ONE young rider who is not competing at this weekend’s Irish Pony Society championships at Hollypark Stables is Co Galway’s Nicole O’Shaughnessy because, once she went back to school, her ponies went on their holidays!

Only a spectator at the Dublin Horse Show as there was no suitable class for her ponies, the 10-year-old had a great end to her season at the recent British Show Pony Society summer championships in Arena UK where there were a lot of Irish in attendance.

Nicole rode two ponies for her mother Imelda at the championships, Thistledown Heartbeat and Carwgwyn Finality. The Welsh Section A gelding Thistledown Heartbeat, a 16-year-old roan by Blackhill Picalo, jumped clear all week with highest jump marks in nearly every class. He was second, third, fourth and fifth, plus highest-placed home produced, in Heritage and plaited cradle stakes and 122cms workers.

Carwgwyn Finality was placed in most classes and was also highest home-produced exhibit. The icing on the cake was a win in the first ridden Mountain and Moorland Pretty Polly (home-produced ponies) class after which Nicole and the 12-year-old Arad Tenacity gelding were crowned Pretty Polly mini Mountain and Moorland champions. Nicole’s father Paul also travelled over to the championships as did her seven-year-old brother Charlie who acted as groom for the week.