THE Kildare Branch is the largest in the country and showed its strength in depth at last weekend’s Irish Pony Club/Connolly’s Red Mills eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland by winning both the Intermediate and Junior team titles.

“I was delighted with all our riders,” commented the Branch’s head of discipline for eventing and hunter trials, Michelle Nelson, who walked the cross-country course with riders and was on hand to help them warm-up for show jumping. “We have some wonderful coaches at our rallies and, at camp this year, the older riders had a day with Yogi Breisner which was really well received.”

The Kildares’ successful Intermediate squad comprised Cian Springate, who rode Mullybrannon Diamond, winner under Sadhbh Springate of the working hunter pony championship at the recent Dublin Horse Show, Sarah Fitzpatrick (Odins Pride), Shaunnagh Delaney (The Artists Apprentice) and Emma Dillon (Little Ista) who completed on a penalty total of 93.2.

Second place in the IPC championships went to Duhallow Reds (106.3) while the aptly-named three-rider squad Waterford Trio finished third (106.8). On the day, the guest team from Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland), the Iveaghs, were second on a total of 100.8.

With 29 points, Delaney, who won Section C at the weekend, landed the Intermediate league with The Artists Apprentice, an 11-year-old black gelding by The Artist, ahead of the Section D winner, Sinead Meaney of the United Branch with Ollie’s Way (22), Waterford’s Eimear Larkin on Rigby Diamond (21) and the Section A winner, Billie-Mae Geoghegan of Laois with Brokenhearted Kate (19).

The Louths’ Victoria Smith won Section B on Arnie.

The Kildares’ winning Junior team was made up of Ruth Sargent (Halals Magic), Grace Adams (Toberpatrick Flash) and first season competitors at this level, Jill McKenna (Ballycurraghan EC Cuba) and Lottie Ross (Stonehaven Dazzler).

They completed on a total of 82 penalties, ahead of the well-travelled East Donegal (86.8) squad and the Laois White (90.5) team. The arena winners were East Donegal member Oisín Haley on Irish Shadow (Section A), Adams and Toberpatrick Flash (Section B), United Branch member Jayne Fitzgerald with Bunowen Scotty (Section C) and Ross with Stonehaven Dazzler (Section D).

As usual, there was a Junior competition for those Branches unable to field a team and this was won narrowly by Godrey Gibbons of East Galway riding Twilight Thunder.

With double points on offer at the Championships, Haley’s win saw him draw level at the top of the Junior league to share the honours with Island Branch member Caitroin Doyle (Garryfine Cross) on 35 points apiece. Ross finished third on Stonehavens Dazzler (29) ahead of the Wicklows’ Jessica Murphy with Ashwood Bouncer (24) and Fitzgerald on Bunowen Scotty (23).