THE Route Branch of The Pony Club hosted the Area 17 show jumping on Monday at The Meadows Equestrian Centre from where teams – and individuals – qualified to compete at the JCB Pony Club National Championships at Offchurch Bury in Warwickshire next month.

For some of the younger members, the focus was on the qualifier for the Mini Major competition at the London International Horse Show at Christmas time. Fourteen 128cm riders, representing five Branches (including one from Area 15), started in round one with eight progressing to the jump-off, where four riders went clear.

The two who recorded the fastest clears, and will represent Area 17 in London, were Fermanagh’s Lily McBride, who stopped the clock on 29.74 riding Paula Widger’s eight-year-old brown gelding Poynstown Little Albert Einstein and North Derry’s Harry Kelly, who was home in 30.96 with Ballymagan Equine’s 16-year-old grey mare Paris. Both combinations are among the many competing in this weekend’s July home pony international in Cavan.

Team work

The Tullylagan Branch won two of Monday’s six team competitions. At PC110 level, where two of the five teams went through to the jump-off, Kym Moore (Drumcashel Little Legend), Lara Rocks (Vixen) and Freya Kennedy (Carrickview Diamond Gayle) claimed the honours with eight faults, while the Iveagh Okapi trio of Katie Robinson, Charlotte McCracken and Eoghan Trainor had to settle for second with 16 faults.

Tullylagan doubled up at PC90 level, through the efforts of Emily Maneely (Shanvey Doonard Delight), Ella Watters (Shadows Golden Boy), Keeva McElhennon (Sparkling Nina Lass) and Abbie Harkness (Melody Sunrise), who posted the faster (140.79) of two clears in the jump-off round to which six teams had progressed. Finishing second in 145.22 were Killultagh’s Annabel McKeown, Amelia Wheeler, Georgina May Cunningham and Amelia Irwin.

The Iveagh Branch also recorded two team victories. At PC80 level, seven of the 17 participating teams went through to the jump-off, where three teams ended up on four faults apiece. The fastest of these was recorded in 130.81 by the Iveagh Tapirs quartet of Lily Park (Knocklishen Willow), Lee Pike (Fudge), Jay Doherty (Pandoras Charm) and Isobel Kehoe (Golden Grove Royal Wedding). The East Down Kilclief team finished second in 138.13, ahead of the East Antrim Butterflies, whose four faults were incurred in 144.09.

Mini

The Iveaghs fielded four teams in the Mini competition and two of these finished first and second. On a converted score of 11.6, the Orcas’ quartet of Will Burke (Drumhass Diamond), Jessica Clarke (Casper), Lucille Clarke (Toffee) and Edie McClelland (Mylestown Lady) got the better of the Pandas’ Taylor-Lee Doyle, Kacie Wickie, Julia Kerr and Megan Burns, who scored 13.68.

The East Antrim Branch, who had members competing at the Northern Games Zones Final in Scotland last weekend, won the PC100 team competition at The Meadows, with the faster of two clear rounds in the jump-off.

Recording the winning time of 102.85 were Eve Lindsay (The Highwayman), Ellie Bingham (Little Pretender), Erin McCrea (Rubane Candy) and Katelyn Irvine (Kensington Absolute).

Second in 107.48 were the Mid Antrim White team of Charli Henry-McCool, Hannah Thompson, Jessica Mark and Holly Logan.

Four teams went through to the PC70 jump-off, three of whom went clear again with the fastest time (114.73) being recorded by the North Down Smarties squad of Molly Reid (Little Me), Amira Greeves (Sam), Gigi Roelle (Derrynoose Lady) and Matilda Ham (Lily). The Mid Antrim Green trio of Carla Dolan, Katie Surgenor and Lacie McDowell finished second in 114.73, ahead of the East Antrim Emus (133.56).

The individual winners on a sunny day were East Down’s Emma Burns on Mon Ami Alme (PC110), East Antrim’s Ellie Bingham with Little Pretender (PC100), Route’s Erika Dixon with Woodlands Warrior (PC70 plus) and the Iveagh foursome of Jessica Mulgrew on Knockagarron Emperor (PC90), Ella Rose Sands riding Rosie (PC80), Darcey Faulker on Bramble (PC70) and Kacie Wickie with Burtonport Dazzle (Mini).