IT has been quite a brilliant start to 2026 for young Co Meath rider Cian Greene and his mother Jamie’s Killiskey Magic.

Last month, the pair won qualifiers at both Castle Irvine, Necarne and Killossery Lodge Stud for the exciting 128cm Under 10s’ championship at the upcoming Balmoral Show, while at Barnadown last Sunday, at the Irish Pony Society’s spring show, they enjoyed a day that will be difficult to surpass.

First up, 10-year-old Cian and the 18-year-old black mare landed their Royal International Horse Show open nursery stakes qualifier at their first attempt. After this, they won the RIHS working hunter championship ahead of the 143cm class winners, Ellie O’Donnell and her mother Trish’s 16-year-old bay gelding, Ballyhone Toby.

Having been crowned champion by Joanne Quirke and Fiona Goor in the morning in Ring 4, there was quite a wait for Killiskey Magic and the Greene team before the show’s supreme pony championship came up for decision as the show came to a close. Here, the young rider and his small pony had to settle for the reserve supreme slot behind the vastly more experienced Sadhbh O’Connor and the Intermediate champion, Griffinstown.

“We have had a great few weeks!” exclaimed Jamie, the rider’s very proud coach as well as mother. “We bought this mare less than two years ago off DoneDeal, basically as a Pony Club pony (Cian is an active member of the Ward Union Branch of the Irish Pony Club). At that stage, she had done no IPS and very, very little affiliated jumping, so to achieve all this in such a short time is just fantastic.”

When Cian goes show jumping, his father Charles can be found ringside, but the latter makes himself scarce when it comes to showing. Not to worry, Cian’s godmother travelled to Barnadown on Sunday and what a supporter to have in your camp, as the Cooley Farm-based Amanda Goldsbury is not only a successful international event rider, competing for New Zealand, but she is also a very talented show jumper. Goldsbury too has qualified for Balmoral.

Unfortunately, a clash of times meant that Cian’s seven-year-old brother C.J. didn’t get to compete at Barnadown on Sunday, but he had a day in the spotlight the previous weekend when winning the beginner cradle stakes at the Show of the East on David Byrne’s wonderful roan gelding My Starlight, who is now 29 years of age.