up for the start of the qualifying campaign at Banner Equestrian on Sunday, May 24th.

Here, we should mention the novice champion and reserve, Dartans Buchaill Bui and Crannard Lockdown Shadow, who progressed from the 153cm class.

The former, who was ridden for her mother Louise Lyons and her grandmother Anne Lyons by Nancy Lyons Teehan, is a seven-year-old cremello Connemara gelding by Templebready Fear Bui, who was bred in Co Wexford by Avril Doyle out of Golden Bee (by Glaskopf Golden Siskin). The James McMahon-bred six-year-old Connemara gelding Crannard Lockdown Shadow (Silver Shadow - Leamlara Talula, by Templebready Fear Bui) was ridden by owner Aisling Connolly’s daughter Ella.

In the open division, the championship sash was presented to Tristan Kelly, who had earlier won the 133cm class with his mother Lucy’s 15-year-old dun gelding Tinnecarrig Milo. Lucy Donnelly was beckoned into the reserve position with the 153cm class winner, her father Eoin’s 11-year-old ISH mare Tinraher Aggie (by Killea Hill View).

In the Mountain and Moorland working hunter section of the show, there was yet another win this season for Rosita Dunne and the British-bred 11-year-old cream gelding Fontmell Jack Sparrow (Carrswood Zeus - Fontmell Joie de Vivre, by Fontmell Race Against Time), who graced the cover of the Irish Horse World on the first Saturday of this month.

Laragh Molloy claimed the mini working hunter championship with the beginner cradle stakes winner Miss Kizzy, ahead of the open cradle stakes winner Balferns Dawning Surprise.