THE first leg of this year’s Irish Pony Society Sports Pony Challenge was held last Saturday at Raheen Na Gun Stud and Equestrian Centre, Kilkenny, where the locally-based Aoibhinn Ruane recorded a double on two chesnut geldings, awarding herself an early birthday present.

Ruane, who turned 20 on Wednesday past, partnered the first of her winners in the 143cm class, where she was on board her mother Helena Hennessy Ruane’s well-known 12-year-old Dartans Atom Man (275), who topped the scores in the show jumping phase.

Also qualifying here were Hannah Goold on the working hunter phase winner Paddy’s Best and Charlotte Goor riding the dressage winner Ardville Whispering Hope, who both amassed 270 points.

The Ruane double came up in the Intermediate class on a new ride for this season, Birol and Lily Nadir’s Zavy Echo (290), who won both the working hunter and show jumping phases.

This 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Zavatar F out of a Clover Echo mare has 276 Showjumping Ireland points to his credit. Kate Horgan qualified the dressage winner Highview Shakespeare (285), with Isobella Donohue also booking her ticket on Poynstown Cubby (280).

Ruane plans riding both her winners at the Northern Ireland Festival, after which they will be aimed at Dublin Horse Show, Royal International and Horse of the Year Show qualifiers over the summer, when she will also ride out for trainer Jim Bolger.

Good form continues

Evie Kennedy enjoyed a superb 2024 with her mother Maeve’s Connemara gelding Little Dromin Phoenix (285) and the Co Tipperary combination comfortably booked their ticket for the final of the Challenge on Saturday.

Kennedy and the 16-year-old grey son of Lettermuckoo Lad won both the dressage and working hunter phases, but could only finish fourth in the show jumping phase. This was won by Louisa Dalton on Monarch Of The Glen, who qualified in second (270), while Nancy Lyons Teehan slotted into third with Newydd Lady Marmalade (260).

There were just two starters in the 133cm class, where Tristan Kelly won all three phases on his mother Lucy’s 14-year-old dun gelding Tinnecarrig Milo (300). Lucy Hope Ryan qualified with Diamond Shadow (285), who was always playing second fiddle on Saturday.

Millie Dalton didn’t manage to win a phase in the Starter stakes with the 22-year-old chesnut gelding Jubilee, but consistently high scores saw the combination qualify in first, when amassing 280 points. Rosita Dunne topped the marks in both dressage and working hunter to book a ticket in second with Fontmell Jack Sparrow (270), ahead of the show jumping winners Grace Lawlor and The Silver Bullet (265).

The numbers in the two Connemara classes may have been affected by the Balmoral qualifier in the west on Sunday, as there were just three in the 1m/1.05m class, all of whom bagged a ticket for the final. Here, Maggi Caffrey won all three phases on the vastly-experienced Illaunurra Bay (300), a 14-year-old bay gelding by Castleside JJ Junior. Clara Cully took second with P.I.O. (285), ahead of Hannah Goold on Allendara Bay Dees Shadow (270).

The honours were quite evenly spread in the 90cm/1m class, where Freya Dempsey came out on top with the show jumping winner Ballinlough Addonis (285), an eight-year-old grey gelding by Western Boy. The second qualifying ticket went to Lillian Ward and the working hunter winner Killea Peril (270), while Isla Coad bagged the third on Harnell’s Arctic Flames (270), who topped the dressage scores.

In the non-qualifying Novice class, Aoife Brennan recorded a narrow victory on the nine-year-old dun gelding Captain Bailey (290 points), having won two of the three phases. Katie Browne Souza topped the scores in the working hunter phase to finish second with the 14-year-old piebald mare Indy (285).

The dressage phase for both the Starter Stakes and Novice class was judged by Cindy Hutchinson, while Vicky Clooney took charge of the remaining classes. Mary Carter assessed all in the working hunter phase, with Sarah Lang filling that position for show jumping. Both tracks were built by John O’Boyle.

The next Sports Pony Challenge qualifier takes place tomorrow week, Sunday, March 30th, at the Banner Equestrian Centre in Co Clare, followed by the third and final qualifier at Marlton, Co Wicklow on Tuesday, April 15th. The final will take place a week later, Tuesday, April 22nd, at Killossery Lodge Stud, north Co Dublin.