The recent National Pony and Young Rider National Championship took centre stage at the Ennis Showgrounds and once again was kindly supported by Dubai Duty Free.
The Young Rider Section of the National Pony & Young Rider Championships was very well supported across the four days of competition with the first big finals taking centre stage on Saturday with the two National Development Championship Finals.
Run at heights on 1.10m and 1.20m with Qualified combinations from around the country over the last couple of months, both competitions not only had €1,500 prize money, but the winners would also receive a Bursary to one of 11 American based Irish Riders for two weeks. The leading Children on Horses Rider would also receive a Bursary for a week’s training with the Army Equitation School in McKee Baracks.
The 1.10m National Development Final saw 25 combinations face the judges over Killian Clarke’s track with a further 9 making it through to the second round.
Mayo’s Cormac Hanley brought two horses forward to the Jump Off with R.N.H. National Natal and Captain Carusette and courtesy of Mary Ellen Rice’s R.N.H. National Natal, Hanley set a time that wasn’t beaten when stopping the clock in 36.78. Hanley also took sixth place with Captain Carusette with a pole on the floor in the second round in 37.50.
Raphael Lee managed to steer Ballinvalley Touch to slightly fast time of 36.20 however, the pair incurred four faults along the way and had to settle for fifth place.
Cork’s Jennifer Rea got closest to Hanley riding Caroline Gibson’s Breacht Van De Romstee with two foot perfect rounds in 37.24 to slot into second place. Lisa Marie Dolly took third with Newgrange Lady in a time of 42.12 while Lisa Hitchmough was the last of the four double clear rounds with Cailin Leathsli in 45.14.
The 1.20m National Development Championship Final proved just as competitive with another 25 combinations taking on the course and with seven horses and riders making it to the second round and just two double clear rounds.
Cormac Hanley came very close to a memorable double of wins in the two Championship Finals with Lux Nice however, a pole on the ground in a time of 39.79 kept them in fourth place.
Elaine Fahy was slightly quicker than Hanley with Clashnacree, also having a fence down, as they stopped the clock in 39.17 to take third.
Jessica Kuehnle was one that managed to keep a clean sheet with Best Lady however, she had left a lot of room for those coming behind her as she recorded a time of 48.68.
Philip McGuane had the advantage of being last to go in the class and could see that all he had to do was keep all the fences intact in a slightly quicker time than Kuehnle’s. Riding Conterno 9 for Barry O’Connor, McGuane did exactly what he had to do and broke the beam at 41.12 to take the win.
Sunday’s highlight was the conclusion of the National Young Rider Championship with the 1.30m(S) Final as the finale of the Show.
Tom Foley held the lead in the standings having won the opening class with Paddy Fly and was then eighth the second day and he held a slender advantage over Michael Duffy. The Clare rider made absolutely no mistake in Sunday’s Championship Final, once again with Paddy Fly.
Although there were just 20 starters in the Final, this was an exceptionally competitive class with nine of the combinations making it into the second round.
Foley had the advantage of going last in the second round and had been shown a good line through Jessica Burke and Vitesse who went just ahead of him recording a time of 46.87, the quickest time of the class at that stage.
Last to go, Foley had to keep all the fences standing as Michael Duffy was currently lying in second place with Eminent and nothing less than a win would do. Taking a similar line to Burke, Foley crossed the line clear in a time of 46.27 to take the win and the Championship and with it, he collected a Tack Box courtesy of Top Jock Tack Lockers.
In the earlier Finals, the day opened with a big win for Emma Walsh in the 1 Metre Championship. Riding Catalina, Walsh was the only double clear of the seven combinations that made it through to the Jump off. She finished just ahead of Lucy Mulligan and Great Spirit who was the fastest of those on four faults in the jump off in a time of 26.46, 10 seconds ahead of Emma Murphy and LVS Cruisante in third.
The 1.10m Final was a far more competitive class with 25 combinations making it into the jump off as Kevin McCabe and Carramore Oasis came out on top in thrilling Jump off. McCabe finished just under two seconds ahead of Jordan Kilenny and Lakeview Cancun Diamond having recorded a time of 39.53 with recent RDS winner, Kevin Gallagher and Quito De Millie taking third.
In the other Final on the day, the 1.20m Championship, Molly O’Shea completed a memorable one-two in the class with Monastery Stud Ninja and Loketta.
Of the 34 starters, seven combinations made the jump off but only O’Shea completed both rounds with no faults to take first and second just ahead of Cliona Costello and Annestown Clover Concorde.