THE central location of the Mullingar Equestrian Centre attracted competitors from all around the country to Sunday’s second leg of this year’s Sports Pony Challenge.

Disappointingly, it was a dull, wet day as the three phases were judged in the all-weather arenas by Clare Fitzsimmons and Breda Bernie (dressage), Mary Moore (working hunter) and Gilly Beare (show jumping).

The Coad sisters from Co Wicklow, Rosie and Isla, partnered a winner apiece, the former making a winning debut in the Connemara class for riders under 16 with Ballylee Roller who she sat up on for the first time on Sunday morning.

This nine-year-old Coill Rua Champ gelding, who won both the dressage and show jumping phases and was second in the working hunter, completed on a total of 295 points, ahead of the 15-year-old Cashelbay Prince gelding Creganna Dandini (290) who was ridden by Lara Field.

Ballylee Roller, who was bred in Co Galway by Brendan O’Flynn out of a Smokey Duncan mare, was campaigned under Eventing Ireland rules for the past two seasons by Olena Cowan, winning at both EI100 (P) and EI110 (P) levels. Having posted disappointing results in the CCI1*-Intro at Blair Castle in late August last year and in the EI110 (P) national championships at Lisgarvan House the following month, Ballylee Roller rounded off his 2022 season when winning the EI100 (P) at Grove 2 in early October.

There were only four starters in the Connemara class for riders over 16 where all three phases were won by Co Clare’s Mia Bannon on board her mother Claire’s Clareville Codiac (300 points). This seven-year-old grey gelding by Caherlistrane Bay was bred in Co Galway by John Tierney out of the Slisneoir mare Tegan.

Second Coad win

Isla Coad’s win came in the 133cms class where there were only five runners but the top three each won a phase.

Coad rode her mother Carol’s 17-year-old British-bred skewbald gelding Frosthill Jackaroo (by Retford Jorrocks) who topped the scores in the working hunter phase en route to a total of 285 points. Aisling Malone finished second overall (280) on Mister O’Malley, winner of the dressage phase, and Ellie Rogan was third (275) on the show jumping phase winner, Corries Jack In A Box.

On a frustrating day for Lara Field, she also had to settle for second (267.5 points) in the 143cms class on board the home-bred Connemara Creganna Kerfuffle.

Here, the clear-cut winner on 282.5 points was Co Wicklow’s Ned Kelly riding his mother Lucy’s British-bred Rowdown Archer, a 14-year-old gelding by Priory Pipalong. They were completing a double initiated at Killossery Lodge Stud.

Having won practically every class they contested at the Northern Ireland Festival, Aoibhinn Ruane and Dartans Atom Man didn’t enjoy a similar level of success at Balmoral Show and here they had to settle for second (270) in the 153cms class behind Dalkey’s Alisha Vard riding her mother Yvonne’s Connemara gelding Galtee Donald (275). This seven-year-old grey by Kinvara Boy was bred in Co Tipperary by Mick and Chris Hennessy out of a Lishmar Shadow mare.

Kate Moore had little trouble following up her Killossery win in the Novice class with Epic Wildfire who topped the scores in both the working hunter and show jumping phases en route to a total of 295.

Andy Kennedy also brought up a double when landing the four-runner starter stakes/combined training class on his mother Maeve’s British-bred gelding, Maihem First Edition (195 points).

However, the young Co Tipperary rider and the 12-year-old Ballagh The Boss bay only narrowly added victory here to that at Killossery as Rathfarnham’s Grace Lawlor also completed the two phases (dressage and working hunter) on 195 points with her mother Jenny’s 13-year-old grey gelding The Silver Bullit. Kennedy secured victory with the higher working hunter score.

The third leg of this league will take place on Sunday, June 25th at Boswell Equestrian, Co Wicklow.