THREE riders, who were members of Pony Club Branches, partnered their first winners in racing over the past few weeks, the most recent being Thomas Kileff who, on his third start in a point-to-point, landed the Tattersalls National Hunt five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Kirkistown, Co Down, last Saturday.

The 24-year-old, who was a member of the Killultagh Branch in Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland), scored by six and a half lengths on the Califet bay Bold Fury, who is owned and trained by his boss, former international event rider, Ross Crawford. Thomas is a son of Craig Kileff, who many will know as a representative of Bluegrass Horse Feeds, and, like his father, used to be very involved in polocrosse.

On Saturday, connections’ association with the Pony Club movement was recalled when Bold Fury was walked around after the race in a Pony Club sheet provided by the North Down Branch’s polocrosse instructor Angela Fynn.

On February 22nd, Luke Burke-Ott recorded his first racecourse success on his seventh ride when guiding the Michael Winters-trained Pana To Milan to victory in the BoyleSports (Q.R.) Handicap Chase at Thurles. The 18-year-old, a former member of the Duhallow Branch, finished six and a half lengths ahead of none other than the former multiple champion point-to-point rider, Derek O’Connor.

The Westmeath Branch, which was well represented in last Sunday’s Ward Union Junior Antler Challenge in Greenogue, was quick to acknowledge the first win on his third ride of member Kevin Healy on the evening of Friday, March 1st.

In common with Kileff and Burke-Ott, Kevin’s win came in amateur company but, unlike the other pair, the 17-year-old won on the flat at Dundalk Stadium where he partnered the free-running Wrecking Ball Paul to a near all-the-way success over two miles. The six-year-old Jet Away gelding is trained by Paul Mulligan.

Kevin, who won the Junior title at the Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland in 2022, has also recorded many wins in working hunter competitions.