THE penultimate Irish Pony Club fun Minimus and Tetrathlon of 2024 was staged by the Laois Branch last Sunday at Stradbally, where there were few surprises when it came to the winners.

At Senior level, Carlow’s Jamie Hargaden amassed 4,126 points to comfortably see off Co Offaly’s Tom O’Rourke (3,957), and 14 others, in the Boys’ section, while Co Leitrim’s Grace Quinn continues to impress among the Girls, where she finished up on 4,178 points whilst her nearest rival, Duhallow’s Victoria Roche, completed the four phases with a total of 4,024 points.

The Duhallows’ Caroline Roche struck back for family and Branch, when winning the 42-runner Junior Girls’ competition with 4,400 points. Clodagh Reilly gave the Ward Union Branch something to cheer about when claiming the runner-up spot on 4,399.

There were just 18 starters in the Boys’ competition, which was won by Co Limerick’s Alex Barry on 4,473 with the Killinicks’ Joe Codd just behind on 4,465.

The Killinick Branch got their win in the Boys’ Minimus through Max Doran who, with 3,582 points, foiled a Carlow/Hargaden family double, as Jack Hargaden had to settle for second on 3,350. In the girls’ equivalent competition, the honours went to Co Limerick’s Grace Power, who amassed a winning 3,656 points, while the Ward Union and the Reilly family again finished second as Áilbhe Reilly completed with 3,616 points.

Caroline Roche, winner of the junior girls class at the Minimus and Tetrathlon competition run by the Laois Branch at Stradbally \ Mel Doyle

The Island Branch claimed victory in the 16-strong Boys’ Fledglings class thanks to Luke Murphy and his 3,090 points and North Kilkenny’s Lucy O’Connell won the Girls competition with 3,118.

The Golden Vale Branch is running their qualifier on the June Bank Holiday Monday with the countdown then beginning to the National Minimus Championships over the weekend of June 22nd and 23rd.