by Brian Hennessy
Waterford’s Katie Power and The Irish Sport Horse pony Ghost Rider have claimed a superb victory in the season ending FEI Pony Jumping Trophy Final, which attracted Europe's best riders under 16 years of age to the World Cup show in Mechelen, Belgium.
Fifteen-year-old Power from Dungarvan was in third place on the league table coming into the final on the back of impressive results at Herning in Denmark and Stuttgart in Germany.
A brilliant performance at the final in Mechelen saw Katie Power produce the only double clear round, to win the final leg and in the process claim overall victory in the 2018 series.
Katie Power holds the FEI Pony Trophy aloft after victory in Belgium (Photo: Temps de Poses Photography)
The final in Mechelen was run over three days and despite not getting off to the best start, Katie Power saved the best till last to come out on top.
“Day one was not very good because my helmet slipped and I had two fences down. Day two was better with only one down, and today my pony jumped amazing!” Power explained.
"In the last round I was lying second and I knew I had to go clear. [Britain’s] Red [Morgan[ was in the lead but he made a mistake and I won - I can hardly believe it!" said Power who finished tenth individually and was a member of the Irish team that just missed out on bronze at the FEI European Pony Championships at Bishops Burton (GBR) this summer.
Katie Power’s win comes 12 months after another Irish rider, Seamus Hughes Kennedy, claimed the inaugural FEI Pony Jumping Trophy in 2017.
Main Pic: Katie Power and Ghost Rider (Photo: Temps de Poses Photography)
