Performance Connemaras

Edwina O’Connor and Agharanny Minstrel won Wednesday’s Connemara Performance Hunter class for older ponies on a total of 276 points ahead of Pauline Dahill and the eight-year-old Andy’s Pride mare Glencairn Ivy (274.5), who recorded the highest score on the flat, and Eimear Murphy with Dandini (272.5). The last-named were among three combinations who jumped clear, but, in common with the other pair, they were marginally over the time allowed.

Graiguenamanagh veterinary surgeon Diarmuid Ryan filled the top two placings in the class for ponies aged five to seven, winning with Lucinda Kelly’s 2012 dun Western Boy stallion Killaneen Boy (270 points) and placing second with Charlotte Glynn’s year older Castleside Carrig gelding Carrig’s Island Lad (264).

Although the winner picked up a time fault, Ryan’s mounts were among 10 ponies who jumped clear. Included in the half-dozen who had a single fence down was third-placed Eimear Murphy and the six-year-old Cashelbay Cruise gelding Doire Mhainaigh Robbie (259).

INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE

Only two teams competed in this year’s international challenge at the Dublin Horse Show, while disappointed that only two teams lined-out, the partisan gathering was delighted that Ireland, under chef d’equipe Lt. Col. Brian MacSweeney, saw off the welcome British challenge to regain the title they won in 2015. The quartet who represented the home side comprised Edwina O’Connor and the 10-year-old Castleside JJ stallion Agharanny Minstrel, Eimear Murphy on the eight-year-old Black Dandy gelding Dandini, Gillian Bond on the 12-year-old Monaghanstown Boy gelding Shanbo Hazel’s Boy and Pataire Crawford with the similarly-aged Coral Dun gelding Gurteen King.

The British team included the Myles Lindsay-Brown-owned and partnered Josie Jump, winner of the younger performance championship here three times (2012-2014) when ridden by Jason Higgins for J.J. Bowe. The 10-year-old Currachmore Cashel stallion mixes competing in Connemara and Mountain and Moorland classes with eventing and his breeding career. Paying a return visit to the RDS were Amy Smith and Laburnum Richard, who were on last year’s winning team. Also on the team were newcomers Anna Layfield, who rode the nine-year-old Silver Shadow gelding Derrygimbla Boy, and Lydia Stuart. The latter brought over the seven-year-old Lucky Rebel gelding Hazelrock Rebellion who was here in 2015 with Henrietta Horsley-Gibbons.

The British team headed off on Monday to the Connemara Pony Festival in Clifden.