MUNSTER RIDER'S OFF TO FLYING START IN ROME

Denis Lynch (Left) was one of two Irish clears in the first round at the Piazza Di Siena in Rome


The all Munster Ireland team of Denis Lynch, Shane Sweetnam, Kevin Babbington and Billy Twomey have gone off to a great start after round 1 in the Piazza Di Siena in Rome.

Finishing the opening round on a total of 4 faults highlighted by clears from Denis Lynch and Nabab's Son and Billy Twomey on KEC Maximum Joe.  Sweetnam was unlucky to finish with a single pole on the floor with Amaretto D'Arco with Babbington as the discount score.

The team lined out as second to go and any points from Rome are welcome following a disappointing result in the opening leg at La Baule.  Live scoring for the event can be followed on www.horsesportireland.ie

2nd Round Scores
Denis Lynch/Nabab's Son - 4 Faults
Shane Sweetnam/Amaretto D'Arco - 4 Faults
Kevin Babbington/Caracas - 12 Faults
Billy Twomey/KEC Maximum Joe - 8 Faults

The latest episode of ''Jump Off'', the new SJI Online TV production, are now available online.  This the third leg of the ShowjumpingIreland National Grand Prix League held at Kill International. Each leg will be available the following Saturday.

CLICK HERE FOR KILL INTERNATIONAL EPISODE

DUFFY TAKES SUCCESSIVE GRAND PRIX

Due to recent bad weather conditions, Rolestown Show which was scheduled for this weekend was forced to postpone to a later date in the year.  Rolestown’s National Grand Prix, along with some of the original showjumping classes did however continued today (Sunday) in Kill International.

The feature event, the TRI Equestrian sponsored Grand Prix, attracted a large field of 68 riders, speaking after the event Paul Dixon from TRI Equestrian commented, “There was a great standard of jumping here today and it was great to see so many spectators. Kill International ran a great show and Tri Equestrian are delighted to support this excellent Grand Prix Series”.

Taking the honours in this third leg of the National Grand Prix League was Ballina Native Alex Duffy riding; Tiernan Gill’s eight-year old ‘Flogas Ucorado B’.  The pair was the quickest of 5 double clear rounds from an 11 way jump off.  Duffy, who went early in the timed round, proved unbeatable with a double clear in a time of 31.89.
This same combination also took the honours earlier in the week in the 8-year-old and over RDS qualifier at Coilog. Following today’s win, Duffy is top of the leader board on a total of 20 points.  Duffy now heads off to Lisbon where he forms part of the team to compete in the Nations cup next weekend.

Chairman of the Showjumpers Club, Edward Doyle secured the runner-up position on Catherine Doyle’s Flexing, delivering a double clear in a time of 33.08. This full sister to Flexible, the highest ranked Irish Sport Horse was bred in Kildare by the Doyle Family.

Claiming third place today was Neal Fearon on Mary Lou Cassones ‘Cinemax’. Fearon just fractions of Doyle’s mark, crossed the line clear in  33.77.

Continuing his excellent run of form, Conor Drain on-board Liam MC Kee’s Chekane put in a solid performance, leaving all the fences standing in 39.62 to finish in eventual fourth spot in the final line up.

RESULT SHOWJUMPINGIRELAND NATIONAL GRAND PRIX - KILL INTERNATIONAL
1 Alex Duffy on Flogas Ucordo B (Tiernan  Gill) 0/0 31.89
2 Edward Doyle on Flexing (Catherine Doyle) 0/0 33.08
3 Neal Fearon on Cinemax (Mary  Lou Cassone) 0/0 33.77
4 Conor Drain on Chekane (Liam Mckee) 0/0 39.62
5 Glen Leddy on Verdi Van Paemel (Glen And Michael Leddy) 0/0 41.18
6 Gary Quinn on Recuerdame (Mairead Ryan) 0/4 36.21

DUFFY STEALS CAVAN SHOW

Mayo Young Rider Alex Duffy took todays second leg of the ShowjumpingIreland National Grand Prix at Cavan.

Riding Sandra Duffy's Courtown Duffy also became the first leading Young Rider in the Pegus Horse Feeds Young Rider Development League in association with Tiffen Developments along with 14 year old Daniel Coyle. The pair were best of 10 jump off combinations and stopped the clock in 31.70.

Afterwards the winning rider commented; "I'm just back from the Sunshine Tour. The horse is in super form and goes to Lisbon next week for the Nations Cup."

There was further joy for the 19 year old Duffy when he got selected as the Mackey Equestrian rider to go forward for a trianing bursary later in the year.

Knightfield Stud's stable rider Catriona Fallon took second with Knightfield owner Tom Rowland's stallion Caricello in 33.32.

Another of the Young Riders Daniel Coyle took 3rd with his mother Eleanor's Larmelle Gii in 31.14.

David Stone, Managing Director of Pegus Horse Feeds was delighted with the result; "Congradulations to Alex and Daniel. It was a tight jump off but both young men jumped termendiously and are excellent ambassadors to the next generation of top Irish showjumpers that Pegus Horse Feed will continue to support".

The league now moves to next week's Rolestown show on Sunday 24th May. Duffy now joins Barnadown Grand Prix winner Peter Smyth at the top of the table.

RESULT SHOWJUMPINGIRELAND NATIONAL GRAND PRIX 2nd LEG - CAVAN
1 - Alex Duffy on Courtown (Sandra Duffy) 0/0 31.70
2 - Catriona Fallon on Caricello (Knightfield Stud) 0/0 33.32
3 - Daniel Coyle on Larmelle Gii (Eleanor Coyle) 0/0 34.14
4 - Jonathan Corrigan on Usandra (Jonathan Corrigan) 0/0 34.19
5 - Mervyn Clarke on Moneytrain (Mervyn Clarke) 0/0 35.54
6 - Padraic Judge on Hello Spider (Padraic and Nuala Judge) 0/0 45.99

SWAIL WINS BALMORAL INTERNATIONAL GRAND PRIX
 
Reigning ShowjumpingIreland Premier Series Champion Conor Swail took the honours in the 2 star Balmoral International Grand Prix at the Balmoral Showgrounds today.
 
Riding Glen Leddy's ever consistent Stallion Gold Digger the pair got their home season back to a tremendous start after travelling to Portugal earlier in the year.  This was both combinations first win at home in 2009 and with a trip to Lisbon just ahead of their defence of the ShowjumpingIreland Premier Series a perfect warm.
 
''The horse jumped fantastic, he is always very reliable.  The ground here in Balmoral was fantastic and it was pleasure to win at what is my local show'' , a delighted Swail commented.  ''He travels to Lisbon next week and we will be gone for approximately a month before coming back to the Premier Series at Blessington and we will then be gearing towards the Dublin Horse Show.''
 
HSI Guidam Spring Tour Champion Tholm Keane took second with Ronan Tynan's Warrenstown You 2.  Lucy Buchanan has made a big leap this year so far and she follows on from her second place in the Louth County Premier Series to take third today with Cavalier Andy.
 

ShowjumpingIreland are delighted to announce the details of the inaugural All Ireland Inter County Team Championships for The Dundrum Cup.

This initiative is being brought about to give riders the chance to represent their county in both a provincial final and following qualification, in a National Final.  It is also hoped that this will prove a successful grounding for future Nations Cup participants.  Being a team competition, it is hoped that this will invoke support from people who are not familiar with Show Jumping or competitors names. 

Qualification will be based within each region and teams will be made up by the competitors with a Provincial Final in each region and teams will qualify in their home region.  The first of the Provincial Finals will take place at the Ballivor Horse show on June 13th.  Riders will be representing their home county at the Final over a 1.20m track and each rider will don their county colours on Saddle clothes, numnahs or by a flag bearer.

The All Ireland Final, for which the winner’s will lift the Dundrum Cup, will be held at the National Championships which will be held at Coilog in August.  The Championships is also paying homage to one of Ireland’s greatest Equine superstars, Dundrum who was regularly ridden by former Irish Chef D’Equip Tommy Wade.  The man behind this initiative is Wilson Porter, who brought the idea to ShowjumpingIreland with the idea of expanding popularity Show Jumping through the ‘’passion of the parish’’. 

The Provincial Finals will be held at the following shows: Ballivor June 13th, Charleville 28th June, National Balmoral (Date TBC) and Connaught is to be confirmed.

Event organiser Wilson Porter is looking forward to the Leinster final which lies ahead: ‘’It gives a chance for team bonding for those who travel together and the possibility for future Inter County team Challenges.  It will also provide more people with a chance to become a National Champion and also prove as a good grounding for future Nations Cup participants.’’

Some of the big names in Show Jumping have got behind the class including James Kernan whose family is steeped in a Football background, his cousin Joe was the manager of the All Ireland winning Armagh team.  The Crossmaglen native said; ‘’It is a great initiative and there is always a great rivalry between the Northern teams and we will be hoping to beat whoever comes in Armagh’s way.’’

Reigning Premier Series Champion Conor Swail is another who is well used to team competitions.  Not only through representing Ireland at Nations Cup level but also in winning an All Ireland Schools Football medal and also representing Down at Inter County level; ‘’When it is your home county that is involved there is such an element of pride in what you are doing.  You are not only competing for yourself for your whole county and your parish.’’

However, Kernan and Swail are not the only big names to have shown interest in the All Ireland Championships.  Ten times National Grand Prix Champion and Waterford native Francis Connors is looking forward to supporting his home county; ‘’This is a very exciting new development for our sport and I am very much looking forward to showing what Waterford can do.  Up the Deise!’’

FOR THE RULES FOR THE ALL IRELAND INTER COUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS CLICK HERE

SMYTH TAKES NATIONAL GRAND PRIX LEAGUE OPENER

Victory in the well-supported first leg of the SJI National Grand Prix in Barnadown today (Sunday) went to Peter Smyth on board Pat Podmore’s National Speed Champion Hygie Du Golfe, delivering a double clear in a time of 41.46.  A delighted Smyth commented:  “I was thrilled with how the horse went; I got a chance to see some of the other combinations go and I knew I just had to go for it”.

Ten horse-and-rider combinations made it through to the Bloxham sponsored 3,000 euro Grand Prix jump-off, from a start-list of 64.

Taking the runner-up spot was Alexander Butler on Harold McGahern’s Will Wimble delivering a double clear in 43.66. This son of Touchdown has shown great promise in the HSI Guidam, notching up some impressive results, including the final round of the HSI Guidam Spring Tour in Mullingar.

Third place in today's Grand Prix was taken by Kilkenny rider Eddie Moloney on board John Mc Donald’s, Irish bred Chatsworth Dan.  Moloney put in a foot perfect clear stopping the clock in time of 45.02.
Taking fourth place on this occasion was Joan Greene onboard Tim O’ Shea’s 8-year -old Biscaya D'Eversem, clear in 53.25.

Best of the four faulters was recent HSI Guidam Spring tour winner, Tholm Keane.  Keane, who was unlucky to have one pole on the ground with both horses in the jump-off,  slotted into fifth place with Ronan Tynan’s Warrenstown You 2 clocking a time of 41.98 and also sixth place with Tynan’s Warrenstown Well Aware in a time in a time of 45.52.

Barnadown also hosted the opening leg of the Pegus Horse Feeds Young Rider’s Development League in association with Tiffen Developments.  Speaking after the event, David Stone from Pegus Horse feeds commented, ''I was delighted with the standard of jumping today from the young riders, the facilities where great and we are looking forward to the next round at Cavan”.

RESULT SHOWJUMPINGIRELAND NATIONAL GRAND PRIX LEAGUE 1st LEG - BARNADOWN

1st -Peter Smyth on Hygie Du Golfe (Pat Podmore) 0/0 41.46
2nd- Alexander Butler on Will Wimble (Harold McGahern) 0/0 43.66
3rd- Eddie Moloney on Chatsworth Dan (John McDonald) 0/0 45.02
4th - Joan Greene on Biscaya D'Eversem (Tim O'Shea) 0/0 53.25
5th -Tholm Keane on Warrenstown You Two (Ronan Tynan) 0/4 41.98
6th - Tholm Keane on Warrenstown Well Aware (Ronan Tynan) 0/4 45.52

CLARKE TAKES SECOND LEG OF THE PREMIER SERIES AT COILOG

Cavan based Mervyn Clarke on board Pauline Clarke’s Santee took the honours in the second leg of the Premier Series in Coilog Equestrian Centre today (Monday).  This 10 year old son of Lux is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure, having claimed the honours in the Premier Series in National Balmoral last year. A delighted Clarke commented:  “It was a great competition, a quick track; all the good horses and riders were taking part so that made it a difficult one to win”.

One of thirteen combinations through to the jump in today's €12,000 Coilog Premier Series, Clarke saved the best for last leaving all the fences standing in a time of 34.23.

Taking the runners up spot was the former world champion Dermot Lennon on board J.W Rosbotham’s Hallmark Elite. Lennon put in a foot perfect clear stopping the clock in time of 35.34.

Francis Connors who was second in the Premier Series qualifier in Louth on the Irish bred Merlins Magic put in a great effort to leave all the fences standing in a time of 36.22 to finish in eventual fourth.

Coilog Proprietor and Grand Prix sponsor, Chris Byrne was pleased with how the event went, “It was an exciting jump- off with a quality track. It is a nice dry run for the National Showjumping Championships which will be held here in mid August”, he said.

This Premier Series which is supported by the newly formed Showjumping Ireland’s supporters club and Marriott Johnstown house hotel will continue in Mullingar Equestrian centre on the 30th May.
 
RESULT SHOWJUMPINGIRELAND PREMIER SERIES GRAND PRIX – Coilog Equestrian
1. Mervyn Clarke on Pauline Clarke’s, Santee          0/ 0 34.23
2. Dermot Lennon on J. W Rosbotham, Hallmark Elite  0/0 35.34
3. Francis Connors on Highfort Studs, Merlins Magic,   0/0 36.22
4. Eddie Moloney on John McDonalds Chatsworth Dan,   0/0 36.40
5. Alex Duffy, on Edenrock Investments, Tampa  0/0 36.64
6. Richie Moloney on Nicola Flynn's Highlander 0/0 37.14