THE Cavan Branch is rightly proud of Lucy Hogan and Sahara Smith, their sole representatives at last weekend’s Irish Pony Club/Audi Naas national Tetrathlon championships who won both the senior and junior girls’ individual titles.

Hogan, who was presented with the round salver as overall winner, has been enjoying a very successful season as she also won the open girls’ team and individual competitions at the British Pony Club’s senior regional Tetrathlon in England the previous weekend.

The 19-year-old, who is awaiting the results of her Leaving Certificate exams, has been competing her 2014 gelding Galley (officially known as Sir Gallihad) for the past two years.

As there is very little interest in Tetrathlon in the Cavan Branch, Hogan trains with Longford Swimming Club and has locally based Peter Walsh as her running coach.

She tries to attend as many of the coaching sessions organised by the IPC’s head of Tetrathlon, John Flood, as possible.

So too does Smith, winner of the Junior girls’ individual championship, although she swims with the Breifne Club. The 14-year-old has a new horse this season, the mare Shauna who, unfortunately, was injured during the home international junior Tetrathlon at Moreton Morrell in June. She has only recently returned to work.

Both Hogan and Smith are members of Pentathlon Ireland’s L.A. (Olympics) development squad.

“The Branch is extremely proud of Lucy and Sahara,” said Cavan secretary Amanda-Jane Smith, Sahara’s mother. “They are both very dedicated as there is no Branch training for them so they have to do a lot themselves.

“Lucy was fantastic at the British regional championships as the cross-country course was huge and very challenging and even the one at Moreton Morrell was very technical. While the cross-country at the nationals did pose some questions, both girls loved being back at Punchestown and enjoyed riding around their courses.”