FOR the first time this season, there was a divide in one of the ridden classes at an RDS Connemara qualifier as the four and five-year-old class at Scarteen last Saturday attracted an entry of 31.

In such a scenario, the top three pony and rider combinations in each division qualify, and a reserve pony and rider combination will be identified in each. The task of judging this ridden section at the popular Co Limerick venue fell to Faith Ponsonby.

Co Wicklow owner/breeder Avril Kelly was delighted when her Dunran Mr Darcy went through by right as the winner of the first division of the four and five-year-olds as, at Tullylish seven days earlier, her Dunran Love In The Mist won a division of the eight to 15-year-old Connemara performance hunter qualifier under Ciara Dennigan.

Saturday’s winner is by Brock Lodge Buster out of the Monaghanstown Prince mare Dunran Katie Sue. We have yet to learn if he is a “clear round machine” like his stable-companion but we do know that the now five-year-old is consistent on the flat as he qualified for this class last year when he was ridden, as he was at Scarteen, by Kelly’s daughter Lucinda.

The winner of division two was the Grace Maxwell Murphy-owned and ridden four-year-old Glencarrig Knight gelding Glencarrig Kingman. This grey was bred in Moycullen, Co Galway, by Ciarán Curran out of the Glencarrig Prince mare Miss Eleanor.

The six-year-old and upwards classes also attracted large entries. Sophie Orr and Tirnaskea Starstruck saw off 24 other combinations to win the class for riders aged 17 and over. Owned by Laura Seery and bred by Aidan Connolly, the eight-year-old grey mare is by Kay’s Moonlight out of Allie Husky (by New Beginning).

Ponsonby’s winner of the 18-runner class for riders aged between 10 and 17 was Teach Mór Dáire who was ridden by Nathan Ruttle for his father Liam. A nine-year-old by Teach Mor King, this grey gelding was bred by Liam O’Fatharta out of the Rebel Star mare Blakehill Teachmór Marie.