A HEALTHY contingent of Irish Pony Society members are travelling to the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham next week. The ‘Golden Ticket’ to compete at HOYS is a huge achievement in itself and IPS members dominated the qualification classes at the Northern Ireland Festival taking all HOYS qualification tickets on offer.

Qualifying in the 133cm Working Hunter Pony section was Ellie Rogan (12)riding the JP Rogan-owned Corries Jack In A Box, who will be making an incredible sixth consecutive appearance in this class, first qualifying with the late Tiggy Hancock in 2018.

Making their debut at HOYS are Lara Field (16) riding Majorie Hardiman’s home-bred Creganna Kerfuffle, in the 143cm WH. Aoibhinn Ruane (18) and Dartan’s Atom Man proved a formidable force in their first season together and have qualified for the 153cm Working Hunter. This will be Aoibhinn’s second year in-a-row to compete, after finishing sixth last year on the Connemara pony Clonad Rose.

Alicia Devlin Byrne and Gort Town Dancer, pictured at Scarteen, will compete in the horse Working Hunter at HOYS \ Tadhg Ryan Bit-Media.com

Melissa O’Connor Murphy’s Darcey de Chanteloube will be making his second appearance with rider Jessica Murphy (18). Jessica and Darcey have had a hugely successful season with multiple wins at Dublin Horse Show this year. Alicia Devlin Byrne and Irish Draught Gort Town Dancer took the horse Working Hunter qualification. Alicia also qualified in 2021 with the legendary Connemara Pony Blackwood Fernando who aged 24 went on to take a famous win in the M&M Working Hunter pony of the year.

Manor Duke and Joe Burke in action \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net

Expert handler Joe Burke and the wonderful Noel Noonan-owned Manor Duke will be taking their place in The Price In Hand Final for the second time, after finishing third in 2021. Chloe Lacey and the experienced Ballylee Castle Prince, owned by Aoife O’Connor, will be competing in the hotly contested M&M Ridden Connemara Pony of the year.

The youngest member of the IPS to qualify was Nancy Lyons-Teehan (9) riding Louise Lyon’s Tynffrwd Cary’s in the 122cm Junior M&M Working Hunter. They qualified at the Derbyshire Festival in the UK and this will be this pair’s first trip to HOYS.

In the show pony classes we have five-year-old Stanley Grange Crescendo by Turberry Topcat who is in his first season under saddle ridden by Chloe Salley (14) and owned by her grandmother Mrs Margaret Miller. They qualified as a 138cm show pony at NPS Championship Show at Malvern.

Jocelyn Hutchinson (12) qualified riding Brookllan Lady Isabella who is owned and bred by John Mc Cormick. This combination qualified at Royal Highland Show for the 128cm Show Pony Class. Another combination to get their qualification at the Royal Highland Show was former IPS member Max McDonnell qualifying for the 143cm M&M Working Hunter working hunter on Follis Princess

Katie Wyse (18) partnered Amanda Torrens’ 16-year-old Brief Encounter gelding Leave It To You at the BSPS Summer Championships to claim a spot in the 153cm Show Hunter Pony of the year. Fiona Goor’s seven-year old Riverford Love Song gelding, Underhill Bobcat with rider Charlotte Goor (13) are competing in the 143cm Show Hunter Pony of the year another fabulous achievement for a young pony/rider combination.

Husband and wife team of Grace Maxwell Murphy and William McMahon both picked up their tickets at the Irish Pony Society Summer Championship Show with Glencarrig Douvan in the M&M Ridden Connemara Pony of the year and Edenagor Star in the Price In Hand final.

The IPS has wished all participants the best of luck for the week ahead.