INTER Branch competition is already up and running in Area 17 of The Pony Club as members bid to qualify for the Northern Ireland Barrier Health Spring Festival at Castle Irvine, Necarne over the weekend of April 26th and 27th.

The names of riders who have already qualified in arena eventing, dressage and show jumping appear on The Pony Club website. Today (Saturday), if the weather is on-side, others have the opportunity to get through to the arena eventing final as the Iveagh Branch is running a qualifier alongside the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing series at The Meadows and is doing so again next Saturday, February 1st.

Should they compete in any of the four Pony Club classes at The Meadows, riders will also pick up appropriate points for the Flexi Eventing league where there is a special prize on offer for the highest-placed Pony Club member at the conclusion of the series. This was won last year by the North Downs’ Carys Black on Glencairns Little Monkey.

Pony Clubbers are reminded that they don’t have to be members of Eventing Ireland to compete in the Baileys Horse Feeds series nor at the EI Northern Region’s two-phase competition at Tyrella on March 8th and 9th.

Also today, the East Antrim Branch is running a dressage qualifier the Knockaghview Equestrian Centre where, on Sunday, February 9th, they will hold arena eventing and show jumping qualifiers. Tomorrow, the East Down Branch is holding arena eventing and show jumping qualifiers at Hazeldene Farm where, on Sunday next, February 2nd, they are staging a dressage qualifier.

Entries for the Barrier Health Spring Festival open on Saturday next, February 1st, when stables and hook-up should also be booked. Members, parents and guardians are reminded that all horses and ponies, without exception, will need to be accompanied with passports and up-to-date inoculation notification while being advised that there will be pressure on accommodation locally as there is a major angling competition taking place in the area over the same weekend.