Showjumping success

The Killultagh Open Show jumping Team, from left Daniel Brown, Jemma Parkhill, Charlotte Creighton, Katie Lyttle, Margaret Creighton, District Commissioner and Margie Lowry, Trainer.

After qualifying at the Area 17 Dressage Competition in Cookstown and the Area 17 Showjumping at Omagh, the Open Teams of the Killultagh Branch of the Pony Club, based in Lisburn, set off in August to compete at the Pony Club UK Open Championships at Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire by kind permission of The Marquess of Chomondeley and kindly sponsored by Weatherbys Private Banking.

Thanks to the consistent results from Daniel Brown, Sophie Williams, Jemma Parkhill and Abigail Carlisle, they took the Open Team dressage trophy back to Northern Ireland. Seventeen year old Sophie came second in Arena B on Admiral’s Voyage, third spot in Arena A went to Daniel. Abigail produced an impressive score to finish sixth in Arena D, while fellow team member Jemma, completed the winning quartet on her homebred seven year old Summerhill Echo.

But it didn’t stop there - Jemma and Daniel were also part of the Killultagh Old Rock & Chichester Harriers team that took the spoils in the Open Team Showjumping Championships. With four teams on a zero fault score after the first round, the pressure was on in the trickier second round.

Pathfinder Jemma was the discard score with four faults in the first round, but rode a determined clear round in the second. Daniel went second but could not repeat his first clear round and two poles fell. An early return from a gap year proved worthwhile for 19 year old Charlotte Creighton, whose clear kept the team in the hunt.

It all rested on anchor Katie Lyttle to secure a zero score and the win on her aunt’s homebred Dickson’s Dream, which she duly did.

All four riders had a positive, powerful rhythm around the tracks and were helped by their trainer, former international Irish showjumper Margie Lowry. Killultagh was the only team out of 18 Open Teams from around the UK to finish on a 0 score.

Reinforcing their showjumping win was their additional winning of the Team Horsemanship Award, with Katie Lyttle winning the individual horsemanship award and Daniel Brown coming third and winning best placed boy.

Also competing in England were Killultagh members Thomas and Hannah Kileiff who represented the branch at Polocrosse in a mixed Area 17 Teams. Both teams won their championships and brought home silverware.

Thanks to an extensive training programme over the winter months, good competition experience and support from families and friends, Killultagh Branch of the Pony Club enjoyed a very successful trip and were outstanding representatives for Northern Ireland and Area 17.

Killultagh Branch of the Pony Club train on Wednesday evenings at Danescroft Equestrian Centre, Waterloo Road, Lisburn with Mrs Margaret Creighton as District Commissioner. The committee welcome new members, aged 5 to 25, for further details please contact Mandy Blakely on 07544 915394.