THE Welsh Pony & Cob Society of Ireland’s Championship Show was hosted by Bianca and John Lennon at their Kilbride Equestrian Centre near Callan, Co Kilkenny. Although numbers were undoubtedly affected by the number of shows being held on the same day, the quality of exhibits entered was outstanding. Many exhibitors were hoping to win one of the hotly contested WPCS Overseas Medals.

In Ring 1, Harold Zoet, judge from the renowned Ysselvliedt Stud in The Netherlands, remarked on the quality of the ponies and cobs he had judged. One of the first to capture the hearts of Welsh pony lovers was Mary Carter’s foal out of Friarly Super Model. There were many ringside admirers of the Section A Youngstock Champion, Laurie Kearon’s delightful two-year-old colt Ffyonbach Floyd, expertly produced by Kate Preston. Tony Armstrong’s grey stallion Floreat Cosmos, by Sunwillow Zermatt, gave a great show to take the Section A Championship with Ffyonback Floyd in reserve.

There were some welcome new exhibits in the Section C classes with Ashleigh Tate’s lovely bay D’Abernon Tic Toc taking the Youngstock Championship. The Section C mare Banroc Isadora by Ffoslas Golden Rancher, was expertly shown by her owner Elizabeth Hatton to win the Section C Championship with D’Abernon Tic Toc in reserve.

Dawn Thomas showed her Brenig Melltigedig in the Section D Mare and Gelding over four years class. “Gedig” looked superb and would have benefitted from a larger ring to show his ground-covering movement.

The Section B ponies entry underlined their popularity with good entries in most classes. Ann Grimes’ lovely palomino, the aptly named Sianwood Pretty Penny, by Waxwing Penny Whistle, the Youngstock Champion and overall Section B Champion, came from the two- and three-year-old class. The runner-up in the class, Kenneth Rushe’s Barrera Crystal Orchid by Muskerry Cascade was reserve.

The part-bred led ponies underlined their versatility and varied type with several larger ponies catching the eye. Rosemary Chambers’ Llaniellian Last of a Golden Star, by a dressage pony Meiriogen Jac out of a dam by Hilin Goya, won the Youngstock Championship with Ann Grimes’ Lambay I’m Amazing, on her first outing, in reserve.

Bianca Lennon’s Foulksrathview Miss Flash Daisy, by Derwent Rainbow Bandit out of her splendid former lead rein pony, Ebony Flash Miss, won the four-year-old and over class and stood reserve overall Part Bred to the worthy Champion, Llaniellian Last of a Golden Star.

The overall Youngstock Championship including all Champions and Reserves across the different Sections, was a nail-biting affair with a very close finish. The lovely bay roan colt Ffyonbach Floyd was given the nod with the elegant Sianwood Pretty Penny in reserve.

Ridden ponies division

Harold Zoet was then presented with the Welsh Ridden ponies. The pure bred Mini Championship went to Aine Brennan’s versatile grey Rhoson Annywl Eto, ridden by her daughter Aoife. In reserve was Penny Hard’s palamino, Glynsylen Magellan ridden and produced by Lennan Moloney.

The pure bred ridden Championship was an exciting display of showmanship with Dawn Thomas’ Brenig Melltigedig by Menai Firework, outstandingly ridden by Penny Kelly getting the well-deserved nod. Ella Connolly’s Section C Twyford Captain Morgan was reserve.

Charlotte Goor’s black gelding Underhill Bobcat, by the coloured stallion Riverford Love Song out of a Welsh mare, was the worthy class and Championship winner, followed home by Amira Curran riding her mother Jennie’s charming chesnut Colby Voyager.

Meanwhile in Ring 2 under judge Jane Darragh, the producers of the future, the young handlers, produced their ponies beautifully with Jessica McAuliffe taking Champion young handler. Next up were the Equitation classes, focusing on the rider’s ability rather than the quality of the animal. Following some impressive classes, the final line-up was a family affair with Aibhe Hally taking Equitation Champion with her sister Cara standing in reserve.

The ridden hunter and show pony section provided a feast for the eyes with a very impressive line-up equal to that seen at the RDS. Eva Gunn on her wonderfully named Myrromere Miss Precious taking Show pony Champion with Jennie Curran’s Tidkin Talisman taking reserve. In the show hunters, Charlotte Goor’s Underhill Bobcat moved up to take Champion honours.

The workers, on a lovely all weather surface, were presented with a lovely track. The mini section, our stars of the future, was won by Anna Doolan on Muskerry Rolo with Rohan Shannon on Tabitha Mini Minx standing reserve. Lucy Doyle on her lovely Who’s Jardin B and Aoife Brennan with her first season on Rhoson Annwyl Eto took Champion and Reserve in the larger Mountain and Moorland section. The Part Bred Working Hunter title was taken by the striking liver chesnut Kilcreene Serendipity who also won the 80cm Performance Jumping.

Finale

The Overall Championships were the finale of a very enjoyable day. There were some difficult decisions for Harold Zoet to choose from an impressive line-up, but it was Underhill Bobcat, ridden by Charlotte Goor, who was given the nod for the Overall Part-bred Champion.

The Overall Pure Bred Champion was a very close affair with the judge having to ask several to do a second trot to help make his decision. After a nail-biting few minutes it was the showman of the day under saddle, Brenig Melltigedig, expertly ridden by Penny Kelly, who was pulled forward to take the Overall Champion Pure Bred, with the section C Banroc Isadora pulled out reserve. That drew the 2023 show to a close for another year. The quality of ponies, both young and more experienced, was impressive and bodes well for the future of the Welsh Pony in Ireland.