THE Irish Pony Society held their national awards night last Friday in the Mullingar Park Hotel where Tyrrellpass Devine, owned and bred locally by Catherine Boylan, was crowned the Plusvital Champion Pony of the Year.
The seven-year-old Irish Sports Pony mare, who had a very successful first season in 2025 under Ella Healion, is by the recently deceased Chinook Limelight out of the Eskdale Splendid Venture mare Lady Venture. On hand to celebrate with the 14-year-old rider were her parents Mark and Caroline, her older brother Ryan and her aunt and coach, Sinead Healion.
Campaigned last year by Penny, Daisy and Millie Toomey for their mother Marianne Power, whose own mother Geraldine had spotted the grey for sale online, the 12-year-old British-bred Welsh gelding Rookery Haribo won two national titles, Mini Show Hunter Pony Champion of the Year and Plusvital Mini Pony Champion of the Year. The Toomeys were also presented with the Mansergh Wallace Plate for overall points winner.
Riding for the palomino pony’s Wales-based owner/breeder Penny Hard, Co Kilkenny’s Lennan Moloney won the Starter Stakes Championship and the Mini Mountain and Moorland Championship on the 15-year-old Russetwood Elation gelding Glynsylen Magellan.
Riding for their mother Zoe Shannon, Lennan’s brother Rohán won the Mini Working Hunter Championship on the 23-year-old Tabita Mini Minx.
He was also presented with the Clonross Award for the Plusvital Leading Irish-Bred Pony during the season on the Tabita Show Time mare, who was bred in Co Westmeath by Mary Dooner out of Gwendraeth Mari Lwyd, by Bengad White Pine.
Other overall winning ponies on the night were Laurel Lodge Stud’s Wyndham By The Way (Youngstock Pony of the Year) and Sarah Jane Sinnott’s Shanbo Rory (Breeding Pony of the Year).
Also presented with overall awards were Rebecca and Stephanie Fleming for Whiteleaze Secret Temptation (Mini Show Pony Champion), Kate Lawlor for Roseberry Make Believe (Show Pony Champion), Amber Lane for Creganna Dancer (Show Hunter Champion) and Chloe Doyle for Tullohea Tic Tac (Aloga Equestrian Working Hunter Champion).
Others recipients were Aoibhinn Ruane for Zavy Echo (Intermediate Champion), Amelia Logan for Fielden Real McCoy (Coloured Champion), Charlotte Ferris for Ahane Valiant (Part-bred Champion), Zoe Thompson for Goldengrove Maydream (Mountain and Moorland Champion), Amira Curran for Caherpucca Chappy (Connemara Champion) and Eirin Wardle for First Delilah (Performance Champion).
Also honoured on the night were Eva Gunn with the novice pony of the year, Rosskon Koka, and Sophie Cusack who was presented with the Arran Bobby award for the Champion Connemara in working hunter classes, Clareville Codiac.
It’s not all about the ponies, of course, and singled out for special rider awards were Esther Drake (Newcomer of the Year), Cian Greene (Brandon Award for new member with most notable achievements), Nancy Lyons Teehan (International Achievement Award), Charlotte Goor (Pinkeen Trophy for leading female rider at Championship Show) and Will Griffin (Carew Cup for leading male rider at Championship Show).
The awards ceremony was conducted by Jeff Grace, chairperson of the IPS, and Faith Ponsonby, who also presented a recognition award, sponsored by Shannondale Stud, to Stuart Murphy, chef d’equipe of the Irish squads who competed so successfully in the team competitions at last year’s British Show Pony Society summer championships.
Judges to the fore
The Irish Pony Society had a very busy weekend, following up Friday’s national awards evening in the Mullingar Park Hotel by holding their annual judges’ seminar at the same venue on Saturday. All were first welcomed by the IPS chairperson Jeff Grace, after which there were presentations by guest speakers Lizzie Briant and Philip Scott. These were really well received, providing a positive start to the season.
On Sunday, the annual judges’ assessments were held at Boley Equestrian in Co Wexford. This was organised by Judges’ Committee Members Fiona Goor, Gladys Graham and Joanne Quirke, who received invaluable assistance on the day from Mairead Ryan and Kathy Geoghegan.