THURSDAY evening saw Ciara Mullen ride into Ring Two for the fifth time that day. Having competed across three of the four Ridden Connemara classes sponsored by Berney Brothers Saddlery, she piloted Zoe Price’s Loughderg Star to win the over 17 Ridden class.

Their performance in the Championship would see them claim the highest accolade as the red, white and blue sash was secured around the bay gelding’s neck, announcing the pair as the 2024 Connemara Pony Ridden Champion. Awarded the ‘Eugenia Murray’ Perpetual Challenge Cup, the Glencarrig Joe gelding has consistently qualified to compete at the RDS for the last three years.

Adding to last year’s win in the four and five-year-old class with Price, Mullen was asked to take the ride on ‘Mounty’ earlier this year. “We have done about four shows together. We won his qualifying class at the first qualifier in Tullylish. Zoe does a lot of the work with him at home,” she explained.

A true Connemara fairytale, the Marie Collins-bred six-year-old was bought from the Clifden sales originally and is now one of the country’s most decorated ponies, having won the Supreme Ridden Championship at the 98th Connemara Pony Show 12 months ago with Price in the saddle.

Having missed the entries for the now postponed ridden classes at the Connemara Pony Show, Price hopes her Dublin Champion might spend some time in the UK in the near future. “He might go to England at the end of the season for the HOYS qualifiers, but we haven’t made our mind up quite yet.”

Stepping up to the overage class was no mean feat, as the flashy bay went in against some previous class winners and ponies twice his age to be presented under judges Ms Victoria Clark and Ms Julie Templeton. The judging pair ran an efficient system, each individually focusing on ridden or conformation assessments, before reconvening to confirm final placing to ensure classes ran to time.

For the top three of the over 17s, they remained true to their original selections, as they called the final line up in reverse order. Aoife O’Connor’s 13-year-old gelding Ballylee Castle Prince (Slackport Prince x Killoughter Jug), ridden by family friend Chloe Lacey, took the blue ribbon, while Robert Nee’s home-bred mare Glencoaghan Rachel Princess, by Innellan Condor, stood third with Jessica Murphy.

Reserve champion

A sign that the Connemara as a breed is continuing to thrive is the number of young ponies that presented at qualifiers to try to secure golden tickets for this year’s four and five-year-old class. The fruits of the four national qualifiers saw 19 ponies present in the morning in Ring Two.

As the judges made their way through the individual show pieces of the initial line up, it was clear that some combinations were more prepared to take on the electric atmosphere of the RDS than others. Those that were, were rewarded after some deliberation to finalise the placings.

Pulled first initially was Aoife O’Connor’s Teach Mor Sparrow, who remained cool, calm and collected under the experienced guide of daughter Sadhbh, retaining top spot. Having purchased the dun with ebony mane and tail in May 2023, Sadhbh broke the Paraic Folan-bred gelding herself.

“He is only four and has done so little really, I just can’t believe it. I kept everything the same, he got his usual work (ahead of Dublin). We brought him into the show on Tuesday and he settled in quite well. I wasn’t sure as he hasn’t been at very many stay away shows.”

Winning a qualifier proved to be a good omen again, as the pair also won their section at Tullylish ahead of the pony’s Dublin debut.

Sadhbh O'Connor and Teach Mor Sparrow, winners of the Ridden Connemara four and five years old before taking the reserve champion sash \ Claire Nash

For the remaining placings there was significant shuffling as Desna Lewis’s Seafield River Bank (Banks Timber x Seafield Heather) went from sixth initially to second, after Charlotte Smiley finished performing their individual show piece and the four-year-old grey gelding’s conformation was assessed.

Rounding out the top three, an elated Kelly Murphy saw her Glencarrig Knight gelding Bunnagippaun Paddy come up six places to third, piloted by Ciara Mullen. Eyecatcher Teach Mor Sparrow (Blakehill Sparrow x Kelly’s Hero) continued to make his presence felt as he took to the Championship class, where the pair claimed the Reserve spot.

“He is finished up for the year,” O’Connor explained, whose second pony in the class, Glenville Gleoitte (Coosheen Stormboy x Clooneybreen Peigín), finished seventh with Aoibhinn Ruane. “It’s a nice way to end. We will keep him and hopefully try next year to do it all again.”

Best opportunity

Ten of the 11 ponies entered for this year’s ridden Connemara Stallion Class presented on the day, with several also participating in Wednesday’s Stallion Parade.

A variety of colours, types and ages came forward for judging, but the order combinations were initially pulled in did not differ dramatically to the final line up.

Making the journey from Lancaster in the UK, Ailsa Vines’s trip was worthwhile, as her own Moyabbey George was the stallion of choice on the day. Having previously competed at HOYS, the Royal International and London International, Dublin has always been a bucket list show for Vines.

“I thought he was the best pony we have ever had and so the best opportunity to come to a show like this,” the rider said of the 11-year-old grey stallion by Castlestrange Fionn, bred by Tony Walsh out of Glencarrig Heather. “He is part of our family. We bought him from the Curran family as a four-year-old. I have brought him on myself with my mum,” she added.

Described as her ‘pride and joy’ Ailsa’s mother Kath, who made the trip across the Irish Sea, also enjoys hacking and doing farm rides with the stallion, who is “so easy to do”. “He has the best temperament you could ever wish for. We cover with him as well and have had three home-breds by him,” Kath told The Irish Field. Having gotten to parade in the main arena on Friday afternoon, Ailsa’s ‘pony of a lifetime’ will head for Horse of the Year Show in October, where he finished fourth in 2022.

Two sons of Glencarrig Knight stood side by side to finish out the top three. Patrick Curran’s Glencarrig Douvan retained his second-place position throughout the class with Grace Maxwell Murphy, while Kathy and Brógan Curley’s Glencarrig Bracken claimed third under James Smyth.

Tears of joy

One of the most hotly contested classes of the day was the Under 17 Ridden, as Connemara combinations with some incredible CVs lined out for their chance at the ribbons. There is nothing the crowd loves more than to see the true emotion of a win in Ballsbridge.

Asya Dixon cried tears of immense joy when called as the class winner with her mother Alyson’s Monaincha Belle. Hannah Mackey, riding Sarah and Emily Widger’s The General (Glencarrig Prince x Connemara Rose), took the blue rosette in the class for a second year in-a-row. The 16-year-old grey Dunloughan Warrior stood third with Chloe Salley, who rode the Frederiksminde Hazy Match gelding for Finbarr McCarthy and Jenny O’Driscoll.

Winning in Dublin a year and a week after Asya’s sister Ellie-Rose won the O17 Ridden with the Kinvara Boy mare, Monaincha Belle has enjoyed incredible success with the Dixon girls.

Bred by Mick Hennessy out of Leam Silver Rose, she was originally bought as a second pony for Ellie Rose from Barry Higgins.

Speaking of her sister’s success, Ellie Rose explained: “She wasn’t meant to be here doing this job, she was bought to teach me, but now she’s made Asya’s dreams come true today.”

Asya remained in disbelief after the class, commenting: “I can’t believe I won! It was a last-minute decision to take her to the Rincoola qualifier,” where they won their section after a performance described on the day as ‘flawless’. A true family effort, Alyson credits her daughters as being hard-working and dedicated to their preparations for Dublin.

“She works very hard, practicing since qualifying. Asya hacks her out a lot and they go to the beach, but the mare just lights up in the big show atmosphere.” A true member of the family, the 12-year-old is set to start a new chapter as a broodmare and breed the next generation for the Dixons to enjoy future Dublins on.