THE fourth and final leg of the Area 5 Arena Eventing League at Ballindenisk Equestrian Park, hosted by the United and Araglen Branches of the Irish Pony Club, was held last Sunday when double points were on offer.

Peter Fell, who is now concentrating on the upcoming international at his family’s Watergrasshill venue, was course builder for the four weeks. On each occasion, he provided five tracks from 60cms to 1m with eight show jumping fences followed by 10 to 12 cross-country obstacles including a water fence. There were around 140 entries for the first three weeks which dropped to roughly 100 on Sunday.

Sixteen combinations started in the 60cms class but sadly eight of these were eliminated with one combination retiring. Of the three riders who recorded clear rounds, the one closest to the optimum time over the cross-country section of 72 seconds was Duhallow’s Kesha Harding who was home in 71.06 with Jack. The Carbery Branch’s Madeline McSweeney finished second on Lockdown Choco Orange (75.41) ahead of Emily Mulcahy riding for United on Moet And Chandon (67.97).

When it came to the league, Mulcahy claimed the honours with Harding finishing second. Áine O’Donoghue, who placed fourth on Sunday for Araglen with Bella (12 faults in 68.63), came third.

There was just one elimination in the 14-runner 70cms class while four others picked up jumping penalties. Here the United Branch filled the first two spots on the final leaderboard thanks to Cathal O’Brien who stopped the clock on 71.68 with The Man From Snowy River and Emmeline McCarthy who did so in 72.49 to place second on Lambay Final Tribute. Carbery’s Nelsa Ní Mhurchú finished third with Denis D (73.52).

None of that trio filled the top three places in the league where the Duhallow Branch’s Olivia Roche (Killard Wakita) finished first, ahead of the South Union’s Hugh Egan (Half Way There Spartacus) and Carbery’s Olivia O’Mahony (Churchill).

There were three eliminations and one retirement in the 21-runner 80cms class where the honours went to Araglen’s Patrick Leddy riding Tiger Roll (72.85) with whom he also won the league. Representing the Muskerry Branch, Ella Buttimer was home in 70.98 on Miss Gerberrycoot to narrowly claim second place ahead of Lillie Brind of Carbery with Kealinine Beauty (70.90). Brind also finished third in the league while Reuben Hall of United was second with Lady Sinead.

In the 90cms class, all 23 starters completed and only seven picked up jumping penalties. Here, the optimum time over the cross-country fences was set at 66 seconds, the exact time at which Carbery’s Boo Sheehy crossed the finish line on the Connemara gelding Bally Lala, a 13-year-old grey by I Love You Melody. Isabel Fitzgerald of United was narrowly beaten into second with Silver Sky (66.40) with Rían Tagney slotting into third on JVS Jester Million (67.60) for the South Union Branch.

Fitzgerald was compensated by winning the league ahead of the Duhallow Branch’s Róisín Walsh (Something Blue) and Caroline Roche (Lissarulla Smokey Bob).

League win for McEvoy

The series action finished with Sunday’s 1m class where three of the 20 starters were eliminated while seven others incurred jumping penalties. The optimum time was set at 60 seconds.

Caroline Roche lined out again here with the Connemara gelding Lissarulla Smokey Bob and, on 59.74, very nearly bagged the 20 points on offer for first place. However, she was edged out of the win by fellow Duhallow member Ella Burke Ott who stopped the clock on 60.21 with the 14-year-old bay gelding Gooseberry Hill Hugo.

The United’s Maya McEvoy picked up 16 points for finishing third on Clearview (61.38) and thus secured victory in the league. Also representing the United Branch, Ellen Thompson filled second place in the league with Hazy Bluebell with Muskerry’s Ella Buttimer placing third on Rowanhill Master Clover.

The organisers were extremely appreciative of the great sponsorship they had throughout the league which helped provide qualifier, final and league rosettes as well as league prizes.

Upcoming events

Looking ahead, the Irish Pony Club’s national dressage day takes place next Wednesday, April 12th, at Spruce Lodge in Co Wicklow, the national hunter trials championships are scheduled for Saturday, April 22nd, at Crecora in Co Limerick and the East Galway’s re-scheduled fun intro minimus will be held in Ballinasloe on Sunday, April 30th.