THE Auto Boland Defender/Irish Pony Club Minimus National Championships were held last weekend, opening with the ride phase at Nuenna Farm on Saturday. That Freshford equestrian centre was also the venue for Sunday’s run, but only after competitors had completed their morning swim phase in The Watershed, Kilkenny.

“It was a super championship,” said John Flood, chairman of the IPC’s Tetrathlon and Minimus Committee and cross-country course designer. “Graham Boyd was our course builder and Alain Ponsot (international course builder and designer) was well-pleased with the course when he walked it on Friday night. The track was more or less the same as last year and rode brilliantly. It rained a bit during the run on Sunday but that didn’t detract from the championships being a huge success and really fun for the members.”

Frustratingly for the Carlow Branch whose Rockets team finished second last year, their Amigos quartet of Rocco Mulhall (who posted the best boys’ run score (1,318), Orla Kelly, Jack Hargaden and Emily Flavin-Redmond had to settle for third on 10,500 points. They were just over 90 points adrift of the runners-up, Killinick Gold (10,594), whose Tommy Codd, Max Doran, Ted Cousins and Donnacha Cousins won the Sisk Cup as best all-boys team.

Presented with the John Flood Cup as overall winners, and with the Sisk Cup as best mixed team, were the Limerick Lions foursome of Alex Barry, Grace Power, Martha Buckley and John Kirby who posted a score of 10,840. Matilda Ormond, Breffiní Walsh, Aerin Tabb and Sofia Delfino won the Sisk Cup for the best all-girls team on a total of 10,328 points.

Barry didn’t enjoy the best of results in his first season last year but thanks to his determination, training and hard work he was crowned the 2023 national boys’ champion with 3,862 points. He was clear in Saturday’s ride phase on the 18-year-old grey mare Seaview Showtime (1,400), won Sunday morning’s swim for the Healy family’s Warrington Cup (1,168) and, later that day, finished second in the run (1,294).

Following in the footsteps of former East Galway member and now Pentathlon Ireland international Sive Brassil, Galway Mid-County member Hannah Hussey struck for Branches west of the Shannon when crowned best individual girl on a total of 3,796 points. Her clear round on Saturday came on the 17-year-old dun gelding Kellora Sandstorm, she posted the best girl’s swim score (1,240) and placed equal sixth in the run (1,156).

The Duhallow Dashers, who finished seventh overall, won the trophy for the highest combined score in Saturday’s ride phase. The quartet comprised Christopher Goold (Couldbee), Aoife Walsh (Mr Cocoa Bean), Hannah Goold (Greigiau Spring Glyn) and Ciara Howard (My Misty Dawn). The Laura Breheny Memorial Trophy was presented to Killinick’s Caitlin Griffith who recorded the highest girls’ run score (1,210).

Following two days of competition, Sharon Monahan, Chief Executive Officer of the IPC, commented: “It was wonderful to spend such an amazing weekend at the Minimus National Championships. I wish to take this opportunity to thank John Flood, his incredible team, all of the dedicated volunteers and our staff in the office for working so hard to make Minimus such a success for our valued members and international visitors.”