THE final of the Irish Pony Society’s 2025 Sports Pony Challenge was held on Tuesday at Killossery Lodge Stud where the late Dorothy Guilford, whose brainchild the Challenge was, would have been delighted with the standard of riding and production.

Michael Moore (Dressage Ireland List 2A) and June Loughran (List 5) divided the judging duties of the dressage phase, Mairead Ryan assessed those forward over the working hunter course and Gillie Beare judged the show jumping phase. Both tracks were built by Killossery’s Frank Glynn.

The final also marked the last leg of the league and three riders doubled up as winners of both, the most comprehensive of these being Co Tipperary’s very busy Evie Kennedy who claimed the 143cm final and league on board her mother Maeve’s Dublin working hunter champion, Little Dromin Phoenix.

Consistency in all three phases saw locally-based Nancy Caffrey land the starter stakes final comfortably enough with Bowmount Rusty but, in the league, she and the 18-year-old palomino gelding only won by a single point from fellow Co Meath resident Rosita Dunne and the 10-year-old Welsh gelding Fontmell Jack Sparrow.

Just two combinations contested the 158cm final and here the honours went to Co Kilkenny’s Aoibhinn Ruane and her new ride for this season, Birol Nadir’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Zavy Echo, a 10-year-old chesnut by Zavatar F. Their closest rivals in the league were Kate Horgan and the ISH gelding Highview Shakespeare, a six-year-old Lagans OBOS Quality bay who stood second on Tuesday.

There were only two starters also in the 133cm final won by Caitlin Goff and the eight-year-old bay mare Ms Golden Girl ahead of Lucy Hope Ryan and the Connemara gelding Diamond Shadow. However, those positions were reversed in the league where Ryan and the five-year-old Lishmar Shadow grey ran out the easy winners (36 points to 18).

Her victory in the show jumping phase helped Sophie Cusack win the 153cm final on board Clareville Codiac but, in the league, she and the nine-year-old Caherlistrane Bay gelding could only finish fifth (20 points).

Topping this league with 34 points, eight of which were earned when finishing third on Tuesday, were Hannah Goold and the six-year-old dun gelding Paddy’s Best. Fifth in the final, Charlotte Goor was just a point adrift in second with the nine-year-old ISH mare Ardville Whispering Hope.

Nancy Lyons Teehan ran out the narrow winner of the Novice final on board Dartans Jack Flash, a nine-year-old lemon and white skewbald gelding who the rider hunted all winter. The combination were pressed right to the wire by the league winners, Aoife Brennan and the nine-year-old dun gelding Captain Bailey.

Comprehensive

Co Meath riders dominated the 1m Connemara section, Clara Cully winning the final with the 13-year-old Celtic Moy Sailor gelding P.I.O. while Maggi Caffrey claimed the league honours with the 14-year-old Castleside JJ gelding Illaunaura Heather. Freya Dempsey recorded an eight-point win in the 90cm Connemara league with the eight-year-old Western Boy gelding Ballinlough Addonis. On Tuesday, however, they had to settle for second in the final behind Evie Holohan and the nine-year-old Woodfield Oisin mare Annette’s Girl.

Over the course of the series, Evie was calculated to have been the best-placed Irish Pony Club rider which saw the Kildare Branch member being presented with the Tiggy Hancock trophy. This was sponsored by the Tiggy Trust which was represented at Killossery by Anne Magee.

Following her win in the 143cms final with the Connemara gelding Little Dromin Phoenix, a 16-year-old son of Lettermuckmoo Lad, Evie Kennedy was the recipient of the Rough Diamond Trophy awarded to the combination with the best score in the three disciplines on finals’ day.

This award is sponsored, and was presented, by Rachel Bennett Hamilton who also sponsored the league rugs while Equestrian World sponsored the rugs for the finals. The late Dorothy Guilford’s daughter Libby Wentges, chairman of the IPS working hunter committee, sponsored and presented the day’s rosettes.