MEMBERS of Pony Club Branches in both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland have finally been given the go-ahead to resume training/rallies although still adhering to strict Covid-19 protocols as regards pod numbers and social distancing.

As with other sports, the easing of restrictions on underage participation in equestrianism is an evolving situation but, hopefully, Area and National competitions can be planned for, and take place, over the important summer months.

While waiting for restrictions to ease, the Irish Pony Club staged a virtual national dressage competition over Easter which attracted over 150 entries. The Tipperary and Newcastle Lyons Branches fared best when ‘fielding’ three winners apiece.

The Kennedy siblings, Andy and Evie, both won riding Casper The Ghost for Tipperary, the former scoring 77.69% in the Jillie Rogers-judged Under 10s Section A, while Evie was awarded the competition’s highest score of 78 by Michael Moore in Section A of the Under 12s. Kate Walsh brought up the Branch hat-trick on Beechtree Watchful (75.5) in the Máire Quinlan Pluck-judged Junior B.

Louisa Daisy Dalton (whose photograph appeared in these pages two weeks ago) won the Vida Tansey-judged Under 10s B for Newcastle Lyons aboard Archer (75.77) and was backed up by her teammates, Laragh Byrne on Oxhill Bui (72), in the Quinlan Pluck-judged Junior C, and Hazel Gleeson who recorded an uncontested victory in the The Pony Club (UK) open dressage championship test on Remondi Bobtail (59).

That test was judged by Tansey as was the Open where her winner was Kildare’s Eliza-Jane Queally riding Frodo (66.75). Liam Maloney judged the 22-strong Intermediate where he awarded his top score of 73.75 to West Waterford’s Cara Padden on Ardeo Barman, Quinlan Pluck’s winner of the Under 12s B was Carbery’s Niamh Verkade riding Jacky Chan (73.5), while Carlow’s Eve King and Bewitched (77.5) topped Moore’s leaderboard in the Junior A.

Members in Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland) were permitted to return to Branch rallies in the middle of last month and, as restrictions are eased, it seems that a mounted games team should be able to compete at the re-scheduled Royal Windsor Horse Show in early July.

New course

Over the winter months, the Iveagh Branch had a new cross-country course built at its base on the Moyallon Road between Portadown in Co Armagh and Gilford, Co Down. The course, which includes a multi-purpose dew pond fence, was designed and built by FEI course builder Adam Stevenson with the input of former Iveagh member now coach and staunch supporter Steven Smith.

The Branch, which currently has 270 members, plans to stage a jump-cross league in the early summer incorporating the new cross-country course which complements Moyallon’s existing facilities of four all-weather arenas (two with floodlights), two grass arenas (featuring a Derby bank and devil’s dyke) and lunging pen.

Last weekend, the Branch held a working hunter rally conducted by Toni Donnelly who is one of the Iveaghs’ regular coaches along with Steven and Trevor Smith, Micky McCann and Ronnie Morton. The backbone of the Branch is, of course, the tireless Vanne Campbell who has been District Commissioner for nearly 43 years!