Every now and then, a young rider and their pony come along and capture our hearts — and Elizabeth and her beloved Connemara gelding, Archie (Tawnagh Lad), have done just that. Fresh off a stunning Championship win at Balmoral, Elizabeth sat down with us to share the highs of victory, her bond with a pony full of quirks, and the behind-the-scenes grooming secrets that keep Archie looking his sparkling best.
From early-morning pre-show scrubbing to galloping across cross-country tracks as part of the Irish Pony Club tetrathlon team, this dynamic duo is proving what hard work, heart, and a lot of hot water and Stainmaster can achieve. Whether you’re a fellow pony club rider, a Working Hunter enthusiast, or simply love a great pony story — you’re going to love getting to know Elizabeth and Archie.

1. Huge congratulations, Elizabeth! How did it feel to win at Balmoral?
Winning Balmoral was one of the best feelings ever, I was shocked and couldn’t believe that I had won, the class win was special but to win the Championship was beyond my wildest dreams. I was absolutely thrilled and so proud of my pony. I enjoyed those laps of honour!
2. Tell us a bit about Tawnagh Lad?
His stable name is Archie. He is a 10 year old grey Connemara gelding, by the stallion Classiebawn Black Jack and out of Bruckless Hester. We bought Archie in November 2022, from the Donworth family in Limerick, they still like to be kept updated on his life and are always supporting Archie and myself. He is a very unique pony with lots of funny quirks – he is literally scared of his own shadow, snorts when being washed and can be VERY difficult to catch! Over the past two and a half years Archie and myself have worked very hard to get to where we are today, he is a very good all-rounder pony, we love competing at pony club tetrathlon. Archie loves cross country and we were lucky enough to go to the UK on Irish pony club tetrathlon teams for the last two years, jumping clear over a tough cross country track both times. We bring Archie and his friend TJ to the beach as much as we can, he loves swimming in the sea and it’s very good for his legs. Louise Lyons is my coach and she has helped bring out the best in both of us over the years. Archie gets a long holiday in winter time and turns into a hairy muck monster !
3. Greys are famous for being hard to keep clean. What’s your routine?
Archie lives out as much as possible, in the summer he wears a fly rug. This keeps the worst of the dirt off him. We use Dreamcoat on him to prevent any rubs from the rug and we feel it also stops dust from sticking to his legs and other exposed areas. Archie is a Connemara so his mane and tail must be kept natural, we use Canter Mane & Tail to help keeping it from breaking under his fly rug.
4. Do you have a special pre-show grooming routine?
Archie’s diet is REDMILLS 12% Competition Cubes, Foran Kentucky Karron Oil and Foran Hoof Aid Powder so his coat is really good all through the season ! If we have an early start for a competition we wash him the night before, otherwise we wash him that morning as he likes to use his poos as pillows! We wash his mane and tail first with Gallop Stain removing shampoo, if he has any grass stains on his legs we use Stainmaster and give them a good scrub. We then wet his body and legs with warm water, use either Gallop Stain Removing Shampoo or Gallop Extra strength shampoo for his body. Archie hates having his head washed so this is always challenging but because the shampoo is so good it happens quickly! We then spray his entire body with Dreamcoat, let him dry and put a clean fly rug on him.
5. What’s the trick to a really white tail?
CDM Gallop stain removing shampoo & hot water! Wet tail with hot water, apply shampoo and leave for a few minutes, then rinse and repeat if necessary. Once rinsed apply Canter Mane & Tail and brush out, we use a tail bag to keep his tail clean when travelling.
6. Working Hunter combines jumping and turnout — how do you prepare for both?
Once we arrive at a show there is very little to do as he normally is clean, however we have a bucket in the jeep with Stainmaster spray and a sponge for any dirt spots that he has managed get on himself travelling. The Dreamcoat really keeps his coat perfect and it’s just a quick brush once tacked up, spray him with Flygard Extra Strength to keep any annoying flies away and polish his feet with Cornucrescine Tea Tree Hoof Oil. Archie is fit so even on hot days rarely sweats on a working hunter day but if he is going cross country he gets quite sweaty, a quick wash down and he is gleaming again. We put Ice Blue Leg Cooler on his legs after he is finished competing.
7. What are your top three must-have products from Carr & Day & Martin?
Oh, that’s a hard one as we love them all !! Gallop stain removing shampoo, Dreamcoat and Stainmaster (and Canter Mane & tail).
8. How do you stay calm on big show days?
On competition days I stay quite calm and don’t really get too nervous – I can’t say the same for Archie, he can get very excited in the warm up arena. I look forward to the challenge of big tracks.
9. Any advice for other young riders doing Working Hunter?
The most important thing to do is to enjoy yourself! If you have your homework done it should all come together. Remember how lucky you are to have a pony to compete and smile!
10. What’s next for you and Archie?
Since Balmoral, we have travelled to the UK for the International pony club tetrathlon. Just last weekend we were lucky enough to qualify for the RDS Connemara performance hunter class. We will do some working hunter, plenty of flatwork lessons with Louise and cross country in preparation for this. After the RDS we have the Irish pony club tetrathlon championship to look forward as well.

As Elizabeth and Archie look ahead to exciting events like the RDS Connemara Performance Hunter class and the Irish Pony Club Tetrathlon Championships, their journey is a true testament to dedication, partnership, and passion for the sport. With a strong support team, a brilliant coach, and a pony full of character, there’s no doubt this pair will continue to turn heads in and out of the ring. We’ll be cheering them on every step of the way — and we can’t wait to see then at Dublin Horse Show this year!