LAST Saturday, Glenn Farrell Walker judged both sections of the Balmoral Show Connemara pony qualifier staged at Hazeldene Farm, where he found the standard to be high. The Kells, Co Meath-based producer of both horses and ponies started in the morning with the two working hunter qualifiers and commented: “I thought there were a lot of very good jumpers so, in awarding my marks, I went for those ponies who were as true to Connemara type as much as possible.”

Farrell-Walker found his winner of the opening class for riders up to the age of 16 very early on, as this was the first-to-go combination of Lily Maloney, a member of the Co Wicklow Branch of the Irish Pony Club, with her father Christopher’s Nidge, who amassed 95 points. Bred by Louise Lynch, the eight-year-old is by Cornarone Hazy Lady out of the Tessie’s Diamond mare Coral Emma.