THE Irish Pony Society breeders ran their Annual Foal Show on Monday, October 28th at the Tipperary Equestrian Centre, by kind permission of Tomas Ryan. Happily, the weather was kind and the day was bright, with judge Jane Darragh very pleased to welcome a super selection of very high quality foals.

There were also a few spectators, who were most welcome and hopefully some of the competitors with foals for sale may have found new homes among them.

The first champion was a very exciting prospect in the Leisure Horse Ireland IPSA Studbook. A lovely scopey filly by Castletown Blue Eyes out of a mare by Da Vinci, sire of an Olympic and Nations Cup winner, a true top draw prospect. This filly also took the championship for the horse and cob section.

The pony section produced more high-class prospects, with John Dineen’s Tyrellspass Charmer by Mynach Oracle, bred by Catherine Boylan, winning the show hunter pony class and going on to take the plaited championship. He was also fully rewarded later in the day by taking the Josie O’Brien Memorial Supreme Foal Trophy.

The Leisure Horse Ireland part-bred Welsh Champion was Reserve and was also a pony of note. Clare Lonergan’s Heartlands Queen, a gorgeous palomino filly, was another scopey prospect by the Welsh section B Milford Encore out of a sports bred mare. The winner of the Show Pony foal was Karen Reynolds’ Grenhams Ardenbay Royal Amber, previously successful at the IPS Championship Show.

The Mini Pony winner was another stunning pony in Ashleigh Tate and Carol Farnell’s Arad Maximus, who had been in the frame at the Royal Welsh, and he was also successful here in the Section A Colts and took Reserve Welsh Colt.

The Section A fillies was taken by Mary Carter and Penny Hards’ Araglen Moonlight, who took the Champion Filly and the Leisure Horse Ireland Welsh Champion and Paulank Overall Pure-Bred Welsh Trophy. Reserve to her was Clare Lonergan’s Heartlands Sunrise, a big moving Section B palomino colt.

The Connemara winner and champion was Margaret Greene’s Moonlite Maxim by Derryveeney Cruise.

There was a new initiative to include youngstock and this also produced both interest and lovely ponies. The broodmare class was taken by Jennifer Staunton’s Full of Magic.

The yearling and reserve champion in this section was Simon Harty’s lovely bay Connemara, Cara Silver. The champion was Tilly Jones’ aptly named Clanmill Sheer Perfection, a Section B bred by Sarah Hunter Rodwell.

The events were then finished with refreshments and chat in the canteen, closing off a lovely afternoon with old friends and new. The group extended a big thank you to all their sponsors, without whom this show could not run. Full results are in today’s results section.