THE final qualifier for this year’s Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club eventing championships was staged by Area 7 last Saturday at Killossery Lodge Stud, where there were 33 starters in the sole Intermediate class.

The winner, on her dressage score of 27.5 penalties and with a cross-country time of 4m 42secs, was Killinick Branch member Caoimhe Murphy riding Ballyrue Olympic Lux, the eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Bobello, on whom she also competes under Show Jumping Ireland rules.

In search of more Foran Equine league points, West Waterford’s Siofra Marsh finished on the same score with MicMacs First, but had to settle for second as she was home in 4.24 and the optimum time was 4.50.

The Offaly Branch struck twice, first in the 35-runner Intro Intermediate where, in spite of one show jumping time penalty, Leah Murphy led all the way on the eight-year-old liver chesnut mare Woodfield Misty (27.5).

The double came up in Section B of the Junior class where, thanks to finishing closer to the optimum cross-country time of 5m 10secs, Saoirse Carty claimed the honours with the 14-year-old grey gelding Sandy Banks (4.35), in spite of finishing on the same score (30 penalties) as Kildare’s Hogan Byrne and AC Remus (4.30).

The only member from Area 7 to notch up a win was Meath’s Maisie O’Regan who, likewise, recorded the narrowest of victories in the Junior Section A.

Riding the 15-year-old black gelding Mighty Max, O’Regan completed on her dressage score of 31.8 penalties with a cross-country time of 4m 58secs, while, having added four show jumping penalties to her winning flatwork mark of 27.8, Kildare’s Laura Butler came through the cross-country finish in 4.54 on Lenovo.

Carlow’s Rosemary Dundon landed Section C on her winning dressage score (24.3) with the 17-year-old Kings Master mare Killags Foxy Lady.

Caoimhe Murphy and Ballyrue Olympic Lux of the Killinick Hunt Pony Club, winner of the Intermediate at Killossery \ Sagittarian Photography

Pillar-to-post

Shillelagh’s Sarah Ryan recorded a pillar-to-post success in Section A of the Under 12s’ class on board the Connemara gelding Ballinaguilkey Rocco (28.3 penalties), a six-year-old grey son of Murvey Rocco, who she also competes with Show Jumping Ireland.

Section B was won by Newcastle Lyons member Louisa Dalton who, too, led from start to finish on the 16-year-old bay mare Thoroughly Miss Millie (25.8).

Heading into next weekend’s Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club national eventing championships, the five Foran Equine league tables are headed by Wexford’s Rebekah Rochowiak riding Greannanstown Vivendi Girl (Open), West Waterford’s Siofra Marsh on MicMacs First (Intermediate), South Union’s Rian Tagney with FVS Jester Million (Into Intermediate), Offaly’s Saoirse Carty on Sandy Banks (Junior) and Shillelagh’s Sarah Ryan with Ballinaguilkey Rocco (Under 12s).