AS befits the venue, there were many people from the thoroughbred world at Tattersalls Ireland last weekend for the Irish Pony Club/Connolly’s Red Mills eventing championships.

Among those was former multiple champion National Hunt jockey Ruby Walsh and his wife Gillian, who have done a lot of travelling this year to Pony Club fixtures, and had two daughters competing for the Kildare Branch, Isabelle and Elsa.

From across the road, Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe was on hand to support his daughter Charlotte who is a member of the Laois Branch. Peter, and all the team at Fairyhouse, have been great friends of the Pony Club movement this year.

Among the trainers present was Co Tipperary’s Willie Browne who had a very busy weekend. He and son Jamie arrived at the Co Meath sales complex with three ponies at lunchtime Friday after which Willie headed back down the road but only as far as the Curragh where he had a well-named runner, Buyin Buyin, in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes for two-year-olds.

A bit disappointed with the sixth-place finish of that Bungle Inthejungle gelding, Willie headed back up to Tatts for the first of two overnight stays. Happily Jamie and Hollywood Chase Me Charlie were on song as he and his fellow Tipperary Trojans – Evie Kennedy, Ailbhe Hally and Conor Hayes – finished second in the Junior team competition. Following the conclusion of the championships, Willie flew over to Doncaster for the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale.

Well used to buying and selling thoroughbreds, Willie is somewhat out of his depth when it comes to ponies. “I don’t know what it is but we have seven ponies at home. It seems that if a pony comes to our place it never leaves!”

Show jumping classic

A lot of parents and guardians probably gave a big sigh of relief when leaving Tattersalls Ireland last Sunday as, for most, the competitive and hectic Irish Pony Club season had come to a close

That may well have been the case for eventing members but not so for those who like to compete over coloured poles as the IPC’s show jumping Classic final takes place tomorrow, Sunday, September 3rd, at the CoilÓg Equestrian Centre near Naas.