THE final of the six-week EasyWay spring show jumping league, run by the North East Region of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs, was held last Saturday at the Kernan Equestrian Centre, where it was a standalone show but double league points were on offer.

The final was hosted by the Border Counties, Castle Leslie, Derryledigan and Mullaghmore clubs, whose members were among the day’s winners, and classes ranged from cross-poles to RC110 tracks, all built by James Kernan. Anne Friel was the day’s judge.

The newcomer league winners were Border Counties’ Orla O’Connor who also divided the spoils on the day with her 15-year-old piebald mare Boogies Girl (cross-poles), Mullaghmore’s Alysion Reilly who, too, was a winner on Saturday with Lucky (50cm), and Mullaghmore’s Lorraine Anderson who also completed the double with Dancer (60cm).

The RC70 graded final on Sunday was won by Niamh McCarra on Harvey representing Mullaghmore, whose Anne Marie McMahon claimed the honours in the league at this level on board Stella. The RC70 Open league was divided between Boyneside’s Justin Nevin and Mullaghmore secretary Kerrie Ryan, who amassed 16 points apiece riding Tullyallen Fred and Chester Cake respectively.

Derryledigan’s Lily Jennings won the RC80 Graded final with Harmony but didn’t feature in the league which went the way of Drynam’s Jenny Bates on her Connemara gelding Mountain Dew Boy, a 12-year-old grey by Glencarrig Lexus. Border Counties’ Aaron Evans narrowly did the double in the RC80 Open riding the home-bred Arkanrose, a 12-year-old daughter of Arkan.

Katie Creegan RC100 Open winner at the AIRC NER EasyWay spring show jumping league \ Contrast Captured

A winner on each occasion she competed during the series, Drynam’s Carmel Seaver capped her spring season by winning both the RC90 Graded final and league on her Dutch Warmblood mare Fivonia G, a 15-year-old bay by Ustinov. Placing third in the league was Border Counties’ Colleen Moffett, owner of the sponsoring company EasyWay.

RC90 Open

Although a winner of Saturday’s RC90 Open final on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Maxinamillion, an eight-year-old by S Creevagh Ferro, Castle Leslie secretary Dawn Clerkin had to settle for second in the league behind Mullaghmore’s Alisha O’Hara with the 18-year-old ISH mare Kenya Believe It.

Castle Leslie safety officer Louise Flynn won both the Graded final and league at RC80 level with the ISH mare Miss Arkansas, a 21-year-old daughter of VDL Arkansas, while the RC80 Open league went the way of Mullaghmore’s Katie Creegan.

The latter rode the 15-year-old Annaghmore Ginger mare Holiday Izzy, on whom she finished second in both the RC110/RC120 final and league behind Headfort’s Rachel Muldoon on Newbay aka the ISH mare Ballymotey Carla Vision, a 16-year-old traditionally-bred Classic Vision bay.

The next event in the North East Region is the Killossery Riding Club spring show, which will offer a wide variety of classes in dressage, showing, show jumping and working hunter – all on sand – at Killossery Lodge Stud on Sunday, April 27th.

Anne Marie McMahon RC70 winner at the AIRC NER EasyWay spring show jumping league \ Contrast Captured