KILRONAN hosted the second leg of the White’s Agri North East Region autumn dressage league at the Cheval Riding Club grounds in Jordanstown last Sunday, when, on a lovely autumnal day, judge Lucinda Webb decided on nine winners over eight hours. She scribed for herself and even managed to include some encouraging comments.

There were repeat victories in three of the classes but not in the two-runner Advanced Open. Here, the week one result was turned on its head with the win going to Copperfield secretary, Jane Whitaker, and Coppermine Belladonna. The 12-year-old Loughehoe Guy mare was home-bred by the rider’s husband, Kevin McGuinness, out of Bahrain Dancer (by Crosstown Dancer).

Only two started in Sunday’s Open where there was a repeat success for Lindsey Ilona Brady, chair of Castle Hill, and her 16-year-old bay gelding Trigger Joe. Her sole rival, Ashbrook’s Lisa O’Brien, again went on to win the Sportsmans B unopposed on her 10-year-old Emperor Augustus gelding, Wilderwood Chilled Porter.

Another combination to bring up a series double was Mairead Dolan and her ex-racehorse Chubi Chekker. The Ashbrook member and her seven-year-old Clodovil gelding topped the scores in the Walk/Trot test, having earlier finished third (64.77) in the Sportsmans A.

There, the Ard Lú chair, Megan Bradshaw, moved up a place into first on Rockmarshall Diamond Oscar (70.91%), tracked through by club treasurer, Grainne Bennett, with Cloneenagh Jacko (70). The winning 11-year-old Grandpas Diamond gelding was bred in Co Galway by Martin Shaughnessy out of the unraced Ballinamore Lady (by Supreme Leader). Bradshaw won the Intermediate class the previous weekend but, on Sunday, had to settle for second (70.68%) behind Mags Brannigan and the 15-year-old chesnut gelding Out Of The Blue (70.91) on whom both she and Helen Clarke have represented Ashbrook with distinction over the years.

There was, however, a second win for Ard Lú in the well-filled Advanced Primary division thanks to Briege Farrelly and her nine-year-old Connemara, Rathcline Hazy Match. This Moonlight Silver Shadow dun is out of the Frederiksminde Hazy Match mare Princess Pearl. The Killossery club hit the scoreboard in the Advanced Intermediate section though Aoife Maguire and the home-bred Pharos Hazy Cove. A seven-year-old by the Connemara Drimcong Cove, the winner is out of the Darnay mare Pharos Dream who pulled up in two point-to-points.

It’s not so common to see riders sharing a mount and far less so to see them vying for first place but this was the scenario in Sunday’s Primary class. Webb’s winner on 67.29% was Gerrard O’Gorman while his sister, and fellow Mullaghmore clubmate, Lisa, was second on a score of 67.8. Both partnered the 10-year-old traditionally-bred grey mare Carrenrush Liberty Belle purchased three years ago and credited with getting veterinary surgeon Lisa back riding following eight years’ absence after a car accident. Gerrard, an executive with Toyota Ireland, started riding this year.

Carrenrush Liberty Belle, who was bred in Kilkenny by Tania Heffernan, is by Irish Draught stallion KEC Bluejay Diamond out of the unraced Spectrum mare Leapstown Lady, a half-sister to three winners.