SMYTH AND CONNORS DOMINATE CHARLEVILLE GRAND PRIX

Francis Connors and Peter Smyth made the most of their trip to Charleville for the 10th leg of the TRM National Grand Prix League where they took five of the top six places.

Although a small field presented for the Grand Prix, a competitive and tactical affair ensued with just three combinations making it through to the jump off. 

Seamus Hayes was the only other rider to make the top six with Twister and although he recorded four faults in the Jump Off it was good enough for the pair to take second on the day.

It was Francis Connors however, who made the headlines with two horses through to the jump off.  On the first of his, Karen MacEnearney's Dansson, Connors recorded a time of 45.51 with a single fence on the floor.  This proved to be good enough for the win as the Waterford man's other jump off horse, Lundy Lad completed with a total of six faults in a time of 51.16.

Peter Smyth took fourth with the fastest four faulter in the first round on Mary Barron's Hermione Iv while he steered Corrib House into sixth also with a fence on the floor.

Francis Connors took fifth with the grey Cruising mare Westwinds Cirracruise with a pole down also.

The next leg of the TRM National Grand Prix League will take place at Bannow and Rathangan on Thursday 14th July.

TRM National GP Charleville - Result.
1 Francis Connors/Dansson 0/4 45.51.
2 Seamus Hayes/Twister 0/4 48.51.
3 Francis Connors/Lundy Lad. 0/6 51.16.
4 Peter Smyth/Hermione Iv 4/- 79.64.
5 Francis Connors/Westwinds Cirracruise 4/- 80.48.
6 Peter Smyth/Corrib House 4/- 82.64

CLARKE MOVES CLEAR AT THE HEAD OF TRM NATIONAL GP LEAGUE

Cavan Equestrian Centre's Mervyn Clarke moved further clear at the top of the TRM National Grand Prix League when notching up his third win in the league so far this year at the West Clare Show on Saturday.

In the €6,000 class sponsored by the Kilrush Credit Union, Clarke steered his own Money Train to victory in the seven horse jump off.

Having won already this year at his home base with KEC Lightening Strikes and in Ballivor with The Big Boy, Clarke remains in pole position at the halfway stage in the league.  He also picked some notable placed efforts at Kill on today's winner and with KEC Lightening Strikes at Ravensdale.  Although not recording the quickest time of the day in 38.45, Clarke steered Money Train to a vital double clear to take the victory with five legs remaining.

Stephen Egan put his first points on the board with Kieran Rowley's chestnut Stallion, Le Crunch providing the crowds with the only other double clear round of the competition.

Having recorded his first senior win in Galway County, Young Rider Michael Duffy almost followed up on that victory when recording the fastest time in the jump off with his mother Kathryn's Killard Horizon.  Although with a fence on the floor, Duffy's time of 34.07 was good enough to grant them third place.  In doing so they also picked up the prize as the Pegus Horse Feeds Leading Young Rider.

TRM National Grand Prix - Result.  West Clare.
€6,000 kindly sponsored by Kilrush Credit Union
1 Mervyn Clarke/Money Train  0/0 38.45.
2 Stephen Egan/Le Crunch.0/0 42.01.
3 Michael Duffy (YR)/Killard Horizon 0/4 34.07.
4 Francis Connors/Lundy Lad 0/4 35.55.
5 Peter Smyth/Willem 0/4 39.31.
6 Anne Marie Fitzpatrick/Finders Keepers 0/4 39.99.

Pegus Horse Feeds Leading Young Rider - Michael Duffy.

MICHAEL DUFFY TAKES 1 - 2 AT GALWAY COUNTY

Young Rider Michael Duffy took a memorable 1 - 2 through the muddy conditions at Galway County on Sunday which formed the eighth leg of the TRM National Grand Prix League.

With €3,000 kindly on offer from Supermacs, Michael Duffy proved the one to catch as he claimed his first senior Grand Prix win.

The local Young Rider steered three horses to be part of the 8 horse jump off from the reduced start list of 22 and with his mother Kathryn's Killard Horizon, he fared out best of all.  Although jumping a double clear on all three horses, Duffy recorded a time of 41.74 on Killard Horizon that could not be beaten.  In taking the win, Duffy also claimed the Pegus Horse Feeds Leading Young Rider Prize.  He then steered Ali G into second in a time of 43.44 and Carthago Z into fifth with a time of 50.39.

Peter Smyth slotted into third with Willem in a time of 44.38.  Having led in the early stages of the TRM/SJI Premier Series, Smyth will be hoping to close in on the TRM National Grand Prix League winner, Mervyn Clarke following this placed effort with Mary Barron's 8 year old gelding.

Martin Hynes was another rider to take two top 6 finishes, taking fourth with Gamble On Diamond, breaking the beam in 48.91 while his other mount Galway Brigade also jumped clear in 52.63 to take sixth place.

Mervyn Clarke remains at the top of the leaderboard ahead of next weekend's double header at West Clare on Saturday and Charleville on Sunday.

TRM National Grand Prix League - Galway County Result.
€3,000 kindly sponsored by Supermacs

1 Killard Horizon/Michael Duffy, 0/0 41.74;
2 Ali G/Michael Duffy, 0/0 43.44;
3 Willem/Peter Smyth 0/0 44.38;
4 Gamble On Diamond/Martin Hynes, 0/0 48.91;
5 Carthago Z/Michael Duffy 0/0 50.39;
6 Galway Brigade/Martin Hynes, 0/0 52.63.

(22 starters. 8 through to jump-off.)
Pegus Horse Feeds Leading Young Rider - Michael Duffy (Killard Horizon)

CLARKE EXTENDS HIS LEAD FOLLOWING WIN AT BALLIVOR

TRM National Grand Prix League Leader Mervyn Clarke extended his lead at the head of affairs with a win at the 42nd Ballivor Horse Show.

The main event of the two day horse show, the €6,000 Grand Prix was kindly sponsored by the Ballivor Horse Show and attracted a very strong field of 31 starters.

Having won earlier in the year at Cavan, Clarke then moved clear with a runner up at Kill which was followed by a third place at Ravensdale.  This time riding his own, The Big Boy, Clarke edged himself ahead of Clem McMahon.  Clarke's double clear in 37.13 proved to be good enough to take the class.  Clarke also sixth with previous Cavan Grand Prix winner KEC Lightening Strikes.

McMahon has had a frustrating time of late, having recorded the fastest time in jump off at Cavan and Kill but took the final fence, however, he made no mistake this time with Valentino stopping the clock in 37.28 and was just pipped at the post.

Peter Smyth slotted into third place with Mary Barron's Hermione Iv with another double clear.  The pair, who were winners of the 7 & 8 Year Old International Final at the RDS last year, broke the beam in 39.54 to take third.

Dublin based rider Darryl Walker steered Rebecca Doherty's Alfurist into fourth to put his first points on the board. They finished just ahead of the 2010 Ballivor Grand Prix winners, Hello Spider and Padraic Judge who were the final pair to record a double clear.

Local rider Gerard Clarke took the Pegus Horse Feeds Young Rider Prize as he finished eighth just nudging Michael Hutchinson away from the winners rug.

The TRM National Grand Prix League continues next weekend at the Galway County Show.

TRM National Grand Prix -  Ballivor
€6,000 kindly sponsored by Ballivor Horse Show

1. The Big Boy/Mervyn Clarke 0/0 37.13
2. Valentino/Clem McMahon 0/0 37.28
3 Hermione IV/Peter Smyth 0/0 39.54
4 Alfurist/Darryl Walker 0/0 40.12
5 Hello Spider/Padraic Judge 0/0 44.51
6 Kec Lightening Strikes Mervyn Clarke 0/4 39.70.

31 starters. 8 to jump off.

Pegus Horse Feeds Leading Young rider - Gerard Clarke (8th)

CAPT. DAVID O'BRIEN TAKES PREMIER SERIES GRAND PRIX WITH ANNESTOWN AT MULLINGAR

Captain David O'Brien steered the Minister for Defences Annestown to victory in the third round of the TRM/ShowjumpingIreland Premier Series at the Mullingar International Horse Show.

Having been part of the recent Nations Cup winning side at Copenhagen, Captain O'Brien was the fastest of 9 combinations through to the jump off from the 36 that started out the class with €20,000 on offer from the Mullingar International Show.

With just two combinations recording a double clear the Army Equitation School rider moved to the head of the leader board when he broke the beam in 45.72 to give the pair their first win in the Premier Series.

Kildare rider Edward Doyle slotted his home bred Ramiro B stallion Samgemjee into second with only other double clear and a time of 47.50. This stallion is a half brother to famous Flexible and Flexing and appears to be going in the right direction to follow in their footsteps.

Young Riders have been making a lot high profile results of late with many taking top 6 finishes in the TRM National Grand Prix League. Robert Harrison, today brought Team Harmony Chelto Z to fill third place as the fastest four faults in the jump off. The pair also took 3rd in the TRM National Grand Prix at Kill recently.

Anne Marie Fitzpatrick was the highest placed lady rider last year in the TRM National Grand Prix League and she put her first points on the board with 4th place on her husband Harry's Finders Keepers 2.

Trevor Breen and Adventure De Kannan took 5th with two poles on the floor in the jump off just ahead of TRM National Grand Prix League Leader Mervyn Clarke and The Big Boy who took 6th.

The TRM/SJI Premier Series takes a short break now before the next legs at Omagh and Blessington on July 2nd and 3rd.

Result TRM/SJI Premier Series Grand Prix Mullingar International CSI 2*
€20,000 kindly sponsored by Mullingar International Show
1st Annestown/Capt. David o'Brien 0/0 45.72
2nd Samgemjee/Edward Doyle 0/0 47.50
3rd Team Harmony Chelto Z/Robert Harrison 0/4 44.48
4th Finders Keepers2/Anne Marie Fitzpatrick 0/4 49.46
5th Adventure De Kannan/Trevor Breen 0/8 43.08.
6th The Big Boy/Mervyn Clarke 0/8  44.33.

36 starters. 9 into the jump off

LEADING PREMIER SERIES RIDERS WILL AGAIN BE PART OF THE RDS

The strength of the TRM/ShowjumpingIreland Premier Series has again been proven for 2011 with the top three riders in the Series after Tattersalls being granted places as International Riders at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.