Sports Pony Challenge

THE Irish Pony Society’s hunter pony committee has ratified the dates and venues for next year’s Sports Pony Challenge which will have its finals at the Coilóg Equestrian Centre in Co Kildare on Sunday, May 24th. The first of four qualifiers takes place at Wexford EC on Sunday, March 15th and this will be followed by Galway EC on Saturday, March 21st, Killossery Lodge Stud on Easter Tuesday, April 14th and Boswell Equestrian on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th.

RDS elections

LT Col Tom Freyne was re-elected to serve a second term on the Equestrian Committee of the RDS this week, while Jane Darragh and Dr Antonia Lehane are the newly elected members. Freyne was also elected onto the Agricultural Section of the council. Eighteen-year-old Kate Madden, co-founder and head of Global Sales of FenuHealth, was elected on to the committee of Science and Technology.

Charity show at River Lodge Equestrian

RIVER Lodge Equestrian in Wexford are holding a charity show tomorrow (Sunday), December 15th. Run in conjunction with their winter league final, the charity show will have separate prizes, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Jack Dodd Foundation and the Kevin Babington Fund. There will hot food available and free tea and coffee supplied on the day. Everyone is welcome.

Connaught Region AGM

SHOWJUMPING Ireland wish to inform Connaught Region members that the rescheduled Connaught AGM will take place at the McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris, Co Mayo, on Wednesday, January 8th at 7pm. They ask all members to attend.

Russia banned from Olympic Games

THE World Anti-Doping Agency has imposed a four-year ban on Russian teams and athletes with no official team allowed at Olympics, Paralympics and World Championships. However, athletes who can prove they are clean can compete under a neutral banner. In the equestrian event for Tokyo 2020, Russia have qualified a dressage team and two athletes have gained individual slots in eventing. Should the dressage team be disqualified, the FEI will have to make a decision on the replacement. The team from Belarus are next in-line.

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BT award for Funnell

BRITISH event rider Pippa Funnell was named the BT Sport Action Woman of the Year after a public vote on Monday night. The 51-year-old, who won a team silver medal at the FEI European Championships and the five-star at Burghley a week later after some 16 years, defeated a strong list of contenders. She said: “I am so inspired by everyone [here tonight]. Thank you to all the people that voted. It’s been such a long career. The one thing I want to do more than anything is to try and inspire the next generation.” At home, European eventing bronze medal winner Cathal Daniels was in contention for the National Award at the Canon Hayes National Sports Awards on Friday night.