THE Louise Lyons-produced and ridden MJM Laszlo wrote himself into the history books last Sunday night when he became the first back-to-back winner of the Northern Ireland Festival working hunter horse supreme championship.

Paulette Cooper’s hugely successful Classic Vision gelding, who progressed to the evening’s finale when winning the festival metre final, enjoyed further success on Sunday when landing the Horse Of The Year Show working hunter qualifier.

There he topped the line-up ahead of the eight-year-old roan Loch Cruise mare, EMS Richeals Pet, who was ridden by her owner, Emily McGowan, and another well-known exhibit in HL Marley And Me.

The latter, an eight-year-old Kings Master gelding, was ridden here by his owner/breeder Laura Kelly but was partnered by Sarah Ponsonby when second in the Classical ladies’ side-saddle qualifier on Friday.

Antonia de Burgh’s versatile owner-ridden Gypsy Cobra Cruis stood reserve to MJM Laszlo in the Festival working hunter championship. The 10-year-old chesnut Cobra gelding also finished second to the supreme in the 1m festival final before going on to win the 1.10m final ahead of Jennifer Byrne and her nine-year-old grey gelding Master Peace and EMS Richeals Pet.

MJM Laszlo, who was bred by Horse Sport Ireland’s chef d’equipe of the Le Lion d’Angers young event horse squad, Janet Murray, is out of the Touchdown mare, Mi Chiamano Mimi.

“I was very pleased with Laszlo on Sunday,” commented Co Kilkenny-based Lyons. “He’s always quite fresh at the start of the season but was very good at Cavan.

“He is already qualified for the Royal International (at Hickstead) and that is one of his main targets for the year along with HOYS. He will be campaigned quietly and will do two or three shows in Britain which are favourites of his owner such as Bramham, Royal Cheshire and Great Yorkshire. I also might do a bit of show jumping with him – he can jump big tracks.”

MJM Laszlo was the only horse Lyons rode at Cavan but she led her children, Nancy (five) and Robin (three and a half) to finish as runners-up in one of the fancy dress competitions – Nancy was also second and third on Muskerry Goldfinger in two lead rein classes – while also helping riders she coaches during the year.

PONY WORKING HUNTER

Among that group are the Marnane girls from Co Tipperary and Lyons was delighted when Rianna Marnane won the NIF supreme working hunter pony championship on Dartans Atom Man, winner of the 153cms Festival final. The reserve supreme was the Oliver Kinnear-ridden chesnut gelding Millcroft Gilgamesh, winner of the 122cms final.

Marnane was following in the footsteps of her sister Amber, winner of the supreme title last year on Danny’s Pride who, like his stable-companion, is owned by the riders’ mother Melanie. Now six, Dartans Atom Man was spotted at a small show at Raheen-Na-Gun two years ago by Lyons who advised the current owner to buy the chesnut gelding.

Lyons and the Marnanes were among the large southern entry for this 15th running of the Northern Ireland Festival. “There was a very small entry from the south when we started the Festival at Necarne, about 10% at most, but that is now up to 60%,” revealed committee member John Irwin.

“We were very concerned about this year’s show when the Brexit talks were going on with issues raised such as blood tests, etc but I’m delighted to say the overall numbers are up again this year (pre-entries were at a record level) no doubt due to the fact that there are a lot of qualifiers down south these days, while the festival’s reputation was boosted by results at HOYS and Olympia last year.”

Not everything went as planned. “When we arrived in here (Cavan Equestrian Centre) on Thursday, everything looked fantastic including the grass arenas,” continued Irwin. “Unfortunately, the rain on Friday night was unreal so we had to stop jumping on the grass and then had to move different sections throughout Saturday and Sunday.”

Among those helping the committee with these manoeuvres was a large group of students from the Enniskillen Campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).

Their now annual attendance at the festival was acknowledged in his welcome in the catalogue by chairman Paul Smith who also referred to the on-site stables being sold out in December but some being sold on by individuals prior to the show.

“We as a committee will be liaising with the equestrian centre to make the booking of stables fairer for competitors in the future,” he wrote.