AT Ballyrafter, Lismore, last Sunday, St. Mary’s High School, Midleton repeated their victory of last year in the Inter Secondary Schools Team Championship with a brilliant performance from all four team members: Sarah Rohan, Orla Fleming, Aoife Bernard and Chloe Joyce.

In the jump-off, their two representatives, Sarah Rohan and Orla Fleming, had the fastest times of the competition when both performed brilliantly. St. Mary’s then not only took home the team championship trophy but recorded a fantastic double victory on the day when Chloe Joyce won the Individual Championship Trophy with another top-class performance.

The team event was entertaining right from the start when five teams jumped clear and two were just on four faults. Then, after the second round, four teams went through to a brilliant jump-off where all eight riders put in amazing rounds against the clock without touching a pole.

The novice team of boys from C.B.S. High School in Clonmel - Conor Walsh, David Broderick, Yousef Sallen and Cathal Ryan - jumped first and set the target of 74.50 with clears from Conor Walsh and Yousef Sallen. Pobalscoil na Trionoide, Youghal, were drawn next with their team of Emma-Jane Harte, Sean Flavin, Hazel Harte and Melissa Joyce bringing them into the jump-off where they nominated Hazel and Melissa to jump against the clock. Their combined time of 69.72 put them ahead with superb fast clears from both Hazel and Melissa.

The joint team from St. Augustine’s College, Dungarvan and Blackwater Community School, Lismore brothers Shane and Mark Moloney, Hugo Harty and Tony O’Donohue knew they had a strong challenge to face and it was Mark and Tony who took on the clock. Mark jumped first and rode a super round in 34.49 and when Tony shaved another bit off in 33.19, it looked done and dusted with 67.68 storming ahead. The team from St. Mary’s High School, Midleton, defending their crown from last year, were now faced with what looked like an impossible task.

Under extreme pressure, Sarah Rohan went first and put in an absolutely fantastic round, never faltering to fly through the beams in 32.10. This meant a breathing space for Orla, but she didn’t need it, also riding a superb round taking every possible risk to leave no doubt about the winners with 32.27 and the winning time of 64.37. The Ballyrafter Schools trophy was once more returning to St. Mary’s High School, Midleton.

The Individual Championship also turned into a great competition. Chloe Joyce for St. Mary’s High School did not get the best of the draw having to jump first but she set such a target of 35.16 that it proved totally unbeatable and she received the Ballyrafter Individual winning trophy for her school to cap an amazing day for the girls. Hazel Harte for Pobalscoil na Trionoide in Youghal took the runner-up position in 42.13 and Olga Barry Murphy from Scoil Mhuire, Cork, flew round in 44.41 to take third ahead of Kate O’Keeffe from Davis College, Mallow who had 45.29.