SINCE this column last appeared on Saturday, May 13th, nine Eventing Ireland national one-day events have been staged in this country and this week we are going to concentrate on those who competed in the Junior and Pony classes as well as Young Riders taking on the challenge of senior company.

Some, of course, competed at the Millstreet International Horse Trials (June 1st to 4th) where, among those placed, were Godfrey Gibbons who finished third on Milchem Free Spirit in the CCI3*-S; Carla Williamson with Galco and Ben Connors on Cornafest Fred who were third and fifth in the CCI2*-S; and Erin Mathieson who partnered the Connemara Pony Longwood Dawn into sixth place in the CCI1*-Intro.

On the national scene, Young Riders have yet to make their presence felt at 1.20m level while Daniel Meagher leads the aged-restricted EI115 league on 22 points. The 21-year-old earned four of these when fifth on the Irish Sport Horse gelding A Classic Sportsfield at Kilguilkey House (1) in May and 10 when second on his father James’ nine-year-old Mermus R bay at Ballindenisk (1). Tara Dixon is lying second on Master Smart (18) and joint-third on Global Narco along with Gibbons and Milchem Miami on 10 points apiece.

Lucy McIlroy, who recently joined Smith Brothers Eventing, leads the EI110 league with her mother Angela’s traditionally-bred ISH gelding Major Black. The 20-year-old Newry native and the 13-year-old Imperial Hights gelding have earned all of their 46 points in the period under review, winning at both Rosanna events and at Grove last Sunday.

Riding the aforementioned Milchem Miami, a seven-year-old Glasgow Vant Merelsnest mare owned by his mother Marie Dunne, 18-year-old Gibbons is still on 20 points in this league but has now dropped to second. However, he remains in front of Daragh Hanlon who has accumulated 17 points on board William Mackie’s 11-year-old Omar mare Omaybe.

From Ballinasloe in Co Mayo, Gibbons is very much leading near weekly raids out of the Western Region backed up by his sister Katie (15) and Oisin McDonagh (13), who are mainly competing ponies. Katie’s best results to date this season have been on board Milchem Mischief who won the EI90 (P) at Hillcrest (2) and was second at the same level at Clonmahon House behind Ward Union Pony Club member Kirsty Greene and her mother Clare’s British-bred mare Our Girl, a six-year-old chesnut by KL Mac.

McDonagh’s season didn’t commence until mid-May but he has been notching up plenty EI90 (P) placings and recording wins on the Ralph Conroy-owned and bred Milchem Illusion, a five-year-old chesnut mare by Milchem Classic Edition, at Rosanna (1) and on his father Martin’s Full Moon Magic, a six-year-old bay gelding by Bog Mac Bobby at Rosanna (2).

*Covering from Hillcrest on May 14th to Grove on June 25th.