East Down Pony Club enjoy summer success

4 September 2013

MEMBERS of the East Down Branch of the Pony Club tasted success at a number of championship events in Ireland and England over the summer.

The Tetrathlon team of Paddy Erskine, Ewan Findlay and Andrew Turley travelled to Yorkshire and secured first place in the Intermediate Boys UK Championships. Two weeks later, the same team travelled to Limerick to take part in the Irish Championships and were placed third.

As the Tetrathlon team travelled to Limerick, Cathy Campbell was travelling to Cheshire with her pony, Cairnhill Lucy, to compete in the Intermediate Eventing. Cathy rode well over a very demanding course, securing a very credible 18th place.

On the last weekend in August a group of 17 members, family and friends travelled to Cheshire, this time to the Novice Championships at Kelsall Hill, with show jumpers, Tara Findlay on Cindy, Chloe Rooney on Lismahon Houdini, Molly Evans on Jazzy Susie and Sophie Truesdale on Beech Hall Star competing.

All jumped a clear first round with East Down only one of two teams to do so. The second round was over a very demanding course with the visitors collecting an unfortunate 12 faults. But the performance was enough to secure eighth place out of 45.

Competing as an individual at the show jumping was Tilly Horder on Murphy. Tilly displayed great skill jumping

clear in the first round and only picking up four faults in the second to finish 20th out of a field of 70.

The Home Championships hosted by the Killultagh Branch were held at the Tullymurry Equestrian Centre outside Downpatrick, with 30 East Down members competing.

The 85cms team of Amy Jo Regan on Charlie, Tiarna Drake on Flash, Jemma McMullan on Ringfort Juno and Sophie Truesdale on Rathruyan Girl finished second, with Jemma securing first place in the individual, with Sophie finishing fifth. The team of Tilly Horder on Murphy, Ellen Erskine on Houdini, Imogen McGucken on Maple and Erin Gabbie on Catalina Rascal secured sixth place.

East Down also took second place in the 65cms class with the team of Jenny Hogg on Peppermint, Anna Hogg on Cracker, Aoife Hamilton-Quinn on Beauty and Rachel Kerr on Squiggles. Rachel and Aoife finished second and sixth respectively in the individual section.

Meanwhile, the 50cms class was won by East Down’s team of James Murphy on Fudge, Aaron Dugan on Hazel, Emma Burns on Jodie and Chloe McMullan on Teddy. Ellie McDowell on Ben won the individual section, with Aaron and James finishing second and fifth respectively.

And, not to be outdone, the 50cms unassisted team of Aimee Dugan on Benji, Charlotte McGladdery on Pepsi, Dylan Torrens on Bella and Thomas Murphy on A J Larcarno finished first. Charlotte picked up fourth place in the individual section.

East Down senior member, Jacob Morrow, recently travelled to Barbury Castle in Wiltshire to compete with the Irish Long Distance Riding Association. Riding Tambo, he was part of the winning Home International team and also won the Home International junior trophy.

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