KATE Walsh may well be Eventing Ireland’s youth ambassador for 2024, but she has retained her links with the Tipperary Branch of the Irish Pony Club and, having come through the qualification process, won the Open individual title at last weekend’s Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland.

Walsh recorded this clear victory on Clare Corballis’ Connemara gelding Beechtree Watchful (22.5 penalties) ahead of Co Limerick’s Ben Buckley who was on board Sam Watson’s former 2021 Olympic Games ride, Tullabeg Flamenco (34.5). There were only 11 starters in the class and, sadly, there was no Open team competition.

At the recent Dublin Horse Show, Walsh, who is trained by Fraser Duffy, won the Pony Club members’ combined training competition on Beechtree Watchful, a 13-year-old roan by Mirah’s Oyster Bandit on whom she also finished fourth in their 153cms working hunter pony class.

The Tipperary Branch headed home with the Tommy Brennan Trophy following the win of their Twisters quartet – Ailbhe Healy (Carnaween Jake), Emily Gleeson (Goromon Oak), Sarah Kennedy (Kilnacappagh Bob) and Laura Coonan (Melview Another Clover) – in the Junior team championship where, on 82.95 penalties, they finished ahead of Kildare Red (87) and Meath Magic (90.4).

Samantha Gash Hickey winner of Junior Individuals at the Connolly's Red Mills IPC Eventing Championships \ Mel Doyle

The Meath Branch had earlier secured the IHTS trophy as their Leopards foursome of Anna Marchant (Kilmoon Michelle), Grace Hanna (Clerkson), Meabh Long (Dunran Marvel) and Kate Carroll (Right On Q) saw off the challenge of 15 other squads in the Intermediate team championship. They completed on a score of 95.5 penalties, narrowly beating the Killinick Branch into second (96) with the Wexford Wonderbolts a bit adrift in third (112.55).

There was a close result also in the Under 12s’ championship for the Broomfield Cup where the Scarteen Defenders’ Jamie Crowe (Castlequarter Rambo), Meg Ryan (Leadmore Breeze), Georgina Purcell (HHO Wayne) and Hannah McCoy (Seanie Thunder) ran out the winners on a penalty score of 91. Here, the Duhallow Diamonds slotted into second (93.25) ahead of Killinick Green in third (94). All team members competed for Arena prizes at their respective levels.

In addition, there were dedicated competitions for individuals at Intermediate, Junior and Under 12s levels and here the winners were Shillelagh’s Ned Kelly who won the Richard Kehoe Trophy at Intermediate level on Maria Tyrrell’s 16-year-old Connemara gelding Fiona’s Fionn; and South Union’s Samantha Gash Hickey who was presented with the Billy Julian Trophy having topped the final leaderboard in the Junior Individual on the 10-year-old near white gelding Charlie’s Freedom.

Riding Thoroughly Miss Millie, Louisa Dalton, a member of the Newcastle Lyons Branch, ran out a very narrow winner of the Under 12s’ individual having finished closer to the optimum time across the country than Wicklow’s Laragh Louise Molloy who completed on the same score on board Little Feet.

There was no team competition for the Intro Intermediates, a grade which is growing in popularity and was divided at the weekend. Arena 5 was won by the Ward Union’s Caoimhe Rice on IHWT Fay while West Waterford’s Kate Gleeson saw off 30 rivals to win Arena 6 on Moone Bathog.