THE first of two Irish Pony Club novice one-day events was held by the Shillelagh & District Branch last Sunday at the Tinahely Riding Club grounds.

Just five riders contested the Intermediate class where there was a comfortable success for the Islands’ Susanna O’Dowd who completed on her winning dressage score (23.8 penalties) with Coolkenno Miller. The hosts won both ‘championship’ classes, claiming the Junior section through Sarah Keane riding her mother Avril Hobson’s well-known Connemara gelding Lon Mac Líomhtha. Keane completed the three phases on her dressage score (29) while the three ahead of her after the first phase all had problems in jumping. In the Under 12s’ division, where the first four finished on their dressage scores, the honours went to Kirstyn Reel riding Mockbeggar Waspy.