ARMAGH’s Lauren O’Rourke had to settle for two reserve supreme sashes at the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan in late April with her mother Sarah’s Pine View Remeo, but put matters to rights at the recent Balmoral Show, where she partnered the grey to land the supreme ridden mini championship.

En route, nine-year-old Lauren and the six-year-old Barrera Duke Of Windsor gelding won the mini ridden ponies first ridden class and the mini championship. In reserve stood the lead rein class winner for the second year running, Dowhills Beau Soleil, a six-year-old mare by Jackets Shades of Blue, who was ridden for Randalstown’s Cherie McHugh by five-year-old Bryleí Gallagher.

The reserve supreme champion was the starter stakes champion, Eileen Millar’s Bunbury Suarez, who started his journey towards the mini pony finale by landing the show hunter starter stakes class under his Strabane owner’s daughter, Casey-Lee. On Monday of this week, a Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland, Casey-Lee and the 13-year-old Millcroft Beluga gelding won the mini supreme and overall supreme championship at Knockagh View, where the Northern Area of the Irish Pony Society held its first show in five years.

The O’Rourke family took themselves off to the Iveagh Pony Club working hunter show but, like the Millars, they will be on the road – and sea – soon to the Royal Highland Show. After that, they are more likely to stick to the local show circuit before Dublin. Pine View Remeo, who is out of Dryfe Sceptres Fantasy, was bred by Sharon Walsh at her Pine View Ponies Stud, where she stands the supreme champion’s sire.

Others who were successful in the mini ridden ponies’ section were the Mountain and Moorland winners, Pantycoed Mercutio (lead rein) and Llafar Barthez (first ridden).

With their son/nephew, Fionn Redmond, now competing in first ridden classes, Co Wicklow owners Aine and Kathy Geoghegan had to find a new rider this season for their Welsh gelding, Pantycoed Mercutio, and ‘borrowed’ seven-year-old Co Galway girl Rachel Nee. With the already-approved permission of her parents, the ‘borrowed’ child will accompany the Geoghegans to shows in England, as they search for HOYS tickets with the eight-year-old Dirion Ffloyd gelding.

Llafar Barthez, who was ridden by seven-year-old Amelia Logan for her mother Ruth, is a 22-year-old Welsh gelding by Friars Concorde.

Working Hunter

The O’Rourke mother and daughter team also won the Carr & Day & Martin working hunter cradle stakes with the eight-year-old Goldengrove Gravado gelding Garnagree Golden Bravado who, too, is heading to the Royal Highland. Here, Ellie Murphy topped the final line-up in the starter stakes on board her father Stuart’s Bronheulog Harvey, a 22-year-old Welsh Section B gelding by Barkway Malabou.

Champion among the other working hunter ponies was the 153cm class winner, Co Meath exhibitor Hannah Horgan’s Garvagh Moonlight Boy (Phoebe Horgan). Just a six-year-old, this roan Connemara gelding by Monaghanstown Boy was bred in Co Carlow by Mary Tynan out of the Moonlight Silver Shadow mare Garvagh Silver Moonlight.

Reserve was the second-placed 143cm pony, Maeve Kennedy’s Little Dromin Phoenix (Evie Kennedy). Another Connemara, this 16-year-old grey gelding by Lettermuckoo Lad qualified for HOYS at the Northern Ireland Festival. The class winner was Melanie Marnane’s Connemara gelding Danny’s Pride (Emily Marnane), a 15-year-old grey by Fernville Danny.

Another combination who claimed their HOYS ticket at NIF and won a class at Balmoral were the 133cm class winners, Nancy Teehan Lyons and Bluegate Stud’s 20-year-old grey gelding Tybroughney Cloud.