THE 1971 individual European eventing champion, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, made a guest appearance at The Pony Club conference which was held on Wednesday week last, November 2nd at the Assembly Buildings Conference Centre in Belfast.

Among the many speakers was East Antrim’s Lucca Stubington while two Branch volunteers were also recognised for their support. Alan McKillen was presented with a Cubitt award for 20 years service while Lynn Martin received the Cherry award for her dedication and exceptional volunteering.

On a local, social level, this year the East Down Branch combined prize night with a Halloween party at the Steele family’s Riverhill Stud outside Downpatrick.

Clare and Jonny Steele weren’t long home following their trip to the world championships for young event horses in France where Jonny rode the home-bred R Kid in the seven-year-old class. We don’t know if the Centre Stage mare was tired after her outing at Le Lion d’Angers but Jonny certainly wasn’t given his moves on the party dance floor where there were some amazing costumes on view and a very competitive tug of war was held.

The party organisers were grateful to Viscountess Dilhorne, Nicola Manningham-Buller, for assisting with the prize-giving and judging the fancy dress. The theme for the night was “Giving something Back” and the prizes reflected the Pony Club’s core values of sportmanship, horsemanship, friendship and fun. There was an excellent raffle with some amazing prizes donated by very generous East Down families.

The Branch had a successful year both in terms of competition and increased membership and activity. Members travelled to Scotland and England representing their branch while also taking part in Pony Club camp as well as many training clinics with top-class coaches.

Over the past couple of years, East Down has fielded squad members on Irish teams at underage European eventing championships with Caoimhe Crozier earning a pony team bronze in Poland in 2021 and Tom Rowlatt-McCormick being part of this year’s Junior silver medal-winning team at Hartpury.

Award winners

This year’s award winners were as follows:- Annabel Storey (Mini/Junior Behaviour cup), Jamie Newsam (Lecale shield for turn-out and presentation), Rose O’Connor (Mini Award shield for most improved mini), Caoimhe Digney and Sofia Taylor (Saunders cup for most improved juniors), Farah Davidson (Maymore cup for best junior Pony Clubber), Jessica Curran (RMC cup for most determined junior) and Harris Mathers (Junior Russell cup for best team player at camp – instructor nomination).

Among others to whom presentations were made were: Annabelle Gill (Lisbane cup, attendance and teamwork juniors), Effie Torrens Spence (Priestley shield, attendance and teamwork seniors), Anna Morrow (Bissenden shield, attendance and teamwork seniors plus), Cara Napier (Kinnear cup in honour of Just Spencer), Maeve Linehan and Una McCrissican (East Down Cup (most improved seniors)), Hannah Steele and Anna Morrow (Steele cup for most improved seniors plus), Sarah Sloan (Senior Russell cup for best team player at senior camp – instructor nomination).

The list of prize-winners continued with: Abby Cummisky and Zara Sharvin (Oakley Fayre cup for volunteers), Megan Carson (Strangford cup for Area winner), Abby Cummisky, Rory Kinnear, Megan Carson and Rachel Fletcher (Downe vet cup for winning eventing team), Cara McNabb, Ellen McNabb, Jennifer Gilchrist and Sarah Gilchrist (Rea Timbercraft cup for the novice eventing team), Charlotte Nelson, Emily Turley, Molly Marner and Molly Goodwin (Adams cup (show jumping performance at Areas), Caoimhe Digney, Emma Morrison, Harris Mathers, Chloe Hamilton and Annabelle Gill (Trevor Steele award for winning junior games team).

Others honoured on the night were: Ceoladh Crozier and Liberty Malloy (Dewdney shield for senior tetrathlon), Izzy Napier (Glover shield for Junior tetrathlon), Ellen McNabb, Holly Savage, Jennifer Gilchrist and Sarah Gilchrist (PC90 team), Ryan Williamson (open show jumping), Caoimhe Crozier (senior dressage), Molly O’Connor (110 open eventing), Thomas Murphy (intermediate eventing), Oliver Kinnear (Rathkeltair cup for PC ambassador), Jonny and Clare Steele and family (Napier family trophy for most supportive PC family), James Murphy (District Commissioner award), Tom Rowlatt-McCormick (Committee cup for overall performance).

On the competition front at present, Branches in Area 17 are holding qualifiers for the Scotland and Northern Ireland Barrier Heath spring festival finals in dressage, arena eventing and show jumping which are due to be held at Morris Equestrian near Kilmarnock from April 1st to 3rd.