LAST Sunday’s beautiful weather ensured the perfect start to this year’s series of Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club eventing qualifiers at The Kennels, Moorfields, where the Area 4 fixture was excellently organised and run by the Wexford Branch.

There were seven classes on the day and the only Branch to field more than one winner was Shillelagh and District, for which two sisters were on the mark, while a trio of Wexford Branch members filled the first three placings in Section B of the Under 12s competition.

Jane was the first of the Fitzgerald sisters to strike in the 21-runner Intermediate class. She led throughout although adding 0.8 of a cross-country time penalty to her winning dressage score (24.5) for a total of 25.3 on board the Irish Sport Horse mare Broomfield Banner.

Earlier in the month, Fitzgerald and her mother Laura’s 12-year-old Silver Banner grey had finished sixth of 20 in the EI90 at Frankfort Stud while they competed five times under Eventing Ireland rules last season, winning an EI90 at Rosanna in June.

The Meaths’ Kate Carroll finished second here on Right On Q (31.25), who had a fence down show jumping, while the Killinicks’ Keira Crowther, who was making her debut at this level, finished third on her dressage score with Tomoka Spots (32.25). Two combinations were eliminated in the show jumping phase and three across the country.

Jane’s younger sister Maisy ran out the narrow winner of Section A of the Junior class with Laura’s Connemara gelding Kildromin Mentor, a 10-year-old grey by Carraig Eibhir. They had finished 10th in that EI90 at Frankfort Stud.

Both Fitzgerald and Wexford’s Molly Hennessy Murphy on board My Late Find completed on their joint-winning dressage scores (23 penalties) with the Shillelagh Branch member getting the nod having recorded the marginally faster cross-country round.

The Bray Branch also fielded a winner in Bel Whelehan who completed on her winning flat work mark in Section B with the 11-year-old grey gelding Bolting Bob (29 penalties). Although joint-second after dressage, Kilkenny’s Eve Doyle occupied that runner-up position on her own at day’s end with Paddy B (29.75).

Tipperary’s Evie Kennedy led after dressage in Section C with Little Dromin Phoenix but, with a fence down show jumping, they completed on 31.25 penalties which left them second to Killinick member Ava Murphy who completed on her first phase score with the six-year-old Killinick Bouncer gelding My Bay Bouncer (29).

There was quite a lot of grief in the Intro Intermediate class but also one clear-cut victor in Offaly’s Leah Murphy who completed on her dressage score with the seven-year-old liver chesnut mare Woodfield Misty (21.75).

Foiled earlier, the Tipperary Branch struck in Section A of the Under 12s’ class where Anna Kennedy recorded a narrow win when completing on her flat work mark with the 15-year-old dun gelding Savanose Bobby (24.25). Section B was dominated by the Wexford Branch whose Kitty D’Alton, Sarah Finn and Ruth O’Hanlon finished first, second and third on Magic (33.50), Bobby Banjo (35.25) and Picchu (35.50).

The Connolly’s Red Mills series of qualifiers continues today at the Ballinamona Equestrian Centre, Old Tramore Road, Waterford (hosted by the Waterford Branch) and tomorrow week, Sunday, June 11th, at Newtownbarry House, Bunclody, Co Wexford (hosted by the Carlow Branch).