THE bulk of the TRI Equestrian show jumping competitions at last week’s three-day Irish Pony Club Festival in Barnadown were held on the Friday, when a good trip to Co Wexford for the Kildare Branch was made even better as their Minstrels squad won the Junior team competition for the Robbie Bailey cup. Following two rounds of 90cm jumping, three of the 28 teams were on a zero score.

Disappointingly for the Newcastle Lyons Branch’s Silver Birch quartet of Oliver French, Saoirse Tracy, Ava Mooney and Isabelle Smith, their Festival came to an end following a fall. Receiving some compensation when presented with the equitation award, Carlow’s Emily Flavin-Redmond, Grace Kelly, Lulu Rose Mulhall and Jack Hargaden (who had just arrived back from Australia) had to settle for second on four faults in 73.61.