THE weather was kind to the pony classes at Lusk’s Working Hunter event last Saturday but not so kind for the horses 24 hours later.

Despite the morning rain, competitors turned out for an action-packed day.

Sonya Tester, the judge for the ponies, commented on how many little riders jumped so well over a nine and later a 12-fence course.

With over 70 entries in the horse section, hard-working judges David Rodgers and Vicky Ormadillo, along with their scribes Catherine Patterson and Diane Irvine, had a busy day alternating between the jumping phase and the conformation phase.

Jonny Mulligan, with four smart young horses in the four-year-old class was very busy and hard to beat coming first, second, fourth and fifth, while John McEvoy squeezed into third place with his horse on its first outing.

Anna Reid and Anna Douglas rose through the ranks from the riding school, coming to the fore in the second class. Charlie Black, on his faithful Thunder Mountain, was in the prizes, while Maria Dreme, at her first working hunter, took a third place.

The later classes were more demanding and riders commented that it was great preparation for the NI Festival and especially Balmoral.

Sport continues tomorrow (Sunday) at Lusk’s with the popular Garden Event taking place on the newly sanded tracks and, for the first time this year, into the fields. All enquiries please to Jenny on 078-316 61428.