The Sports Pony Challenge is back – Bigger and Better

The Sports Pony Challenge is an exciting National Competition hosted by the Hunter Pony Committee of the Irish Pony Society. This is a challenging three-phase competition that will highlight the versatility and production standards of both ponies and riders.

From Left to Right Philippa Mansergh-Wallace Chair of the Irish Pony Society, Ronan Murphy CEO Horse Sport Ireland, and Dorothy Guildford Chair of the Hunter Pony Committee of the Irish Pony Society.

To improve the overall standard of equitation, and to showcase Irish sport ponies, the Hunter Pony committee believe that it is important to run international standard events. Our young athletes need the opportunity to compete at this standard at home, to be suitably prepared to compete at the highest level internationally.

Irish Sports ponies are renowned throughout the world for their temperament, versatility and jumping ability, this competition will enable our breeders and producers to showcase their top class ponies. After the success of last year’s inaugural competition and with the encouragement of our members we are running the Challenge again.

The 2018 Sports Pony Challenge is bigger and better ;

Bigger prize fund

More Classes – this year we have included an over 16 connemara class.

New League for the qualifiers

Area team competition

Rough Diamond Trophy for the highest placed Irish Bred Pony

Live online results and league tables

This year the Irish Pony Society(IPS) is running a series of training clinics to provide more information about the Sports Pony Challenge, and to assist the competitors to prepare for the competition. Participants will be provided with an overview of the competition, information about the scoring system and the rules for each phase; Dressage, Performance Hunter pony and Show jumping. Followed by two practical coaching sessions of an hour each.

‘ Get your pony ready for the Challenge ’; a lunchtime session where our experts will share ideas on planning a training program for your pony. This will also include information on turnout and presentation for both plaited and connemara classes.

Four qualifiers around the country for the six classes of the Sport Pony Challenge are open to IPS members and non members. The qualifier venues will put up a challenging performance hunter track, which will be tackled after the dressage phase. The competition will finish with an exciting show jumping round against the clock.

To make the competition even more exciting we will be publishing the results live online, as they become available.

Venue Dates

Killossery Lodge 3rd April

Wexford Equestrian 12th May

Ravensdale 20th May

Limerick area show 2nd June

The Final will be held in Barnadown, Gorey, Wexford on 12th July 2018

All information can be found on the IPS website
www.irishponysociety.ie/sportsponychallenge/

ENDS