PICTURES: Successful and historic year for Leitrim Pony Club

Leitrim Pony Club has just completed a hugely successful and historic year — one that culminated in the club proudly representing their county and the Irish Pony Club on the grand stage of the Dublin Horse Show.  

Use the Arrows < > above to go through the gallery

The Irish Pony Club, founded in 1929, is one of Ireland’s oldest and most respected youth equestrian organisations. With branches nationwide, it fosters horsemanship, sportsmanship and teamwork among young riders, offering training, testing, and competitive opportunities in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

Leitrim Pony Club packed plenty into 2025, with members attending 27 rallies across Moorlands Equestrian Centre, Tubberbride EC, Mullingar EC, and Barnadown EC — even squeezing in a cheeky training spin in the RDS before being politely escorted out of the warm-up arena!

Members hit significant milestones in their Pony Club journeys:

Throughout the year, members undertook various competency and horsemanship tests and all candidates passed their tests with flying colours:

D/D+ Tests: Roisin McGovern, Naoise Joy, Darcy Lawlor, Aurelia Zelias

C Tests: Aurelia Zelias, Ciara Farrell, Chloe Moffatt, Emma Moran, Naoise Joy

C+ Tests: Niamh O’Neill, Emma Moran, Croia McGuinness, Isla Stevenson, Meara Stevenson

Riding & Road Safety Tests: Emma Moran, Croia McGuinness, Niamh O’Neill, Aoibhinn O’Neill, Meara Stevenson, Isla Stevenson

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National Success and the Road to the Dublin Horse Show

Musical ride is a team equestrian performance where 4 to 20 riders perform a choreographed series of movements to music, typically within an 8-minute timeframe. The emphasis is on precision and teamwork, with judging prioritizing clean lines, good distances, and synchronization over speed.

One of the standout highlights of the year came when Leitrim Pony Club entered the Irish Pony Club Musical Ride Competition at the National Pony Club Championships in Barnadown — and won. Part of the prize was the honour of representing the Irish Pony Club and performing at the Dublin Horse Show.

A convoy of lorries and horseboxes rolled out of Leitrim at 3 a.m. on the Sunday morning of the Horse Show for the team’s big performance — an experience the club will always cherish.

“It was an unforgettable moment — the pride, the teamwork, the laughter. We’ll remember it for a lifetime.”

Our special heartfelt thanks goes to Musical Ride Instructor and amazing choreographer Becky Tiernan, whose creativity and commitment brought the performance together through countless practices. Her patience and dedication, enthusiasm and belief in the girls was unwavering. 

Leitrim Pony Club member Niamh O’Neill produced the music for the musical ride with a Shrek inspired theme using the familiar songs from the movies as the backdrop to the musical ride routine.

Sincere gratitude also to the parents and committee — especially Kathleen Kelly for the beautiful costumes and Sheila Moran for her determination, positivity, organisational skills and support for the girls. Thanks also to Carrick Craft, who generously sponsored special Dublin horse Show rugs for the horses as keepsakes of this special day.

The Musical Ride Team — Aoibhinn O’Neill on Mitzy, Niamh O’Neill on Paddy , Emily Quinn on Coco, Emma Moran on Lily, Croia McGuinness on Sakura, Isla Stevenson on Tommy, Meara Stevenson on Spirit and Orla Kelly on Hector — were a credit to their branch, performing with professionalism, flair and joy.

Competition Highlights

• Croia McGuinness and Orla Kelly qualified for the Show Jumping Classic and represented the club with pride in Coilog.
• Hunter Trials saw Grace Quinn, Emma Moran, Croia McGuinness, Isla Stevenson, Meara Stevenson and Orla Kelly in action.
• Grace Quinn and Emily Quinn also took on the Tetrathlon representing their branch and country at National and International Level.

The club’s Summer Camp saw Orla, Aoibhinn, Niamh, Emma, Croia, Darcy and Naoise enjoy a fun-filled week of training, while Senior Camp brought Isla, Meara, Emma, Croia and Niamh together for further skill-building.

To wrap up the summer, Niamh, Orla, Naoise, Darcy, Isla and Meara joined Longford Pony Club for an end-of-season training day — a great way to strengthen bonds across branches.

A special thanks to instructors Becky Tiernan and Jade Singleton for their tireless support, encouragement, and expert guidance throughout the year.

Finishing the Year in Style

To close out this remarkable year, the club will celebrate with a Christmas Party, bringing together members, families and friends to toast their many achievements.

New members are always welcome — anyone interested in joining is encouraged to contact Julie Quinn or Paula O’Neill for more information on membership and upcoming activities.

“It’s been a full, fun and truly impressive season — one that will be remembered for years to come,” a spokesperson said.