EMERALD Equestrian was the venue for last Saturday’s final of the Association of Irish Riding Club’s (AIRC) Grassroots Jump Training Series, which was supported by both Sport Ireland and Horse Sport Ireland.

TRI Equestrian sponsored first place prizes for each of the three classes at the nine regional qualifiers, from which a total of 41 combinations progressed to contest the final, judged by HSI Level 2 coach and FEI Level 3 international show jumping course designer, Tom Holden.

“I thought the standard of riding at the different levels was very good, while the standard of turnout was excellent,” said Holden, who was also impressed by the day’s organisation and the fact that everything ran to time. “There was very little between those in the placings, which you’ll see in the marks awarded.

“I think the whole concept of this jump training series is very good. Riders learn about turnout of themselves and their horses and how to ride a course of fences correctly. It makes them think, as they not only have to get from the start to the finish line without picking up any faults, but how they get there is marked as well.”

Competitors were awarded 100 marks for a clear round over the Shane Brooks-designed track (with deductions for fences down or refusals), while Holden could award up to 20 marks for way of going/aids, 20 for position and style and 10 for turnout and overall impression.

Coole customer

The opening 70cm/80cm final, in which nine of the 15 starters recorded clear rounds, was won on a total of 140 points (the day’s highest score) by Coole Lane’s Chloe Rice with her six-year-old traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse mare Lady Cassandra.

Rice, who works alongside her father Tom in his car recovery business, purchased the steel grey Lady Cassandra as a just-broken four-year-old and has competed her in dressage, showing and show jumping as a member of Coole Lane, at an affiliated Dressage Ireland show and at three SJI-affiliated shows in CoilÓg.

“Next year, I’d hope to go up the levels with her, as she is well able to jump,” said Rice of her Cappa Cassanova mare, who was bred in Co Galway by James Keville out of the non-winning thoroughbred mare Cahermacnally Lady, who was by Alkaadhem out of a Good Thyne mare out of a mare by Deep Run.

“I like the whole concept of the qualifiers and final,” continued 20-year-old Rice, who was supported at Emerald by her mother Stacey and sister Milly. “It was great getting the feedback from the judges and improving yourself from there. I was delighted to win for Coole Lane, as we are just a small club.”

Just failing to match Rice’s score (16) for position and style by one mark, Castle Hill’s Lynne Broderick finished a close-up second with her Connemara gelding Cnocban Blaze (139). Broderick also competes in dressage and showing, as well as show jumping under AIRC rules with her six-year-old son of Casherlistrane Bay. Lismore’s Sile Scanlon slotted into third on her eight-year-old skewbald mare Cullohill Guzzler (137).

O’Shea shines

Having endured a disappointing and very sore ending to 2023, Tynagh’s Kathrina O’Shea is concluding this year on a high, having won Saturday’s RC90 final on her partner Aidan Dolan’s ISH mare Ringwood Pommello. The eight-year-old by Hype was bred in Co Limerick by Peter Leonard out of Ringwood Cloverado (by Nerrado). She had a foal herself in 2019.

“I was out hunting a pony last December when I got a kick to my leg,” explained O’Shea. “I rode on for a bit and was able to walk when I got off the pony but, when they x-rayed my leg in hospital that evening, they told me it was broken in three places! It took a long time to heal, but I started back riding in April.

“Aidan got this mare in March I think. She wasn’t broken until she was seven and had done very little, which is why we joined Tynagh Riding Club to bring her on slowly. Aidan did a bit of jumping with her – including at the Festival – but they never really gelled, which is why I’m the only one who rides her now and I think she’s a pleasure to ride. I’ll probably do more Showjumping Ireland shows with her next year, as my daughter Kaleigh does a lot of jumping and I have to bring her anyway!

“I think the concept of the jump training series was absolutely fabulous, while Emerald was a super venue,” continued O’Shea. “The day was very well-organised, with everything running on time, and Tom Holden was a wonderful judge. I couldn’t believe the number of Tynagh members who came along in support – that meant a lot.”

Drynam’s Aisling Owens finished second in this RC90 final with her ISH mare Dicksons Rose (137), an 11-year-old Hold Up Premier bay she also competes under SJI rules, while Sarsfield’s Janet Clifford placed third on Gleesons Quality, a nine-year-old OBOS Quality 004 gelding out of a Cruising mare.

Golden moment

Niall Molloy, a member of Golden Grove Riding Club, won the RC100/RC110 final on Winston P, a 21-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Murano who, at one stage of his career, was campaigned at 1.30m level by Britain’s Matthew Sampson.

While eight of the 13 starters in this class recorded clear rounds for 100 points, Molloy and Meath’s Barry Magan, riding the Irish Sport Horse gelding Caltra Western Dream, just eased away from their rivals with 15 points apiece for both way of going plus position and style.

Molloy then scored the higher mark of (9-8) for turnout and impression to win on a total of 139 points with Magan having to settle for second with Caltra Western Dream (138), an 11-year-old Sligo Candy Boy bay, who was previously evented at CCI3*-S level by Elizabeth Power.

Kilrainy grading officer Roisin Gilsenan finished a close third, having amassed 137 points on board the ISH gelding Major Tom Frankin, an Offaly Clover seven-year-old she competed last year with Show Jumping Ireland and this year both show jumped and evented under AIRC rules.

Niall Molloy and Winston P from Golden Grove RC at the AIRC Grassroots final \ Sagittarian Photography

Molloy, who worked previously in racing and bloodstock sales preparation with Denis Hogan and Hugh Bleahan, set up his own breaking and pre-training yard outside Loughrea in July. “I got Winston about four years ago,” said the owner/rider. “We finished second in the national show jumping championships a couple of years back and, while he’ll be 22 next season, I’d love to get another top three finish with him before he retires.

“I’ve another horse to do riding club with next season,” continued Molloy, who was supported on Saturday by his partner Samantha Hayes, secretary of Golden Grove and of the West Midlands Region. “He’s a four-year-old Telescope gelding we bought to go point-to-pointing, but he has issues with his wind so that put a stop to racing.”

Rosettes were awarded from first to sixth in each class on Saturday, while the winner received a €250 training bursary and the runner-up a €150 training bursary.