IT was a busy weekend in Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland) with the North Derry branch holding the area dressage trials at Ballyarnett on Saturday while the East Downs staged the tetrathlon trials around Downpatrick on Friday and Saturday.

The shooting and swimming phases took place in the Down Leisure Centre in the town, the running at Tyrella House and the ride over a cross-country course designed and built by David O’Connor at Tullymurry EC where, today, the Northern Region of Evening Ireland stages a one-day event.