WE don’t know how many young showing riders from Ireland will be competing at next week’s Horse Of the Year Show, while others may be travelling over to Birmingham in support, to shop or to check things out for themselves for next year.

We are aware however that 12-year-old Nancy Lyons Teehan, a keen and very active member of the Irish Pony Society and the Irish Pony Club, has qualified ponies for three of the Mole Valley Farmers/National Pony Society open working hunter classes, which take place on Friday.

They are the six-year-old palomino mare Dartans Seoda Ban, on whom she won the 133cm class here last October, the 12-year-old Welsh mare Newydd Lady Marmalade on whom she narrowly lost out on recording a 143cm Gold Cup double at Burghley last month, and the cremello gelding Buachaill Buí on whom she won the working hunter championship at the Connemara Pony Show in Clifden.

Nancy has also qualified the last-named, a seven-year-old owned by her grandmother Anne Lyons, for the exceeding 143cm Cooper Family Mountain and Moorland working hunter class on Thursday. Nancy’s mother Louise will also be competing at HOYS, having qualified for the working hunter horse of the year with Lady Perdita Blackwood’s Irish Draught gelding Clandeboye, an eight-year-old grey by Scrapman.

IPS Foal Show

THE Irish Pony Society is holding a foal show on Monday, October 26th at Tipperary Equestrian Centre. There will be classes for Welsh, Connemara, plaited and part-bred foals. Entries close on Friday, October 23rd. Including one broodmare class and two youngstock classes, there are 19 classes advertised on the schedule, all due to be judged by Jeff Grace.

Judges’ assessment day

THE Irish Pony Society is seeking expressions of interest in a judges’ assessment day, which will be held early next year on a date and at a venue yet to be confirmed. The assessment will be in youngstock and breeding, flat ridden (excluding Connemaras and Mountain and Moorland ponies) and working hunters. See the IPS website for further details.

Awards dinner

THE South Leinster/Waterford Area of the Irish Pony Society are quick off the mark when it comes to announcing their 2026 awards dinner. This will be held on Saturday, November 14th at the Amber Springs Hotel, Gorey and will start following the Area’s AGM, which commences in the same venue at 6.30pm.