The penultimate leg of the Equestrian Store N.I. & SJI sponsored Pony Premier took place at Ballinamona on Saturday 18^th July, where entries were slightly below average, none the less there was great jumping over the Rafael Suarez designed tracks.

With twenty three starters in the Und 10 Premier only one combination remained on a zero score throughout, that was Alexandra Hourigan and ‘Little Rock Hopscotch’, earning themselves full league points to add to the seven she brought to the class. League leader Katie McEntee took second place on ‘Supersonic’ when picking up four faults in the jump off in 32.69 seconds, still the eight points earned will see McEntee remaining at the top on forty points going into the final.  Third place went to Coen William aboard ‘Castlequarter Hero’ this pair also picking up four faults in the jump off in a time of 42.85, their starting points of twenty four will rise to thirty one as they head to Mullingar.

League leader in the 128 division Frances Derwin added to his tally when claiming victory on ‘Buachaill Baire’ winning the class with a zero score in 31.83, cementing his position at the top of the leader board. Runner up spot went to Emily Costello riding ‘Knock Your Socks Off’ as this combination jumped three clear rounds in 36.87, putting them onto the league table with eight points.  Ellie-Rose Cassidy made the long journey from Magherafelt worthwhile when she claimed third and fourth places on PARC Chit Chat 0/0/0 40.00 and ‘Little Ceaser’ 0/0/0 42.04.  As league points are only offered for the athletes highest placing, Cassidy’s seven points will move her into joint third on twenty two along with Rhys Williams who picked up two points for an eighth place finish on PARC Giggles 0/0/8 36.14.

Three athletes continued to dominate in the 138 ranks as Jason Foley took first and second place in the class, winning on ‘Bear Me In Mind’ 0/0/0 27.35 and runner up place on ‘Kiltormer Hero’ 0/0/0 28.48, Kate Derwin finished in third on ‘Dizzee Rascal’ 0/0/0 29.32 and seventh on ‘Sligo Lux To Queeney’ 0/0/0 31.07 with Harry Allen claiming fourth, fifth and sixth on ‘Fountain Ranger’ 0/0/0 29.81, ‘Lough Gill’ 0/0/0 30.41 and ‘Scarletts Billy The Kid’ 0/0/0 30.71. This result does not change the standings at the top of the leader board but tightens things up going towards the final as Derwin leads with forty points ahead of Allen on 38 and Foley with 37.

Twenty four started in the 148 class with only three combinations remaining on zero right to the end, the fastest of these was Cormac Foley when he brought ‘Crown Jewel’ home in 37.44 ahead of Michael Pender and ‘Cul Ban Mistress’, this pair stopped the clock in 37.50 with Emma McEntee and ‘Kadia Mouche’ finishing in third in 42.97. This pushes Foley to the top of the table on thirty one points marginally ahead of Pender on twenty nine, these two athletes battled it out in last year’s final.  Abbie Sweetnam moves into third place on the leader board when picking up five points for a fifth place finish on ‘Dynamite Spartacus’ 0/0/4 39.81.

Concluding the action in Ballinamona was the final qualifier for the Allianz Starfinder of the Future where only twenty started. Robbie Clancy and Paddy Bligh’s seven year old ‘My Castlehill Lass’ came home in front with a zero score in 37.52 ahead of Mary Monaghan’s six year old ‘Shirsheen Cruiser’ ridden by Sean Monaghan this pair also clear their time 38.88.  Tony O’Donoghue and Kieran O’Donoghue’s coloured seven year old finished in third when jumping clear in 49.93.

Many thanks go to all those who contributed to the smooth running of the Pony Premier at Ballinamona where the backdrop of the x country course spreading over the estate was inspiring. The final of this prestigious league and the Allianz Starfinder of the Future takes place at Pony & Young Rider Champonships being held at Mullingar Equestrian 20^th – 23^rd  August 2015.