The future looks bright for the young equestrians of the county as Donegal riders were among the highest placed at the Show Jumping Ireland – TRI Ulster Region Pony Tour Final last weekend.
A number of young Donegal riders also qualified for the Ulster Showjumping Team.
Dedication, determination and skill were required to get placed in the Tour which sees high numbers of young riders from all over Ulster compete in the 10 shows held throughout the Ulster Region, followed by the Tour Final which took place on Sunday last at the Meadows Equestrian Centre in Lurgan.
Creeslough sisters Éabha and Tara Brennan pulled off a double act when Éabha, riding Millfields Killnascully, having sat consistently in 1st place throughout the league, pulled off the fastest time at the Final to be crowned champion in both the 138 80cm and 90cm pony competitions.
Éabha Brennan, 1st place and Clodagh Callaghan, 2nd place
Tara Brennan, riding Carnone Annabelle, placed 2nd in the 1m Children on Horses/Junior class, and 2nd again in the hotly contested Junior 1.10/1.20 class, having narrowly missed out claiming the champion title for the 2nd year in a row when an unlucky pole down in the final jump-off put her in 2nd place. She also finished up in 3rd position in 148 80cm pony competition.
Tara Brennan & Carnone Annabelle
Hot on the heels of Éabha was Burt’s Clodagh Callaghan, riding Derryvane Gale, coming in just a fraction of a second behind in the final jump-off to finish in 2nd place in the 138 cm class. Clodagh also competed in the 138 1m competition and finished in a very commendable 2nd place.
Also competing in the 138 1m class was Sara Margey from Muff on her 8 year old gelding, Sparkling Kiowa Moon, finishing in 5th place before going on to place 4th in the highly competitive 1.10m class.
Sarah Margey and Sparkling Kiowa Moon
Another Donegal competitor in the 138 pony classes was Kayla O’Donnell, who set a high reputation for herself in her first year competing in SJI when she placed 2nd in the 80cm class on her pony Pretty One. She went on to claim the 1st place position in the podium in the 148 80cm class on My Mucker Man, followed by a 4th place in the 148 90cm class.
Éabha Brennan, 1st place and Kayla O’Donnell, 2nd place
Cardonagh’s Alana Doherty also competed in the 148s, picking up a very respectable 3rd place in the 1m class and 4th place in the 1.10m class on her recently acquired mare, Dunard Cinderella, while Lifford’s Brianna McGuigan placed 4th in the 148 80cm class on her stunning palomino pony Butter Cup II.
Also flying the flag for Donegal was the Kelly brothers from Buncrana. A force to be reckoned with, these 2 young lads claimed numerous placings. In the 128cm 50cm class, 7 year old Harry, riding Lucky Day, was placed 4th, then went on to be placed 5th in the 60cm class and 8th in the 70cm class on his pony Helas Babe. Older brother Liam, riding Crindle Electric Blue, claimed the 2nd position on the podium twice after having placed 2nd in both the 128 60cm and 128 70cm classes.
Harry and Liam Kelly
Liam Kelly, 2nd place
Also competing in the 128 70cm class was Winter Lily McGinley, finishing up in 6th place on Woodside Jasper HPA.
All 10 riders listed above are now invited to compete for the Ulster Team, under the stewardship of renowned Ulster Region Pony Representative and the Pony Tour organiser, Aldyth Roulstone, at the All Ireland Inter-Provincials which take place in Limerick in September.
