THE third leg of the Equipet/North East Region winter show jumping league was held last Sunday at Cloncaw Equestrian where members of the host club, Border Counties, were delighted with the support they received from counterparts throughout the Region.

Four of the five classes were won by visitors but Border Counties took the honours at Advanced Primary level. There, finishing closest to the optimum time of 49 seconds, Seamus McKenna partnered Colin Clover (47.08) to beat his clubmate, Kirsten Winsryg, into second on the skewbald Cavalier Bobby Jo (46.12), a 14-year-old gelding by Cavalier Jump For Joy.

Seamus was a founding member of Border Counties of which he is the current treasurer. He is very much involved in organising competitions and social activities and is also very active in his local community. He was making his seasonal debut on Sunday with Colin Clover (aka Squidgey), a 14-year-old bay gelding by Colin Diamond on whom he shares the ride with his niece, Roisin Ni Rioc, who competes at Intermediate level.

Only three of the nine starters in the Primary class went double clear over the Geraldine Bellew-built track where the second phase had an optimum time of 50 seconds.

Again, it was close between the top two with Castle Hill’s Sarah Malone stopping the clock on 51.16 while Sarah Lester of Border Counties was home in 51.28 with her 19-year-old Welsh mare Langarth Donna. Malone was on board the Belgian Warmblood mare Jinx GC, a 10-year-old by Vincenzo Van ‘T Merelsnest.

Making life easy for judge Ann Friel, there were only three double clears also in the Intermediate class where the optimum time rule was lifted.

The fastest round was recorded by Joyce Woods of the neighbouring Castle Leslie club who left all the poles intact in 32.90 with the nine-year-old skewbald gelding Drumhowan Darlin Jazz.

Also finishing unpenalised were Niamh Murphy of Castle Hill on her seven-year-old dun mare Railings Hopeful Scope (36.57) and Julie Griffith of Drynam with her 11-year-old piebald mare Blueberry Hill (45.90).

HAT-TRICK for Muldoon

Tara Hill’s Rachel Muldoon brought up a hat-trick of successes at Advanced Intermediate level when recording the faster of two double clears with the 10-year-old Classic Vision mare Ballymotey Carla Vision (37.08).

Second in the 12-runner class was Drynam’s Fiona Cox on her well-known grey mare Lady Annabels Promise.

Based just outside Swords, the Drynam club recorded a win in the three-runner Open section through Carole Smillie and her home-bred gelding Streamstown Storm, an eight-year-old by Killcotton Cross.

The Equipet league continues tomorrow at Ravensdale, where the round will be hosted by the Ard Lú club, with the resident club staging the final at Killossery Lodge Stud on Sunday, March 3rd.