Junior riders from East Donegal Pony Club joined forces with senior riders from western based Donegal Gaeltacht Riding Club yesterday, sending a team of 11 riders and 12 equines to compete in the Northern Lights NI Riding Club Show.
The show, held at the Causeway Coasts and Glen area in Coleraine, was one of the first of its kind. It gave junior and senior riders from registered Riding & Pony Clubs in Ireland and the UK the unique opportunity to join forces and compete side by side as a team, and against each other in individual classes.
The Donegal teams, under the stewardship of Chef d’Equipe Rosaleen Harkin, took more than a fair share of the prizes back across the Foyle and claimed several perpetual plaques when the bravery of the young riders combined with the experience of the senior riders set them up as a force to be reckoned with.
Ella McLaughlin, Liz Potter, Fiona Watts (Show Organiser), Éabha Brennan, Hannah Friel
Their results were as follows:
Teams
- 70/80cm 1st place: Hannah Friel on Rocket, Éabha Brennan on BSH Golden Boy, Ella McLaughlin on Lily, Liz Potter on Clyde
- 90cm/1m 1st place: Sophie Bonner on Riverfield Kannafanta, Ellie Simms on Carnone Diamond Beach, Jenny Bonner on Autumn Cannon & Micky McHugh on Kelifa
- 90cm/1m 3rd place: Éabha Brennan on Millfields Killnascully, Tara Brennan on Carnone Annabelle, Emily Schneider on My boy Boysie, Clifford Haley on Sally Clover Supreme
Ellie Simms, Sophie Bonner, Rosaleen Harkin, Micky McHugh, Jenny Bonner
Junior individual classes
- 1st place 1m class: Tara Brennan on Carnone Annabelle
- 2nd place 80cm class: Éabha Brennan on BSH Golden Boy
- 2nd place 60cm class: Hannah Friel on Rocket
Éabha Brennan, Tara Brennan, Rosaleen Harkin, Clifford Haley, Emily Schneider
Senior Individual classes
- 1st place 1m: Clifford Haley on Sally Supreme Clover
- 1st place 90cm: Micky McHugh on Kelifa
- 1st place 70cm: Liz Potter on Clyde
