The 2015 season is officially in full swing as the first of the TRI Equestrian RDS Pony qualifiers took place at Cavan Equestrian Centre on 2nd May. Show jumping Ireland is delighted to announce that the TRI Equestrian superstores based at Kildare and the Meadows in Northern Ireland have signed up for another three years sponsorship of the RDS Pony qualifiers and finals, the deal valued at €20,000 is a definite indicator of the belief the company have in the talent of the younger athletes Ireland continues to produce.
There was a slight schedule amendment due to the atrocious weather forecast for the day and fortunately the qualifier was held at one of the only venues in Ireland able to offer such a change. To accommodate this the 148 qualifier started at 8.00am with sixty seven combinations trying for a coveted place at the RDS in August. Twenty two produced the required first round clear over the Nigel Jess designed track and went forward to the first jump off from which eight had to battle it out for seven qualifying tickets. Jack Ryan along with Cora Sharkey both filled their quota at the first attempt obviously drawing from the experience they gained on their recent trip to Fontainebleau. Ryan won the class on Helen Carway’s ‘Touch Of Frost v’ when finishing on a zero score in 38.12, he also took runner up spot on his mother Marguerite Ryan’s ‘Sixmilewater Blaze’ 0/0/0 39.50. Third place went to John Carr as he secured his place on Eilis Healy’s ‘Barnaboy Bouncer’ 0/0/0 43.69 with Luke Garrigan and the distinctive ‘Dr Spot’ taking fourth place as they stopped the clock in 43.75. Kayleigh Soden and ‘Castlehill King’ owned by Charlie Soden slotted into fifth with the final of the treble clear rounds her time of 47.23 put her ahead of Sharkey as she took the final two qualifying places on the Jackie Lee owned ‘Bertas Clover’ 0/0/4 40.65 and ‘The Galway Blazer’0/0/4 40.72.
The younger athletes had a later start time of 9.00am but they were the losers to the inclement weather, none the less this was a very exciting class and went right to the wire as eighteen combinations went through to the second jump off from seventy one starters. Nine of these completed on a zero score leaving the clock to decide those who could relax safe in the knowledge that they were RDS bound. Winning this first 128 qualifier was Ashley Dunne as she brought her mother Marjorie Dunnnes ‘Camizon’ home in 32.96 seconds ahead of Louise McEntees ‘Star Spangled Banner’ ridden by John McEntee in 33.78. Darragh Sharkey continued the family’s success as he followed in his sisters footsteps and finished in third aboard his father Joseph Sharkey’s ‘Lisboy Black Magic’ 35.13. Fourth place went to Amy Reape from the Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre as she steered her father Johnathan’s ‘Tullibards Highly Unlikely’ through the beams in 36.06. Just behind was Orla Duffy, previous winner of the final at the RDS, as she slotted into fifth place on ‘Mickybo’ owned by her mother Anita Duffy, this combination is based in the McEntee yard in Dromore and so it was fitting that both of them qualified at the same venue. The final two qualifying places went to two cousins as Ellen Thompson and ‘Ruthstown Speed’ owned by Andrew Thompson stopped the clock in 36.60 for sixth place with Niamh McEvoy and her mother Maeve’s ‘Sparkling Mister Majestic’ securing the final place in 36.78.
Kate Derwin dominated the 138 qualifier as she filled her quota at the first outing when taking the top two places in this division. Six athletes finished with a clean sheet, Derwin and ‘Small Titan’ the fastest of these as they stopped the clock in 37.00 seconds ahead of her other ride ‘Sligo Lux To Queeney’ their time of 37.45 securing two tickets to the RDS for owner Ann Derwin. Third place went to Erin Crawford and two times previous winner ‘Claggan Supreme’, owned by Denise Crawford, this pair finished in 39.97. Crawford who still competes in the 128 division has recently taken over the ride on this pony and has certainly formed quite a partnership. Connaught native Ciaran Nallon and ‘Ballygawley Braveheart’ owned by Sandra Nallon booked their first ticket when finishing in fourth in 47.36 ahead of Leah Stack who rode her mother Gemma’s ‘Amber Leaf’ into fifth place in 43.74 with Charlotte Houston slotting into sixth with the last of the six treble clear rounds, their time of 44.21. Seventh place and fastest of the four faults was Jason Foley and ‘Kiltormer Hero’ owned by Foleys Ponys and clocking up a time of 35.19.
Concluding the action in the pony arena was the 148 6/7 year olds where there were only nine clear first rounds from a field of seventy one. Seven clears were produced in the six year old division and only two in the seven year old section. Four of these jumped a further clear round and all agreed to divide first place as they were happy to have secured their qualifying place. Three of the equal first places were filled by six year olds ‘Coppenagh Oliver Twist’ ridden by Oisin Aylward, ‘Bellegrove Diva’ ridden by Michael Roche, these two combinations already have International recognition as they competed in Fontainebleau in mid- April, and ‘Conazar Limited Edition’ ridden by long time Connaught pony representative Coreen Conway’s grand- daughter Zara Kelly. The only seven year old to produce a treble clear was ‘Who’s Bits & Pieces’ owned by Julie Pratt and ridden by Jodie Giles. Gavin Daly and the grey six year old ‘Revel Diamond’ finished in fifth picking up four faults in 46.97 with Waterford native Shane Moloney taking the final qualifying place on Lorcan Hennessy’s six year old ‘Ballynoe Galway Girl’ 0/4 47.38.
The second RDS pony qualifier takes place at the Co Clare Showgrounds on 16th May where a further twenty seven qualifying places will be up for grabs.