BARROW Valley Riding Club’s optimism paid off as they woke to find blue skies on the morning of their leg of the AIRC South East Show Jumping League on Sunday at Carrigbeg Riding Stables, by kind permission of Susan Patterson.
The day commenced with prizes from the generous sponsors Kate’s Tack Shop, Dunnes Equestrian, Bagenalstown Country Store, Eurofarm Tack Shop and Carlow Dog Training Club being put on display, while refreshment provider Coffee Cobs, judge Rory O’Sullivan and photographer John O’Carroll took up their stations for what was to be an action-packed day with a hefty 86 entries.
Pathfinder of the day, Joan Douglas (Ballycanew RC) gave her home-bred youngster Roisin a superb confidence building round in the newcomer’s class, before the league action kicked off with the RC70 class where four riders battled it out. Louise Ryan (Warrington RC) continued her winning streak to score a hat-trick of league leg wins, as Clashwilliam Clover cruised into first place, followed by Melody Williams (Coolbell RC) and Wendy Murphy of neighbouring club Coole Lane took third place.
The RC70 Open class saw 12 entrants compete and the optimum time was the deciding factor in separating out the top four clear rounds. Casey Cushe (Ashwood RC) riding Penure Fred timed their round almost to perfection coming in just a fraction of a second under the optimum to secure the red. Laura Barron (Waterford RC), Sophie Byrne (Warrington RC) and Sony Sinanan Villar (Ballycanew RC) followed in second, third and fourth position.
Next up was the RC80 class, the biggest of the day with 17 competitors, and once again optimum time was influential.
A foot-perfect performance with the perfect gear selected showed just how class Darren Rossiter (Carne RC) and Touch of Class are, with less than a second giving them the edge over host club’s own member Catriona Doran and Madame Rouge, while Casey Cushe (Ashwood RC), this time riding Miss Comet, secured her second ribbon of the day to take third place.
Kilotteran RC featured heavily in the RC80 Open class when Jessica Keane, riding Carne Grey Rebel, crossed the finish in just a fraction over the optimum time, closely followed by her fellow members Mark Carroll and Marie Brophy, giving the Waterford based club a first, third and fourth place finish.
Successful return
Judge Rory O'Sullivan-Hennessy, Louise O'Neill, Caroline Gould, Sally Roberts, Susan Patterson, Valerie Crean, Ann Murray, Isobelle Gould, Grace Cantlon and Catriona Doran, all smiles after running the Barrow Valley RC leg of the AIRC South East Show Jumping league in their 30th anniversary year.
Sorcha Wheatley, on her first show back in over a year, showed she was far from rusty as she piloted Absail to bring the blue rosette home for the Thomastown & District RC.
In the Young Horse class, The Ozzie Way, ridden by Joan Sinnott (Ballycanew RC), proved to be the winning way as the pair took pole position. Paul Roche (Barrow Valley RC) riding Kereen Jess secured the blue and David Ryan (Warrington RC) finished in third place.
The RC90 class proved to be an exciting class with only two riders getting those coveted clear rounds. The win went to Ciara Shannon (Coole Lane RC) riding Oddsock’s having crossed the line in a time of 49.31 seconds to take the win from Jade Douglas (Thomastown & District RC) riding her horse Carrigbeg Coco, a home-bred of the venue Carrigbeg Riding Stables, on a time of 52.41 seconds.
It was a second third place finish for David Ryan (Warrington) as Lawnview Diamond shaved over 11 seconds off the winning time proceeding to clock the fastest time of the day at 37.82 seconds but an unfortunate roll of a pole kept them out of the top two spots.
No jumping faults meant it was all about the clock for the top four in the RC90 Open class, which was won by On The Bounce ridden by Hazel Burke (Ballycanew RC) with a time of 39.5 seconds. Hot on their heels, was Róisín Power (Thomastown & District RC) riding Garnagree Uptown Girl finishing on a time of 40.16 seconds in second place ahead of Sharon O’Connor (Ashwood RC) and Ethan Cahill (Carne RC) in third and fourth place.
Clear jumping rounds continued for the top three competitors in the RC100 class, which saw Leonard Ramsbottom ensure a second red for Coole Lane RC when he flashed through the finish line in a time of 39.84 seconds riding Lightening Spirit. Sorcha Hennessy (Thomastown & District RC) wasn’t far off the mark as Crehelp Charm didn’t hang around to cross the finish in 40.54 seconds to claim the blue and leaving Abigail Kent (Horetown RC) in third place, on a time of 43.72 riding Majority Reign.
The final class of the day, the RC110 saw the sole competitor, Abigail Kent (Horetown RC), set sail once again on Majority Reign. The League continues Sunday, October 8th in Barnadown.