THE Irish pony show jumping community converged in the centre of Ireland, as Mullingar Equestrian Centre played host to the Equijump Pony and COH Spring Tour Final. With one outdoor leg in each region and the early March opening leg in the shelter of Cavan’s indoors, fewer dates in 2024 made for greater numbers and better competition, the results of which were universally appreciated.
Sponsor Reece St John from Equijump approved of the new format, saying that it allowed for better coolers, rosettes and sashes, and with both league winners and final winners being decided on Saturday, there were plenty of photo opportunities, as children and ponies were festooned in their winnings.
The Fagan family and team certainly put their best foot forward, with the new big screen on the Glenwood International Arena lending a sense of occasion to proceedings and jumping from 50cm Newcomers to 148 1.30m to cater for every level of young rider and pony.
Action kicked off in the main arena with the COH/Junior Final. The addition of Juniors to the COH class has increased numbers in this section, leading to better competition, but the final went the same way as most of the legs, with Robbie Sheehan and Ahare Olympic Flemmencio winning their third of the five legs and crowning them the overall League Champion.
Second place on the day went to Alice Moloney and Castlefield Cass, with Arielle Allen and Wicked Hope in third. Second place in the league went to Henry Sinnott and Ridge Douglas Lady, with Natasha Foley and Cillbhrid Excel finishing third overall.
148 classes
The 148 1.10m one-star saw another huge entry, with over 80 combinations coming forward. This time, Lily Tunney and OBS Good To Go came out on top, a result that left this pairing second overall in the league. Ronan Glivarry and Dexter Leam Prancer came in second on the day, with Cici Murray and Lord Of The Rings finishing in third.
Lucy McCarthy and Gorm entered the final with an unstoppable advantage after three wins and was crowned the overall League Champion, with Alex Sheehan and Ballynoe Lurgan Diamond finishing third overall.
Sixty combinations came forward for the 148 1.20m two-star class, designed by Georgi Georgiev.
Second to go in the jump off, Lauren Adams and the always quick Corradino Du Bary put in a blistering round to win by a margin of almost six seconds. Second place went to Sam Widger and Poyntstown Little Angel, a home-produced pony that really keeps it in the family, as she is a granddaughter of father Robert’s great pony mare, Street Angel.
Third place went to the only other double clear of the day, Sarah Delaney and Kylebeag Showtime, another home-produced pony that was bought as a three-year-old and produced with the help of Natasha Foley.
Ruben Foley and Valma DE Fougnard had an unassailable lead coming into the final and, finishing fourth with the fastest four faults in the jump-off, bolstered this advantage crowning him overall League Champion.
Connie McFadden has enjoyed a successful Spring Tour campaign and picked up both second and third places in the league with Infinity and Candy Floss respectively.
The final class of the day was the 148 1.30m Viewing Class and, with several ponies missing due to recent CSIOP competition in Compiegne, it is a sign of the strength of Irish Pony Show jumping that all 20 ponies who came forward completed the up to standard track with six combinations producing a first round clear and two finishing with just a time fault.
Lily Tunney continued on from her consistent form in Sentower recently, when taking the win with one of only two double clears with Fireman. Second place went to Mia de Bromhead riding Shamrock Du Gite, competing for the first time at this level, and third place went to Cian McMunn and Dulk Du Thym.
128 classes
The Plusvital Sand 1 played host to the smaller ponies in their droves and kicked off with the 128 U10 competition. Ben Hawkins and Whistletown Blue Belle managed to win their third leg of the season, thus crowning them overall League Champions.
Second place went to Caitie McEvoy and Dutch Lady, who also took third place with Tynan Petal. Caitie also finished second overall in the league with Tynan Petal and Harvey Oscar Foley picked up third place overall with Back In A Flash.
The 128 90cm one-star competition saw Georgia Foley and Manordeilo Cardinal’s Dream take the win by a margin of just two-hundredths of a second from Willow Gavin and Grooves Like Jagger. Ruby Kelly and Killoran Bob were close behind in third place.
Narrow margins seemed to be a feature of this class, with the overall league winner being decided by just a single point, with Isibeal Conway Kelly and Ashwey El Britaniko taking it by a nose from Georgia Foley and Manordeilo Cardinal’s Dream, with Katie McMunn and Moonflower picking up third place overall.
Nine-year-old Harvey Oscar Foley showed that it’s all in the breeding, when he took his first win of the series with the legendary The Silver Legend.
Ellie Sheane and Newhaven Cooley continued their good run of form, just over one-tenth of a second behind in second place, but this result was good enough to crown her the overall League Champion.
Katelyn Horgan and Million Dollar Baby were close behind in third place, a result that also secured third place in the league. Lucia Keane rounded out the top six, leaving her second overall in the league with Ravara Mohawk.
Charlie Flynn and Western Oreo, winners of theEquijump 138 1.10m Spring Tour league \ Paul Henson jumpinaction.net
138 classes
The 138 1m one-star class was won by Luke Sweeney and Rogild’s Artax, with Lucy McCarthy and 50 Shades in second place and Mark Mellett and Knocknagaron Fear Bui Falcon in third.
The overall 138 one-star League winner was Ronan Gilvarry with The Hilly Billy, with Lucy McCarthy and Mark Mellett picking up second and third respectively.
Charlie Flynn underlined his dominance in the 138 1.10m two-star class this season, when taking his fourth win of the five legs with Western Oreo.
With three wins in total, Oreo as he is better known, was crowned overall League Champion. Second place on the day and in the league went to Charlie again with Knud van Orchid’s.
Ronan Gilvarry and Melview More Clover finished third on the day, with Jasmine Halford and Beechmount Pippa picking up third place overall in the league.
As the Spring Tour for 2024 comes to a close, it has left riders and ponies alike well prepared for the bigger jumping of the RDS Qualifiers and Premier Season, with thanks to the tireless work of the Pony Committee and to Equijump for their continued support of the series.