WITH a sponsorship package of €10,000, the Midlands Connemara Pony Breeders are looking forward to their annual show at Mullingar Equestrian Centre on Sunday July 29th.

The group founded by Sean Dunne, Seamus Hynes, Mary Rabbitt, John Harte and Gerry Mahon has grown considerably since it began 14 years ago. Ciaran Curran from Moycullen won the inaugural competition with the famous mare Coosheen Breeze and he returns this year to judge at the show.

Last year saw the show with a record number of entries in both in-hand and performance classes. It is thanks to main sponsors Willows Ingredients Ltd that their flagship class, the All-Ireland Broodmare Championship for mares with foal at foot, has a prize fund of €1,250.

In addition there is a travel bonus of €50 per mare in this class. The sponsors have also increased the prize fund for the foal classes to €950.

Connolly’s Red Mills are supporting the Junior Champion, Ridden Champion, and the Supreme Champion, and there will be two stallion classes on the day, a four to six-year-old class and seven-year-old and over.

The performance rings are on outstanding sand surfaces with a total of 20 classes. A new innovation will be the Willows Ingredients Ltd Working Hunter Challenge, with €1,000 to the winner and €500 for reserve.

There are two classes confined to Midlands members and four qualifiers for the Clifden Show in August. Devinish Nutrition have taken over the Sarah Miller Future Performance Championship for five-nine-year-old ponies.

Another discipline that generates interest is the Equitation champion where the winning rider receives a pair of Dubarry Boots value €300.

The group are indebted to the local businesses and friends who have made it possible to provide sponsorship of every class. Jackson Transport and bloodstock agent Jim Derwin underwrite the introduction of part-bred performance classes.

Another innovation is the option of entries online via the plain sailing website (itsplainsailing.com/club/mcpb).

For further information see midlandsconnemaraponies.com. Please note that entries are restricted in the working hunter/jumping performance classes and classes may fill before closing date.

Entries close on Friday, July 20th – no late entries accepted.

For more information contact: Irene O’Sullivan on 086-3043039 osullivan.irene@gmail.coml; or Lorli Higgins 087 2343913 merveldthiggins@gmail.com (performance).