THE Scarteen Hunt Branch of the Irish Pony Club took the brave decision to run an Open class at their well-supported Connolly’s Red Mills eventing championships qualifier at Hillcrest last Sunday and were rewarded with an excellent entry of 11, six of whom completed.

The win went to Kildare’s Alice Curley whose total of 39.10 on her 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare DSL Allegra included nine show jumping penalties and 1.6 for time across the country. Co Limerick’s Ben Buckley led after dressage (26) on Tullabeg Flamenco but eight penalties were added in the show jumping ring and 5.2 across the country. The United Branch’s Isabel Fitzgerald posted the only clear inside the time across the country on OLS Pixie Hollow but had to settle for third (40.75) having had a pole down show jumping.