THERE was such a huge entry for the rescheduled Mackey Equestrian Irish Pony Club national hunter trials at Hillcrest Equestrian, that it was decided to run the event over two days last weekend.
“We just had to do it, as we had 620 entries,” said the IPC’s Head of Eventing, Ivan Hatton. “True, there were some withdrawals for a variety of reasons including, since the children had returned to school, football injuries and clashing football matches! All being well, the championships will take place at their usual date in April next year.
“While I would like to thank everyone involved in running the championships, two people stand out for special mention. These were our host and track builder, Rodney O’Donnell, and our chief steward, Pat Coleman.” Next weekend, Hatton will be taking it a little easier, as an owner at the international event in Ballindenisk, where Elizabeth Power has entered their Irish Sport Horse gelding Balladeer Clintender in the CCI3*-S.
Having had a taste of being commentator at last month’s national eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland, Peter Roe, District Commissioner of the Laois Branch and General Manager of Fairyhouse racecourse, took to the microphone again on Saturday morning. He then gave way to Mel Purcell, who finished off the first day’s action and commentated right through Sunday.
Representing the Scarteen Branch, Mel’s son Ruairi saw off his sole opponent to win the championships’ hunting horn competition, so the Major Victor McCalmont trophy will once again reside in the family’s Farran House Stud, having been won previously by Ruairi’s older brother Jonty.
The Clare Falcons’ trio of Jack Hanrahan (Bonmahon Queen Clover), Grace Murphy (Glencairn Scully) and Aine Lane (Jackson’s Golden Dusk) ran out the narrow winners of the Senior teams of three championship, picking up five penalties in 5.23 minutes.
Two of last year’s representatives, Cora Finn and Molly Hennessy Murphy now joined by Heather Costello, tried hard to retain the title for the Wexford Branch but, also with five penalties, they were narrowly beaten into second in 5.27. A member of both teams lowered fence 18, one of two knockables on the track.
Two Branches recorded clears in the Senior pairs’ championship, where the honours were comfortably claimed in 4.55 minutes by Westmeath’s Kevin Healy (Kilbunny Kabana) and Orlagh O’Brien (Ardagh Dun N Dusted), while Kildare twins, Ellie and Katie Dillon, had to settle for second in 5.32.
Healy double
Healy doubled up when landing the Senior singles title on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Kilbunny Kabana, an 11-year-old chesnut son of Kannan, who he also competes under Show Jumping Ireland rules. The Westmeath combination recorded the fastest (4.29) of six clear rounds under five minutes.
There were seven clear rounds in the 15-strong Intro Intermediate pairs’ championship, with easily the fastest of these being recorded in 4.11 minutes by the Clare Robins’ duo of the Carey sisters Nina (Monbeg Navajo) and Lily (Straboe Ella). Eabha Trant, who won last year with Jessica Fuller, made a brave bid to hold on to the title for The Kingdom Branch but, alongside new partner Eimear Ambrose, had to settle for second (4.23).
Clear in 3.58 minutes and 4.03 respectively, Nina and Lily finished second and third in the singles’ championship, where the fastest of 23 clear rounds in the 41-runner championship was posted by Killinick’s Rebecca Colfer riding the 11-year-old bay mare Kestrel’s Jenny Wren (3.50).
Molly Jean Clarke of North Kilkenny PC, winner of the Under 12s Individual class with Cloonross at the IPC national hunter trials at Hillcrest Equestrian \ Shane McGreevy/www.meldoyle.ie
Juniors
The honours were more widely-spread at Junior level. In the teams of three championship, where five of the seven trios went clear, the winning time of 4.24 minutes was recorded by Wexford Woman, comprising Hannah Hennessy Murphy (Coppenagh Commt), Sarah Finn (Srúthan Prince) and Dierbhile O’Dwyer (The Six Miler).
The Kingdom Branch retained the Junior pairs’ title thanks to the efforts of Aaron Hunt (Clounvane Sara) and Billy Moriarty (General Major). Here, 15 of the 41 pairs who lined out went clear but, in 3.52, the winners were the only ones to do so in under four minutes.
The Killinicks’ Joe Ryan has had a very successful season with Ollie, on whom he not only won the Junior singles’ title at Hillcrest on Sunday, but also the Treo Eile-sponsored prize for the highest-placed thoroughbred.
It has been a busy time for Ryan and the eight-year-old Ocovango gelding who, following the IPC’s national eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland, joined forces with fellow Killinick member Grace Day to win the novice pairs’ competition at the Wexford hunter trials on Sunday, September 8th. Ryan purchased the unraced bay two and a half years ago from neighbour, Emily Roche. Earlier this season, they won a Treo Eile prize in inter-schools’ show jumping.
Both Under 12s competitions were run under the optimum time ruling (4m 57secs) and two pairings finished on 5.01 mins to share the honours in the pairs’ championship. These were the Duhallow Dolls (Olivia Roche (Clonmoyle Tiger) and Siun Fleming (Big Beauty)) and the Wexford Whizz Kidds (Luca Kinsella (Broomhill Bailey) and Kitty d’Alton (Killiskey Magic)).
In a fine piece of timing, which saw her finish just one second under the optimum, North Kilkenny’s Molly Jean Clarke saw off 90 rivals to claim the singles’ championship on the Connemara gelding Cloonross, a 17-year-old grey by Gloves Bobby.