THE latest leg of the EII League for Schools, sponsored by TRI Equestrian, took place last Sunday at the Top Flight Equestrian Centre at Warrington, Co Kilkenny and was hosted by Kilkenny College.
Forty teams from schools in Kilkenny and six nearby counties battled it out in keen competitions for honours in a wonderful setting overlooking the River Nore.
The novice teams competition got underway with 23 teams at the off at 9am. Victory went to Newbridge College’s white team of Jessica O’Ryan on Golden Topper, Lauren Dempsey on Bandit, Anna Nangle on Blackwoodland Breeze, and Mai Monahan (Saitre Imperial Commander) in a time-recorded second round of 134.92 seconds – a 12.37-second victory over Rockwell College in second place with a combined team time of 147.29 secs and a fine team from Presentation Thurles in third place on 164.77.
Hosts Kilkenny College were very happy with fourth place in 169.63 – their first rosettes of the season, with Patrician College Newbridge in fifth (four faults and 157.77) and Loreto Wexford white team taking sixth place (four faults and 162.88). The fastest round was posted by Anna Nangle of Newbridge College in 42.37.
Win for O’Grady
First place in the 80cm novice individuals went to Eva O’Grady of Saint Mary’s New Ross riding Ioleann Biscuit in 18.56 with second place secured by Bonny O’Neill, Newbridge College riding Rambo in 20.94. Third place went to Niamh Tobin of Tullow Community School riding Millbrae Wendy in 21.65 with fourth place awarded to Imogen Whelan in 23.80. Fifth went to Charlotte Kelly from Kildare in 24.51 and sixth place went to Nicky Bolton of the King’s Hospital in 25.13.
Tiggy Hancock Cup
Clearly a young rider on the way up, Anna Nangle, of the winning Newbridge College novice team, triumphed in a competitive field of 48 riders in the inaugural Tiggy Hancock Perpetual Cup (EII 90cms) with a winning time of 28.39 seconds. She beat Hugo Seagrave of CBS Kilkenny who clocked 28.87.
Third place was Noah Cahill of CCR in 29.37, Tara Moquet of Presentation Thurles in fourth (30.99), McKenzie Martin of Blackwater Community School in fifth (32.06), while sixth place went to Lauren Keatley of Colaiste Lorcán in 32.15.
Thrilling
The White Cup – The TRI Equestrian Open Team Competition – was won in a thrilling seven-team jump-off over a terrific track. Alice Moloney of Presentation Kilkenny and her cousin Emily Moloney of Loreto Kilkenny, both granddaughters of Ann Moloney of Warrington Equestrian Centre, faced off for two local schools. In the end, Presentation Kilkenny’s team of Alice Moloney on Western Shelly, Chloe Hughes Kennedy on HK Zena, Orla Walsh on Innocent Voltaire, and Tara Fogarty on Cuffesgrange Corleone were triumphant.
Runners-up were Colaiste Bhride Carnew’s blue team of Chloe Walsh, Cian Byrne and Chloe Massey while third place went to Loreto Secondary Kilkenny’s blue team, with Saint Declan’s Kilmacthomas in fifth place and Saint Kevin’s Dunlavin in sixth.
The TRI Equestrian Open Individual competition saw Saint Kieran’s College take four of the first six places from a field of 32 competitors. Winner was Paddy Fleming of Saint Kieran’s College, riding Tom Sparrow, runner-up was Chloe Hughes Kennedy of Presentation Kilkenny, in third was Daniel Ring of Saint Kieran’s College, fourth went to Ted Donohue of Saint Kieran’s, in fifth was Pierce Costello of Saint Kieran’s and sixth went to Clodagh Shanahan of Saint Declan’s Kilmacthomas.
Many congratulations to teacher Paul Cuddihy and school principal Simon Thompson and the students of Kilkenny College for all their hard work in organising such a well run fun-filled day with the proceeds of the event being donated to Tiggy’s Trust.
Wexford Equestrian will host the next leg of the TRI Equestrian Interschools League tomorrow (Sunday, November 14th).