THERE was a massive entry for last weekend’s Irish Pony Club/Connolly’s Red Mills eventing championships but disappointingly few members started in the Open competition and five of the nine who did were from just one county, Tipperary.

With that numerical advantage, it wasn’t surprising that the winner was one of the two North Tipperary & Ormond representatives, Abbie Meagher, whose total on Shauna Walsh’s 19-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare B Vallette (26.05) included four show jumping penalties.

Seventeen teams lined out at Intermediate level with the IHTS Trophy being presented to the West Waterford trio of Siofra Marsh (MicMacs First), Isobel Maxwell (Albanos Diamond) and Millie Bowles (Cappuccino) who completed on a total of 98.75 penalties.

The Muskerry Branch finished second on 104.25, ahead of the Westmeath Wanderers (111.85). The last time the West Waterfords won this trophy was back in 1994.

Marsh and Bowles both won their arenas on their dressage scores while, likewise completing on her flat work mark, Shillelagh’s Jane Fitzgerald won the individual Intermediate championship with her mother Laura’s 12-year-old ISH mare Broomfield Banner.

The Carberry Branch filled the first two placings in the Intro-Intermediate championship. The title went to Nicola McKeon on the six-year-old West Coast Cavalier mare Elden Cavalier Roulette (32.25) while Kali O’Donovan finished second on Jack Gurtera (32.5). Both combinations had a fence down show jumping.

The Tommy Brennan Trophy was presented to the Scarteen Starz following their win in the Junior team championship where they saw off the challenge of 40 other squads. The successful team comprised Meabh O’Brien (Sleady Castle Mona), Ciara Lane (Lough Derg Cooper), Nadine Lane (Jamie Son) and Jonty Purcell (FHS Felicity) who recorded a total of 85.5 penalties. The Tipperary Trojans finished second on 90.5 with the Island Stars a place further back on 95.

Purcell topped the leaderboard in his arena and, in common with the other three arena winners, did so on his successful dressage score. Those other arena winners were Wexford’s Molly Hennessy Murphy on My Late Find, Kildare’s Isabelle Walsh riding Ardnahue Red Robin and Tipperary’s Ailbhe Hally with Ard Fhionain Springtime.

Individual junior winner

The 2023 individual Junior winner was Longford’s Emma Kenny who, too, completed on her winning dressage score (19.5) with the nine-year-old grey gelding Ruby Menlo Kelly’s Boy.

The Under 12 competitors had their own designated cross-country course over which 33 teams vied for the Broomfield Cup. The winners, on a total of 91.75 penalties, were the Kildare Black quartet of Laura Butler, India Cox, Charlotte Butler and Kate Moore. The Carlow Branch finished second on 96.25 with the Duhallow Ducks slipping into third on 98.5.

Here, none of the successful team won their arena with the first prizes going to Carlow’s Emily Flavin-Redmond on Ballyerk Spot, Tipperary’s Anna Kennedy with Savanose Bobby, Wexford’s Brooke McGarry riding Snowflake and the Ward Union’s Lillian Ward on board Silver Starlight 2.

Nineteen started in the individual Junior Championship where the honours went to Offaly’s Saoirse Carty’s and the 13-year-old grey gelding, Sandy Banks.

The championships proved to be a game of two halves for Co Wexford farrier Patsy Hayes who was asked to attend when the usual Tattersalls Ireland farrier was unable to do so.

“I was very, very busy here yesterday but it’s a lot quieter today,” Patsy told The Irish Field on Sunday.