Calling all Irish Pony Club members! The Fun Virtual Musical Ride competition is now open for judging, and we are inviting members to watch the videos of the four Virtual Musical Ride entries posted on the IPC Face Book page, and give their marks and comments on the online judging form. You can give marks for paces, team work, choreography, music and costumes, and overall impression - just like the judges for the rides at the Festival Championships!  Don't submit marks for your own Branch entry as they won't be counted, but you can enjoy watching them all.

We hope that Branches are inspired to create their own Musical Rides in 2021 - it is a lot of fun for everyone involved! 

The following dates have been submitted by Branches for Minimus and Tetrathlon Training Days for 2021

March 7th - North Kilkenny Winter Biathlon (To be re-scheduled)

April 5th - Kildare Hunt Branch Fun Minimus

April 24th & 25th - Waterford Hunt Branch Fun Minimus and Tetrathlon

May 16th - Carlow Hunt Branch Fun Minimus

May 23rd - Laois Hunt Branch Fun Minimus and Tetrathlon CANCELLED

June 6th - Goldenvale Fun Minimus

June 19th & 20th National Minimus Championships 2021

September 11th & 12th Provisional second date for Minimus 

August 14th & 15th National Tetrathlon Championships 2021

 The following dates have been submitted by Branches for Eventing and Hunter Trials for 2021

April 10th - Hunter trial Championships - Moorefield Kennels

June 6th - Wicklow Hunt Branch - ODE - Rosanna

June 13th - Carlow Hunt Branch - ODE - Bunclody

July 4th -  Area 7 - ODE - Tattersalls POSTPONED

July 11th - Co. Limerick Hunt Branch - ODE - Crecora

July 11th - Laois Hunt Branch - ODE - Stradbally Hall

July 14th - Kllinick - ODE - Sleedagh

July 18th - Tipperary - ODE - Grove

July 24th - Area 5 - ODE - Kilguikey 

July 25th - Kildare - ODE - Punchestown

August 1st -  Island Hunt Branch - ODE - Frankfort

August 2nd - Longford Hunt Branch - ODE - Corbeagh House

August 8th - Shillelagh & District Hunt Branch - ODE - Coolboy

August 15th - United & Carbery Hunt Branches - ODE - Ballindenisk

August 28th & 29th - National Championship - ODE - Tattersalls

September 25th -  Provisional Second Date For Hunter Trial Championships 

Chairman of the Showjumping Committe Mr. Syl Ryan is delighted to announce the date for the 2021 IPC Festival. 

It will be held from July 28th - 30th in Barnadown.

IRISH PONY CLUB EASTER VIRTUAL DRESSAGE COMPETITION 

We are delighted to announce that we are running an Easter National virtual dressage competition for Irish Pony Club members (as part of the online Easter Show run by CGP equestrian).  Entries will be open on the Irish Pony Club Its Plain Sailing page between midnight on Saturday 27th March 14th and Sunday 11th April.  Videos of dressage tests should be submitted to the CGP equestrian website https://cgpequestrian.ie/ according to the instructions provided. They will be judged by Listed dressage judges who will give useful feedback which will help riders to improve in the future. 

Classes are U10, U12, Junior, Intermediate & Open. Also included is the: UK PC Windsor Competition test 2020 The Pony Club Open Dressage Champs Test 2018.. This test is open to all.

The dressage tests are the Combined Training dressage tests.  Members should enter the appropriate class for their age.  

Irish Pony Club Its Plain Sailing Page

The dressage tests for the National Dressage virtual dressage competition are listed below:  All dressage tests are available on the IPC website on the ‘Downloads’ page at https://www.irishponyclub.ie/index.php/downloads. 

Under 10 South Munster Introduction to Dressage Test C (2012) (40m arena) 

U12  Pre-Novice IPC dressage test 2019 (40m arena) 

Junior  BE 95 (2012) (40m arena)

Intermediate  BE 96 (2016) (40m arena)

Open/SA  BE 112 (2010) (40m arena) 

Open to All  UK PC Windsor Competition test 2020 The Pony Club Open Dressage Champs Test 2018 (60m arena).

Irish Pony Club return to activities update 13^th April 2021 

The IPC Executive committee has agreed that the IPC will follow the guidelines issued by Horse Sport Ireland, which are based on the guidelines issued by the Government.  

At IPC activities, the Covid guidelines detailed in the IPC Return to Activity plan Step 2 (dated 20th July 2020) NB disregarding the dates, should be followed until further notice. See also the Returning to Activity plan FAQs; both documents are available on the IPC website Downloads page under 'Covid 19 supporting documents'.

Under level 5, one to one coaching is permitted. 

Competitions for under 18-year-olds are not permitted, except for ‘virtual’ competitions.  

From 12^th   April, travel within your own county or  20 km of your home if crossing county borders.

From 26^th April, outdoor sports facilities can re-open, and under-age non-contact training in pods of 15 or fewer can restart.  IPC members can therefore attend Branch activities within their own county or 20 km from their home if crossing county borders  More than one group can attend an activity at a venue so long as they can be kept completely separate.  

NB Until further notice, people who are in self isolation or have been in contact with people self-isolating may not attend IPC activities.  Guidelines on social distancing, sanitisation, hand washing, wearing of masks, cough and sneeze etiquette still apply.  

Camp may be possible later in the year, so it is recommended that Branches start to plan for this - it is preferable to plan and then cancel rather than try to organise at short notice! 

Competitions at Area and National level may be possible later in the year, depending on HSI and Government guidelines.  

Watch this space! 

The 2019 Irish Pony Club Festival Championships will once again be held in Barnadown Show Jumping on Thursday 25th, Friday 26th and Saturday 27th July 2019.

Congratulations to all Irish Pony Club members who competed in the Open and Intermediate Combined Training competitions at the RDS on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th August 2019.

Shillelagh and District Hunt Branch will hold a Novice One Day Event on Sunday 8th September 2019 in the Tinahely Riding Club Grounds.

The Irish Pony Club would like to wish the ten candidates who will begin the 2019 RACE Jockey Skills Course today the very best of luck.  

Message from the Irish Pony Club Show Jumping Chairman

The United States Pony Club has invited the Irish pony Club to send 4 members and a chaperone to attend the international fox hunting exchange next November from the 18^th – 29^th in Southeast USA.

The Costings are  [Land fee]   1100 us dollars per person { 5500 dollars}  + flights to and from Ireland  [These are approx. 800euro Sky scanner April 2021] and are subject to change.

   This opportunity is open to all IPC members who are Aged 16----23 and who have held consecutive membership since 2018. Members must be of C test standard. Prospective candidates will have to forward 2 letters of endorsement to the Office; one from the hunt of which they are a member (Secretary of Master letter) and one from their Branch DC to say they are capable riders, of good IPC character and are capable of representing the IPC to a very high standard. The Team of four will be chosen by a panel of three from the Equine Executive Committee.

The team will fly into Hartfield--Jackson  International airport on Thursday Nov 18 and leave on Nov29.  The US holiday of Thanksgiving is onThursday25 Nov.

 On arrival the teams will begin cultural experiences throughout southeast US including sightseeing, equine related activities and hunt 3 or 4 times during the trip

 The teams will housed with a host family for the duration of the trip.       If you are interested in going please write to Pony Club headquarters .with your name and address, saying what experience of hunting you have, and why you think you should be on the team you must be a current IPC member. If anyone would like to be the chaperone please write in as well.

Closing Date for Applications is 5pm on Friday 30th April 2021. applications will be accepted via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.