IT was no easy task for 28 handlers, very young riders and ponies in Saturday evening’s lead rein Show Hunter pony class to keep their cool as the Defender Puissance had the crowd going wild in the main arena as the children attempted to do their shows.

A delay of about two hours in Ring One on Saturday meant the class, which was supposed to begin at 4.25pm, clashed with the very end of the popular competition. However, it didn’t matter to the eventual winner, Wicklow’s Fionn Redmond riding his mother Aine Geoghegan’s six-year-old roan gelding Holthall Gladiator.

Called out in reverse order from 9th place to first, Fionn, who had celebrated his eighth birthday on the opening day of the show, improved from second place 12 months ago. The pony was bought as a three-year-old from England.

“To be called forward as the winner was more than a dream come true especially when doing it with my absolute world Fionn, the hardest working boy in the universe and his pony of a lifetime. Little did we know when we bought unseen him as a three-year-old the superstar he would become,” said Aine who had no rest as the family made their way to Clifden on Sunday for this week’s Connemara Pony Festival. “The run up to Dublin was tough for us as a family but Grandad was in that ring with us on Saturday evening.”

In second place was Tiernan McGuinness and Cosford Snowqeen, ahead of Camilla Harriet McNamara-Kelly riding Talgarth Casper.

Show Ponies

Even later in the evening, under floodlights at this stage, six-year-old Myia Emily Latto (6) won the Show Pony lead rein class with Rachel Moore leading her. It was a first time to Dublin for Myia and her pony, the six-year-old Chaseford Camelia.

Her proud mother, Andrea Latto, told The Irish Field: “We are just over the moon, it is a once in a lifetime thing, you just never know with Dublin, it is a lucky dip! Myia only turned six last month. We bought the pony as an unbroken four-year-old from the breeder, Martin Davies in Wales. She was broken in England by a friend, Alicia Thomas, who produced her in UK last year at a few shows before we brought her home.

“We never thought that she would win Dublin, she is such a baby pony but she behaved amazingly. My good friend Rachel Moore led her for me. Myia was really overwhelmed, Rachel said she was crying when they won. She is qualified for HOYS now so we will go there in October and hopefully get back to Dublin next year, she has another two years in the lead rein,” added Andrea who is based in Hillsborough, Co Antrim.

First Ridden

Taking place first thing on Saturday morning in Ring One, the First Ridden was a lovely sight with 20 ponies and young riders looking a picture as they lined out in the hope of a ribbon at the RDS.

The victory eventually went the way of the much beribboned Galway’s Max Laird riding his father Gary’s 13-year-old chesnut gelding Milford Fair Bronze. He won ahead of Ava Murphy riding Simone Murphy’s Dirion Elwyn and called forward in third place was Lucy Byrne with Caridines Zadie.