THERE was an 8am start to the first of the RDS working hunter pony qualifiers held at the Banner Equestrian Centre last Saturday and, little wonder, as 46 combinations came before judges Denise Colebrooke (jumping) and Sharon Fitton in the opening starter stakes.

Here, Co Tipperary’s Judy O’Donnell claimed the honours on her mother Trish’s Connemara mare Cluainin Spring Johnson, an eight-year-old daughter of Robe Johnson. The grey qualified for the 133cms class last August for the Hughes family of Sixmilebridge from whom she was purchased in September.