The CWD Pony Spring Tour began in earnest over the Valentine’s weekend with a back to back start to this season’s league.
Ravensdale Lodge, nestled amidst the woods at the base of the Cooley mountains, hosted the first leg of this year’s tour where the action kicked off at 8.30 sharp with the Children On Horses competition, a new addition to this league. This initiative is a joint venture between the Young Rider and Pony committees as they create an incentive for these young athletes to gain experience at the early part of the year. The Children On Horses class has become very popular in Europe and with a view to the Europeans during the summer months it has got to be beneficial for these athletes aged from their twelfth year up until their fourteenth year to get as much competition as possible. This league is jumped as a handicap class offering the combinations the choice of either competing at 1.10 or 1.20 with points being awarded to all double clears. Four combinations shared first place, they were Jack Ryan scoring a double with ‘Something About Mary’ and ‘ Cavalier Teaca’, Daniel Fitzgerald on ‘ Gucci Lady’ and Jennifer Kuehnle on ‘ Delta De La Bouverie’.
Meanwhile the 128 CWD Spring Tour had a slightly later start time of 9.00am and was held in the indoor arena where forty two started over the John Doyle designed track. Fifty per cent of these went into the jump off where the first leg of the tour went to Tom Wachman on ‘PARC Epic’, this combination leaving everything intact in a time of 27.84. Marginally slower was Natasha Kerr and ‘The Nutcracker’ also on a zero score her time was 28.37, this saw Max Foley on ‘Flying Star’ just a shade slower taking third place and valuable points towards the league final as he broke the beam in 28.89.
Also in the indoor arena was the 138 CWD Spring Tour in which there were forty one starters from which fourteen went into the jump off. Only five combinations remained on a zero score with these getting faster as the jump off continued, Leah Stack and ‘Shaman Sundance’ was the first to set the pace in 35.94 but this was relegated to fourth as Ciaran Nallon and ‘Ballygawley Braveheart’ took the lead in 33.76 only to be dropped to runner up place as fellow Connaught athlete Amy Reape made her debut in the 138 ranks and stopped the clock in 32.22 on ‘Seapatrick Total Eclipse’ to take the win. Jodie Flanagan and ‘Caher Silver’ finished in third in a time of 34.10 with John McEntee and ‘Hubba Bubba’ claiming fifth in 37.67.
The 148 1.20 CWD Spring Tour had a field of seventy four starters to take on the Ray Buchanan course with sixteen progressing into the jump off. The first win of the season in this class went to Olivia Roulston and ‘Ballygawleys Little Ferro’ completing with a double clear, also remaining on a zero score was Michael Pender and ‘Zirina’ as they took second place with third going to Harry Allen and ‘Cassandra Van Het Roelhoff’. This class also awards points towards those wishing to travel to Fontainebleau in April.
Niall and Delores Connolly were very happy with the success of the first leg of the CWD Pony Spring Tour and thanked everyone for their hard work and support.
Sunday morning saw the trucks crossing the border and roll into the Meadows Equestrian Centre where the McCusker family were delighted to welcome everyone from all over Ireland to their leg of the CWD Pony Spring Tour. Rafael Suarez and Aaron McCusker were the designated course designers for the second leg of the tour.
Once again the Children on Horses class started sharp at 8.30 with eleven starters, seven of these partnerships shared first place and valuable league points. Isabel Fitzpatrick ‘Ulster’, Katie Conlon ‘Tullymore’, Daniel Fitzgerald ‘Gucci Lady’, Theo Van Cauwenberghe ‘Quantum Quest’, Emma McEntee ‘Miss Tonic’, Jennifer Kuehnle ‘Delta De La Bouverie’ and Jack Ryan ‘Cavalier Teaca’.
This was followed by the first of the 148 1.30 Fontainebleau qualification classes where there were two clear first rounds out of thirty four starters, the fastest of theses in the jump off was Michael J Pender and Zirina 0/0 with Abbie Sweetnam picking up four faults in a time of 56.47 to take second on ‘Spartacus Reape’. Eleven combinations picked up four faults in the first round showing once again that Tom Slattery, Chef D’Equipe and Team Coach for HSI will have a strong hand going towards the Pony Europeans this year.
Fifty seven started in the 148 1.20 class providing fifteen clear first rounds and nine on double clears. The fastest of these was Hannah O’Shea and ‘Cinderella Girl’ making the long trek from Cork worthwhile as the stopped the clock in 38.96 to take maximum points in the second leg of the league. Only marginally slower was local girl Charlotte Houston on ‘Blessington Grange Mist’ 39.64, with Michael J Pender and ‘Culban Mistress’ taking third place. Fourth, fifth and sixth stayed in the Ulster region as Michael Roche ‘Shravgh Boy’ 41.31, Abby Morton ‘Tynan Bo Bo Bear’ 41.60 and Carl Webb ‘Future Lady’ 42.26 completed the line up.
Arena two hosted the smaller ponies with the 128 CWD Pony Spring Tour starting sharp at 9.00 am with forty one competitors. As the standard is so high in this category twenty six of these young athletes went through to the jump off where fifteen completed on a zero score leaving the clock to decide the placings. Max Foley was the winner earning maximum league points on ‘Sparkel’ when stopping the clock in 32.28 just ahead of Ashley Dunne and ‘ Wingland Heloise’ in 32.43. Caoimhe Walsh and ‘Dooneens Mystical Star’ finished in third in a time of 33.55. Fourth went to Natasha Kerr and ‘The Nutcracker’ 34.22 as they added more points to their score, fifth went to Alex Finney ‘Some Journey’ 34.53 and sixth to Tom Wachman and ‘PARC Epic’ as they also added to the points earned at Ravensdale.
Thirty five went to post in the 138 CWD Pony Spring Tour with fifteen going into the jump off where Jack Ryan and ‘My Little Lady’ broke the beam in 35.79 to take the win ahead of Max Foley and ‘Bear Me In Mind’ 37.22. Max, who finished as the Und 10 National Champion in 2014, filled in admirably for his older brother Jason who is still recovering from a broken knee, picked up after being kicked whilst out hunting. Max is keeping the pony going for Jason who will be another six weeks in recovery. Third place went to Sean Foley and ‘K.C. Lady’ in a time of 37.83, fourth to Aidan Kavanagh ‘Ballinamurra Lightening Fire’ 38.65 and fifth and sixth to Leah Stack as she moves into the 138 ranks with ease. Her mounts were ‘Amber Leaf’ 38.84 and ‘Shaman Sundance’ 39.05.
As the light fell the organisers were delighted to see that everything had run so smoothly with as many having jumped within the daylight restrictions.
Reece St John of CWD was on hand throughout the weekend to present rugs, rosettes and sweatshirts to the victorious athletes, he was delighted with the standard of jumping, the professionalism of the riders and the Spring Tour in general and looks forward to a great working relationship with Showjumping Ireland through this sponsorship.
The action moves to Maryville on 28th February 2015.