Katy Saunders

THE penultimate leg of the Equestrian Store N.I. and SJI sponsored Pony Premier league, took place at Ballinamona last Saturday, with course builder Rafael Suarez on duty.

The under 10 premier class saw 23 starters, but only one combination remained on a zero score. Alexandra Hourigan and Little Rock Hopscotch scored a win, adding to her seven league points. League leader Katie McEntee finished second on Supersonic, picking up four faults in the jump-off in a time of 32.69 seconds, leaving her on 40 league points. Coen William and Castlequarter Hero took third place when finishing on four faults in 42.85 and stands on 31 points.

League leader in the 128cms division, Frances Derwin, added to his tally when claiming victory on Buachaill Baire, finishing three rounds of jumping on a zero score in 31.83, remaining at the top of the leader board. Runner-up spot went to Emily Costello riding Knock Your Socks Off in 36.87. Ellie-Rose Cassidy claimed third and fourth places on Parc Chit Chat (40.00) and Little Ceaser (42.04), with all of the top-four riders jumping triple clear rounds.

Three athletes dominated the 138cms class with Jason Foley taking first and second place, winning on Bear Me In Mind when triple clear in 27.35 and also taking runner-up spot on Kiltormer Hero (28.48). Kate Derwin finished in third with Dizzee Rascal, stopping the clock clear in 29.32, while she also finished seventh on Sligo Lux To Queeney (31.07). Harry Allen grabbed fourth place with Fountain Ranger (29.81) and also took fifth place with Lough Gill (30.41) and sixth with Scarletts Billy The Kid (30.71). Kate Derwin now leads the standings with 40 points, ahead of Harry Allen in second on 38 and Jason Foley in third on 37.

Twenty-four combinations lined out in the 148cms class, with just three riders remaining on zero after three rounds. Cormac Foley brought Crown Jewel home in 37.44 to take the winner’s prize, just ahead of Michael Pender and Cul Ban Mistress in second (37.50), with Emma McEntee and Kadia Mouche in third in 42.97. Foley now moves to the top of the table on 31 points, just ahead of Pender on 29. Abbie Sweetnam moved into third place on the league table when picking up five points for fifth place on Dynamite Spartacus.

The action concluded with the final qualifier for the Allianz Starfinder of the Future with 21 starters. Robbie Clancy and the Paddy Bligh-owned seven-year-old My Castlehill Lass came home in front, clear in 37.52, just ahead of Mary Monaghan’s six-year-old Shirsheen Cruiser, ridden by Sean Monaghan to another clear in 38.88.

The final of the Pony Premier league and the Allianz Starfinder of the Future, takes place at the Pony and Young Rider Championships at Mullingar EC (August 20th to 23rd).