FRANCIS Derwin Jnr completed an impressive double last weekend when he partnered Parvati AEG to win both rounds of the Gain Alltech National Grand Prix league.

The first round took place in Banner last Saturday (see report on facing page), with the second in Ballivor on Sunday.

Ballivor Show, once again, provided a lovely throwback to the more traditional horse show of yesteryear. All the classes are run on grass and, within the one field you can find showing classes, a dog show, a fairground and the Grand Prix ring.

The atmosphere is a relaxed one with people stopping to catch-up with friends and neighbours, yet the standard of jumping remains high with each combination on the 13-strong startlist doing their utmost to be part of the final line-up in the 1.40m €4,000 Grand Prix.

Speaking to The Irish Field, Derwin Jnr told us a bit more about his winning mount: “We bought her off Bob Sweeney, who bought her from Kelly and her partner Philip, who used to work for Bob,” he explained.

“She was just five years old then. We always thought she was a good horse. She was always very careful, so we couldn’t jump too big with her. She has always been a really good jumper and, in the last year or so, she started to really step up and do a bit more. She’s easy to work with. Because she’s so careful, she needs a good confident ride all the time, but to do anything with her, she’s easy.”

Derwin Jnr added: “The arena yesterday rode really well. There is a slight bit of a hill, but the footing was good and the course rode easy enough, and it was nice for the horses.

“I’m currently going not too bad with my other horse Flexi K in the Premier Series, so the plan now would be to try to follow that and see if I can get into Dublin, hopefully. I’ll also follow the National league with Parvati.

“I’ll turn 19 in August, so I have a couple of more years in young riders. I’m lucky to have a couple of good horses for the teams; actually the horse I took the wrong course with (Destina Du Mesnil Z), she’s only new enough to me now, but I’m really starting to get the hang of her, getting to know her. We got her from Cian Harrison, and I think if she keeps improving the way she has been up to now, she wouldn’t be too far away from where you’d want her to be.

“The next show for us is Cavan for the Premier Series; we’re taking next weekend off to give the horses a bit of a break.”

Small startlist

A total of 13 combinations lined out for the Farrell’s Pharmacy-sponsored class to take on course designer James Tarrent’s track.

First to go was Derwin riding the Belgian-bred mare Destina Du Mesnil Z (Dobel van’t Zorgvliet x Casco). A mistake when forgetting to jump fence number six caused elimination for the pair.

Alex Finney and Eamon Bishop’s L’Esprit Hero Z (Lexicon x For Pleasure) was next; they produced a clear round to progress to the decider. Dylan Ward riding Quality Sport Horses’ Kruser DHH (Harley VDL x Heartbreaker) then added their names to the jump-off list.

Jonathan Smyth and the home-bred Mulvin Cliodam (Luidam x HHS BR Charlton) became the third contender with their fault-free round, while Ger Clarke and Patrick and Clare Sutton’s Lupins Lux Z (Lux Z x Cruising) had the middle of the combination down.

Annie Courtney Cadam and LCC Bond (Ars Vivendi x O.B.O.S. Quality) were unlucky to add their names to the four faulters as next in.

Derwin and his second mount, Parvati AEG (Arezzo VDL x Darco) then secured his place in the decider, as did Dermott Lennon and Victoria Loane’s Gelvins Touch (Touchdown x Diamond Lad).

Winner of the afternoon’s 1.35m with Kancruise, Brendan Murphy and Langara Ventures’ Lovely Postara (Glasgow-W Vh Merelsnest x Heartbreaker) had the first and second part of the combination down for eight faults, while Katie McEntee and Gerry Marron’s Kinmar Bespoke (O-Piloth x Aganix Du Seigneur) were foot-perfect.

Jonathan Smyth and his second mount Mulvin Lights Out were clear, while Ger Clarke and the eight-year-old L (Action Breaker x Quidam de revel) had two fences on the ground.

Smyth and his third mount, Ann Doherty’s home-bred Crystal Graf (Lux Z x Graf Magna) ran into problems in several places to finish with 18 faults.

In the jump-off, it was Derwin and Parvati AEG that proved fastest, clear in a time of 37.39 for the win to race to the top of the overall league leaderboard.

Runner-up was Dermott Lennon and Gelvins Touch in 38.72, while Dylan Ward and Kruser DHH took third in 38.85.

Fourth place went to Jonathan Smyth on Mulvin Cliodam in 38.95, Katie McEntee riding Kinmar Bespoke was fifth and Alex Finney was sixth as the fastest four-faulter aboard L’Esprit Hero Z.

The next round of the Gain Alltech National Grand Prix league takes place tomorrow, June 16th, at CoilÓg Equestrian in Co Kildare.

Murphy cruises to win

Brendan Murphy and Deirdre Doyle’s eight-year-old mare Kancruise won the 1.35m two-phase on Sunday afternoon in Ballivor in a time of 29.61 seconds.

By Kannan, out of Done Cruising (Cruising) and bred by Tom Doyle, the duo have been consistently collecting top five placings since the start of May.

Second place went to Dermott Lennon and his own and the breeder Gerry Marron’s Kinmar Right On Time (Aganix Di Seigneur x Kinmar Dancing Queen) in 31.04. Junior Katie McEntee and Samantha Dale’s Roundthorn Hercules (Coletus x Manhattan), bred by Patricia Connon, were third in 31.68.

Barry Griffin and his own Sbh Diamond In The Rough (Diamond Roller x Metropole), bred by John Kearney, took fourth in 32.16, while fifth went to Jonathan Smyth riding Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig’s Mr Kannan Ball (Kannan x Beach Ball).

Gerard Clarke completed the line-up in sixth with his own home-bred seven-year-old Drishoge Creed (Hector van D’abdijhoeve x Zanzou R).