JUDY Maxwell was happy enough to watch on from the sidelines during the qualifiers for this year’s Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing series at The Meadows, but she was very much front and centre during last Saturday’s presentation of prizes at the McCusker family’s Lurgan equestrian centre.

The main prize-winners, as detailed last week, were Catherine Cowan with her 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Lady Remarque, whose 58 points earned them the Baileys trophy, sash, rosette and a special envelope; Connor McClory with Vina Buller’s five-year-old thoroughbred gelding Bestman Bryan (54 points for a sash, rosette and envelope) and Zara Reid with her father Gary’s 15-year-old British-bred mare Greylands Diamond Girl (54 points for a sash, rosette and envelope).

Maxwell presented rosettes and envelopes to 12 other competitors, the league’s top Pony Club rider award to Cowan (a member of the Iveagh Branch) and the top Riding Club award to Gilford member Nikki Cullen, who amassed 52 points with her 13-year-old Rineen Clover mare, Gemstone Ruby.

The face of Baileys in Ireland also presented special awards to Holly Rice, who competed in all three disciplines every week on her mother Julie’s nine-year-old TB mare Supreme Dream; and to Rachael Burns, who did likewise with her 10-year-old ISH mare Cavalier Carry On Cruising. A third award was presented to Joanna Tarasewicz for her enthusiasm for the series and for putting into practice the tips she learned from her lesson with FEI Level 2 course designer Alain Ponsot (who spent five days in the Northern Region last month) to finally get a clear cross-country round on her 13-year-old chesnut gelding, Prince Harry Trotter.

Connor McClory riding Bestman Bryan, winners of the highest place thoroughbred prize at the Flexi Eventing league sponsored by Treo Eile and presented by Georgia Stubington \ Tori O'Connor Photography

“The Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing series was yet again an amazing success,” commented Maxwell, who will be at the two-phase event in Tyrella next weekend and at most, if not all, Northern Region one-day events during the season. “It was great to see the huge entry each week, especially the large number of young riders who supported the series, one of whom ran out the winner.

“The Meadows is a fabulous venue, with its multiple arenas and ample parking, while I am indebted to Dora Beacom and her Northern Region team of judges, scribes, scorers, course designers, call-up stewards, arena parties, hat taggers and those in the office, who ensured everything ran like clockwork each week. It was a delight to sponsor the series, as it’s a fabulous competition.”

Baileys Flexi Eventing League Prize-winners celebrate \ Tori O'Connor Photography

Among the many helpers were Catherine Abbott and Georgia Stubington, who compered last Saturday’s presentation of prizes. Regional chairperson Stubington doubled up to represent Treo Eile, whose prize for the leading thoroughbred in the series she presented to Connor McClory, who finished second overall with Vina Buller’s home-bred Bestman Bryan, an unraced five-year-old son of the German thoroughbred, Lauro.