NIWHA Summer Championship at Balmoral

The NIWHA Summer Championship ran 14^th – 16^th July and ended on Wednesday evening with a fitting climax in the pony working hunter derby.  This was a closely fought battle between four ponies- divided by only one mark from 1^st to 4^th place!  Three 14 hands ponies made it through to the final 4 with Holly Hayes and Belvedere Earl Grey winning the derby, the 13 hander Master Jamie and young Jayne Moore in 2^nd,  Beth McFarland on Bobby’s Pet in third and Stephen Clements in fourth on Balmoral winner My Hidden Surprise. Taking the 15 hand cup for the derby was Erin Coulson and the Connemara pony Killegar Silver Lad.  Both working hunter days ended with a magnificent jumping – Tuesday saw Stuart Murphy take both the metre and the metre ten classes on Merrion Dolly.  The course builder throughout the show was Amanda Coles from England who built some fantastic courses enjoyed by many of the riders competing at the show.

Jamie Smyth had an excellent show, taking the Supreme Ridden Horse Championship on Monday with Ruth Wilson’s Riding Horse Champion Moulin Rouge and going on to take the Champion Horse Working Hunter  with his own Welcome Ralph on Tuesday.  The reserve Supreme Horse Champion on Monday went to the  cob champion Father Gillespie and Michelle Floyd.  The Champion and Reserve Champion Hunter earlier on Monday had gone to the Connswater show team with Connswater Silver Granite and Aaron McCusker taking Champion and Connswater Elite in Reserve. Judging the horse classes were Mr John Poole and Mr Richard Mills from Great Britain.

Wednesday saw some really good pony working hunter classes with good entries. The Open Working Hunter champion went to the starter stakes winner Jordan Patterson and her lovely pony Woodvale Classic Lady with the consistent Wedderlie Marmion and Rachel Maybin in reserve. The novice pony working hunter championship went to Tori Dixon riding Townhill Bluebell with Aimee Torrens riding John Stewart’s Panache in reserve. The Junior Working Hunter Champion was Corn Poppy ridden by Alexandra Ryan with Calla Lilly and Susannah Graham in Reseve.

Champion Connemara was the Wicklow based stallion Celtic Moy Sailor owned by Paddy Havens and ridden by Emily McCann. The show ran several qualifiers for the International Connemara Performance Championships at Oughterard and again entries were good in these classes.

Pony showing classes, while less well filled than the working hunter classes, nevertheless saw some top quality ponies. Jodie Creighton and her Welsh Section A pony Kenilwood Monarch took the  Mini M&M Ridden Championship while Claire Kinley and her Connemara Newline Star took the M&M ridden Championship.  Jodie also took the Mini Show Hunter Pony Championship with Mountain Gamecock while the Mini Show Pony Champion went to Sophie Elliot and My Little Secret. Champion Show Hunter Pony went to young Daniel Corbett and Glenhuntly Trojan Troy while the Champion Show Pony went to Lauren Finn and Brookvale Lord of the Light. Pony Judges Mrs Ann Colles and Mrs Caroline Whiteley from GB chose Maggie Letters’ Brookvale Lord of the Light as their Supreme Champion Ridden Pony. 

Thanks to all those who gave sponsorship, who helped on the day, or each evening building or taking down fences, and in the run up to the show.  Without the many  ring stewards, gate stewards, helpers and organisers this show could not run. NIWHA Committee are now beginning planning the 2009 show!