O'NEILL TAKES WIN AS SMYTH TAKES LEAD
The 50th annual Blessington Horse Show yet again delivered a memorable Grand Prix as the fifth leg of the TRM/ShowjumpingIreland Premier Series.
With €12,000 on offer from Fontstown Stud in Athy County Kildare, the competition that followed was possibly one of the most competitve of the season yet.
Pathfinder Peter Smyth set a strong standard with The Windmill Master and that proved good enough for him to move ahead at the top of the Leaderboard.
However it was the thrilling display of Ger O'Neill with the 8 year old Stallion Cassidee that proved unbeatable. They showed a strong turn of foot to the final fence to break the beam in 40.44 to take their first Premier Series win together. O'Neill previously won the Premier Series at Ballina. Today's win moves Cassidee to be the leading horse of the Series.
Edward Doyle took third with homebred stallion Samgemjee while Peter Smyth also taking fourth with Corrib House. National Champion Eddie Moloney took fifth with the fastest time in the jump off with a fence on the floor.
The next leg of the TRM/ShowjumpingIreland Premier Series takes place at the Cork Summer Show next weekend.
TRM/SJI Premier Series 5th leg - Blessington Show Result
€12,000 kindly sponsored by Fontstown Stud, Athy
1. Ger O'Neill/Cassidee 0/0 40.44
2. Peter Smyth/The Windmill Master 0/0 40.70
3. Edward Doyle/Samgemjee 0/0 40.92
4. Peter Smyth/Corrib House 0/0 44.90
5. Eddie Moloney/Macushla R 0/4 39.64
6. David Blake/Camiro De Haar Z 0/4 48.18
7. Francis Connors/Dansson 0/8 42.33
8. Gabriel Tunney/Ace High Mike 0/8 48.81
9. Greg Broderick/Ballypatrick Mystique 0/12 43.94
10. Francis Connors/Heracross 0/19 63.12
36 starters. 10 through to jump off.