BEST known for its involvement in mounted games, the Shillelagh Branch made its mark in dressage at this week’s Irish Pony Club Festival in Barnadown, where the trio of Ned Kelly, Jane Fitzgerald and Lucy Keane won the Equieire team competition, qualifying them to compete at the JCB Pony Club championships in England.

On an average of the combined scores of four judges – Bernie Webb, Derval Diamond, Lynne Cassidy and Ruth Daunt – the Shillelaghs claimed the Bill Fisk memorial shield on 71.95%. The Kildare Stars and the Meath Piaffes, who both had the luxury of a discard score, finished second and third on 69.32 and 69.13 respectively.

Kelly partnered Maria Tyrrell’s 16-year-old Connemara gelding Fiona’s Fionn, Fitzgerald rode the traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Ballymurphy Hughie, on whom she finished reserve in the recent Eventing Ireland EI100 grassroots championship, while Keane was on board Ballycreen Kings Mistress. This traditionally-bred ISH mare by Kings Master is owned by a former editor of the Irish Horse World, Siobhan English.

Kelly and Fitzgerald were two of 10 riders who advanced through a complicated qualification process to the ride-off for individual honours.

Fitzgerald and Ballymurphy Hughie finished fifth (68.83%), immediately behind Monday’s Novice combined training winners Jessica Coveney (South Union) and Bishopshall Joe (70.43) who, in turn, finished behind Meath’s Grace Hanna riding Clerkson (71.08). Ned Kelly was presented with the Cossack Cup for the highest-placed pony when second on Fiona’s Fionn (71.59), who competed for Ireland at the 2019 European pony eventing championships in Poland under the late Grace Tyrrell.

Top score

The recipient of the Ronan Cup for the second year running, having topped the ride-off scores on 71.76%, was Kate Walsh (Tipperary), but this time with the Connemara gelding Beechtree Watchful. Sixteen-year-old Walsh, who is this season’s youth ambassador for Eventing Ireland, won the EI100 (J) national championship last September on the 13-year-old Mirah’s Oyster Bandit roan, on whom she also competes in IPC Open one-day events.

Two Branches contested Monday’s Horse First-sponsored musical ride. The winners of the Vivienne Hillery Trophy, the Shillelagh Branch, will perform their ride at the upcoming Dublin Horse Show, while the runners-up Carbery, winners of the Brandon Cup for best artistic impression, will showcase theirs at the Irish Pony Club raceday at the Curragh.