THE sole RDS combined training qualifier in Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland) was held last Friday at the Iveagh Branch’s Moyallon grounds where the evening’s dressage judge, Lucinda Webb Graham, commented favourably on the turn-out of riders and their horses/ponies.

While just the winner progresses to Dublin from the Irish Pony Club’s nine Area qualifiers, here the first two in both classes booked a qualifying slot. The Iveaghs’ Sarah O’Shea will be double handed when making her Dublin debut as she secured two ‘golden tickets’ on Friday when winning both the Intermediate and Members’ qualifiers on horses owned by her mother Susan.

The 20-year-old, who is based with, and is coached by, Trevor and Steven Smith, first won the Intermediate on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Youngstars Cheetah who show jumped clear to complete on his dressage score of 23 penalties. O’Shea has been competing this 21-year-old Cruising bay under Eventing Ireland rules since July 2019. Last season, they recorded two good placings in the CCI1*-Intro classes at Ballindenisk and Millstreet.

Here, fellow Iveagh Branch member Zoe Daniel finished second with the eye-catching Anvil Lodge Pinnochio. This now 16-year-old grey son of Grange Bouncer competed up to EI110 (J) level with Steven Smith’s daughter Hollie until August 2019 after which he moved into the Pony Club sphere.

In the Members’ qualifier, O’Shea claimed the honours on The Cherokee Flight despite the evening’s show jumping judge, Linda Skillen, having to add four penalties to their dressage score of 33 for a pole down in the second phase. While things didn’t go so well for the pair last time out at Rosanna (2), they have posted some very good results without winning in EI company this season.

In that Members’ qualifier, the East Antrim Branch’s Holly Ross claimed the second ticket on board Star Of Hollymount, an 11-year-old dun gelding owned by her parents, bloodstock agents Kevin and Anna Ross. Holly will be following a family tradition when she competes at Dublin as her mother rode there as did her grandfather, racehorse trainer Arthur Moore.

The Route Branch is hosting the Area dressage today at Mabbybenny outside Portrush while the Area eventing, hosted by the Iveagh Branch and sponsored by Greenvale Transport, takes place at Hazeldene Farm, Ballynahinch, on Monday.