ROSE Scanlan was delighted to attend the Side-Saddle Awards in Kilkenny last weekend, not only to pick up her own accolades, but to present the Brianna Lynch Memorial to 10-year-old Lucy O’Connell as rider of the best under 123cm pony, Groveside Buzzy Bee.

Scanlan’s sister Brianna was a keen rider, especially in side-saddle, until her untimely passing in 2019 at the tender age of nine. However, she has left an incredible legacy in horse circles countrywide.

For a few years, the cup was presented to the winner of the under-18 race as part of the North Tipperary Foxhounds Point-to-Point. This year, it was decided to present it to one of the youngest winners at the Side-Saddle Awards.

“We felt it was more fitting, given the side-saddle connection. Brianna loved riding and started when she was three. She got into side-saddle around the age of six, a short time after I started. She had a fantastic seat and competed at lots of shows,” Rose explained.

Hooked

Not surprisingly, Brianna had inherited the love of horses and ponies from her parents, Arabella Scanlan and Brian Lynch. So too did 22-year-old Rose, who began riding side-saddle at the age of 13.

“That was in 2015 and I have been hooked ever since. I remember first riding a horse owned by Susan Oakes. She had loaned me a saddle. About a week later, I competed in the Puissance competition at the Ballycommon charity ride and cleared 1.40m. I was riding a pony called Marmite that had been sourced by Larry Murphy in Smithfield.

“Marmite was an amazing pony and I also won the Puissance at Stradbally riding side-saddle.”

For several years, Rose Scanlan and Marmite were regulars on the hunting field with the North Tipperary Foxhounds before his retirement. “He was suffering from arthritis and we retired him, but a few years later, we sadly lost him to colic. He must have been in his 20s by then.”

This season, Scanlan picked up the ride on the 11-year-old gelding Castleivers Cruise for owner Mary Davoren O’Regan and had plenty of successes riding side-saddle, winning their class at the Kingdom County, Midleton and Western Area IPS shows. Scanlan also won best rider at each of these shows, and the accumulation of points throughout the season earned her the Gina Galvin Trophy for best rider last weekend.

Castleivers Cruise was also crowned champion TIH, topping off a fantastic season on the showing circuit.