A winner and placed twice this year in three Eventing Ireland novice classes, Rebecca Hayes and The Artful Bobster commenced their Irish Pony Club season in style when landing the open class at the Connolly’s Red Mills qualifier in Crecora last Sunday.

Hosted by the Co Limerick branch at the Ballycahane farm of the Furnell family, the event was deemed “very successful” by organiser Catherine Noonan who added: “We had a couple of showers but nothing major. The vet never had to be called and the doctor on duty had no serious fallers to attend to. There was a fabulous turn-out and we had lots of help.”