ROBYN O’Reilly from Clonmel in Co Tipperary enjoyed a wonderful month of August on the international mounted games circuit where she competed at the World Pairs in La Bonde, France, and at the European Individual Championships at Le Parc Equestre Federal in Lamotte-Beuvron.

The competitions were run by the International Mounted Games Association and Robyn was representing the Irish Branch of the Mounted Games Association in both competitions. Robyn (12), who began doing mounted games when she was just four, partnered with a German girl Neela Blaschek in the U12 World Pairs in La Bonde where they won every session throughout the four days of competition and accumulated over 70 points in the final, winning all but one game in the final – they are to receive a refund of their entry due to the high accumulation of points in the final.

The second competition was the European teams and individual championships held at Le Parc Equestre Federal, a government-owned equestrian facility with over 20 state-of-the-art arenas including very large indoors. Competing as an individual, Robyn won her semi-final to qualify for the A final in the main arena where she finished second after playing a great session of games on her lovely chestnut pony Crunchie (Lowland Principle Boy).

Robyn’s eight-year-old sister Fern O’Reilly, also in the U12 category, did herself proud on a French Shetland pony who was borrowed from Quentin Voeltzel, the owner of the arena in La Bonde. Meanwhile, older sister Lily competed as part of an Irish U18 Team in the Teams category at the Europeans. The family were among a large contingent that travelled to France. Other top results included Daniel Callery and Conor Buckley finishing second at World Pairs in the U15 age group.