THE North East Region of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs made slight changes this year to their annual spring show jumping league, which concluded last Saturday at the Kernan Equestrian Centre, Crossmaglen.

Moderately rebranded as the NER Jump 4 Joy League, the series comprised six qualifying shows over the first three weekends of February – basically one on Saturday in the south of the region and one on Sunday in the north. Riders had to compete at two shows to qualify for the final, which was a standalone event.

Saturday’s show, which attracted 98 entries, was hosted by the Ard Lu, Border Counties, Castle Leslie and Mullaghmore clubs, who donated any profit made to charity. Riders warmed-up outside, while the 10 classes (which included two non-league clear round competitions), were run indoors over tracks designed and built by James Kernan.

The day’s judge was Ann Friel, who had her work cut-out to discover who jumped clear and finished closest to the optimum time for the first five of the finals (RC60 to RC80), but found things a little easier in the RC90 and RC100 classes, which were against the clock.

The only double clear at the higher levels was recorded in the RC100 by Border Counties’ Kerry McTeggart, who managed the feat on her Dutch Warmblood gelding Cassai-RG. This 17-year-old chesnut gelding by Silverstone is out of the Amethist mare Laranka, a half-sister to the 1.60m performer Hascal (by Wisconsin).

Consolation

This win was some consolation for McTeggart, who earlier had finished second on Fancy Pants (4/0, 50.72) and third on Beauty (4/0, 52.77) in the RC90 Open final. This was won by Castle Leslie secretary, Dawn Clerkin riding her home-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Maxinamillion (0/4, 66.24) who she also competes under Showjumping Ireland rules. The seven-year-old S Creevagh Ferro bay is out of the Sea Captain mare The Sailor’s Girl, who Clerkin evented up to EI110 (Amateur) level.

Castle Leslie also struck in the preceding RC90 final through Meredith Jackson, who was clear in 38.57 on board the ISH gelding Rockrimmon Buddy. As his name would suggest, this nine-year-old Rockrimmon Senator bay was bred in Co Down by Roy Shields, out of an unraced thoroughbred mare by Shernazar. Fingal’s Luke McAvinue finished second (0, 39.97) with his 22-year-old ISH gelding Tullaherin Bouverie.

Third here, Castle Hill’s Rebecca Matthews and her eight-year-old skewbald Connemara-cross mare Benvarden Dakota finished closest to the optimum time in the RC80 Open. In the RC80 final, the honours went to Drynam’s Aisling Owens riding her ISH mare Dicksons Rose. This 11-year-old daughter of Hold Up Premier was bred in Co Antrim by Patricia McAuley out of BKL Rebecca (by Porsch).

Comfortable victory

Two well-known names on the NER circuit came to the fore at RC70 level. In the Open, it was Ashbrook chair Mags Brannigan, who recorded a comfortable victory with her Connemara mare Robe Wonder. Equally proficient in dressage, this 13-year-old grey by OMS Aragon was bred by Gabriel Murphy out of Badger Hill Cracker (by Glencarrig Prince).

Border Counties’ Eunan O’Neill landed the RC70 final with the only clear round, which he recorded on a Riding Club favourite, Cloncaw Smartie, who is now 28 years of age.

“He’s still loving life,” said Geraldine Bellew at whose Cloncaw Equestrian Centre in Glaslough the chesnut gelding is based. With four faults, Smartie finished fourth in the same class under another Border Counties’ member, Eimhear Campbell.

The newcomers’ RC60 final went the way of Mullaghmore’s Lorraine Anderson, who was closest to the optimum time on the 13-year-old black mare Abbeydale Dancer.

See results pages 107 to 109.