AREA 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland) held its eventing championships last Friday at the Turley family’s Tullymurry Equestrian Centre near Downpatrick where, following weeks of sunshine, there was rain for much of the day.

Following her very frustrating trip to France with Ringfort Rua as a member of the Irish team competing in the European young riders’ eventing championships at Fontainebleau, local rider Toni Quail got back on track in Friday’s Open competition.

Here, representing the East Down Branch, Quail added 0.4 of a cross-country time penalty to her winning dressage score of 26.2 to win the individual class with Wellan Summertime on whom she competes at novice level under Eventing Ireland rules. The eight-year-old Mermus R mare was locally bred by Jim and Margaret Newsam out of Wellan Cavalier (by Cavalier Royale).

The Iveaghs were the only Branch to field an Open team and so heading to Cholmondeley Castle next month will be Aoibheann Morgan (Hey Aussie), Conal McGrath (BLS Linvarra), Hollie Smith (Ringfort Rubicon) and Kathryn McGaffin (Premier Lady Courage). Smith was lying a close second to Quail after dressage with Ringfort Rubicon (26.4) but, while maintaining that position, picked up eight show jumping penalties with the 10-year-old Iroko gelding.

Competition for team places at the championships was strong at Intermediate and Novice levels.

Eight teams started in the Intermediate class where the honours went to the North Down Red squad of Hannah Morrow (My Good Thyne Girl), Katie O’Reilly (Indian Dreamer), Kathryn McKibbin (Seapatrick Murphy) and Jas Hogg (Gransha Rebel Lady) who completed on a total of 97.3 penalties. East Down Owls finished second (118.5) with the Iveagh Pandas claiming third spot (128.3).

Individually, McKibbin recorded an all-the-way success in her Arena with Seapatrick Murphy (25.4), an eight-year-old grey gelding on whom she is now competing in EI100 classes having finished second in the EI90 national championships at Tattersalls last year. The Iveaghs’ Caitie Slater won the second Arena at Intermediate level when completing on her first phase score (30.6) with the seven-year-old dun gelding Rock Tempo.

The Iveagh Branch, represented by their Zebras squad of Ellie McElroy (Loughdoo Maverick), Ella McCallister (Monclone Girl), Sarah O’Shea (Che Esmeralda) and Felicity Ferris (Deepspring Tookanoo) head to the championships as winners of the Novice team competition.

They posted a total of 114.4 penalties with the North Down Blue quartet slotting into second (121.6). The Iveagh Shunks finished third (147.7) of the 14 teams who started.

The four Arena winners were McElroy on the seven-year-old dun gelding Loughdoo Maverick (who is by the Connemara stallion Loughlum Sadat), the Killultaghs’ Anna White with her new ride for this season, the 12-year-old grey gelding Jimmy Thunderstruck, Maria Carr of the Route Branch on board the venerable Keltic Mist, a 24-year-old palomino gelding, and Ellen Douglas of North Down riding Rock Melody, a six-year-old skewbald mare by Aughabeg Spotty on whom she has won twice under EI rules this season.

TEAM EFFORT

Eleven teams vied for the opportunity to represent Area 17 in next month’s regionals championships at the Ian Stark Equestrian Centre outside Selkirk where they will compete against their counterparts from Scotland and the north of England.

Friday’s winners, on combined score of 103.8 penalties, were the Iveagh Puffins comprised of Niamh McClory (Indiana Jones), Lara Jameson (Curious George), Poppy Moore (Crecora Angel) and Katie Robinson (Duncarberry Cascade). The East Down Eagles filled second place in the qualifier on 105.8 with Killultagh A finishing third on 106.9.

Iveagh members won two of the four Arenas, Sam McElroy landing his on board Tutti Frutti, while his clubmate Bethany Smyth claimed her Arena on Maximillion. Katie Watson of the East Down Branch won her Arena on Connie and it was the Route’s Heather Fulton who fared best in her Arena with Molton Crown.

Friday’s event was hosted by the East Down Branch whose District Commissioner, David Kirkpatrick, thanked the Turley family for the use of their facilities, paying credit to course builder David O’Connor and his team for the work they carried out preparing the ground for the event.