FOLLOWING some very tough competition throughout the week, four young riders had one more challenge, as they were put through their paces to see who would be awarded the bursary prize with McLain Ward.

Judged by the rider himself, he provided the riders with feedback over two rounds, one on their own horses and one on the swapped horses from the other riders in the bursary competition. Taking this year’s bursary prize was Max Foley.

Speaking afterwards, McLain Ward praised the high standard that the riders had demonstrated. He said it was a real privilege to be asked to judge this competition.

He recognised that these riders don’t do this by themselves and that there is a family team behind them that all share in the wins.

About the winner, he added that he felt that it was the right time in his career to win this bursary and that there was very little between all of the riders.

Riders

The four riders chosen were Emily Moloney, Timmy Brennan, James Brennan and Max Foley.

Sixteen-year-old Emily Moloney from Kilkenny has competed on three European Championship teams and, last year, was part of the gold medal-winning pony team and finished fifth individually. This year, she was part of the junior European team and finished seventh individually. Emily is trained by her dad Eddie Maloney and Denis Flannelly.

Emily rode Temple Alice in the first round and Diadema Della Caccia in the second round.

Timmy Brennan is 18 years old and has just finished his Leaving Certificate. He plans to take a year out to travel and work. He is currently working for Vincent Byrne in Kilkenny. Last year, he was part of the junior gold medal-winning team at the European Championships in Italy. While completing his Leaving Certificate, he placed second in the Millstreet Grand Prix and was also second in the HHS 1.45m Grand Prix. He was also in the line-up at the Plusvital Premier Series at National Balmoral. Timmy rode Diadema Della Caccia and, in the second round, Temple Alice.

James Brennan is 17 years old and hails from Kilkenny. He was part of Gary Marshall’s European Championship team with MHS Glow that took team gold and he claimed the individual silver medal. He followed up the next year as part of the winning European junior team in Italy. While competing in ponies, he won a leg of the National Grand Prix. He has good results in Mullingar, Millstreet and achieved a top 10 finish in the Europeans this year. All of his horses are bred at his family’s MHS Stud Farm. James rode MHS I’m The One and, in the second round, HHS Catwalk.

Max Foley from Co Carlow is based with HHS Stud in Kilkenny. This year, he qualified HHS Arezzo, HHS Kingston, HHS Catwalk and HHS Calgary. He is a previous Championship winner in Dublin, both in the pony and young rider ranks. Max rode HHS Catwalk and, in the second round, MHS I’m The One.