THE Army Equitation School enjoyed two big wins at last weekend’s Cavan Winter Horse Festival at the Clarke family’s Cavan Equestrian Centre.

The first of those came in Saturday’s 1.35m jump-off class, when Second Lt Raphael Lee guided Killossery Kilshane to victory. Bred by Laura Glynn from Killossery Lodge Stud, the mare is by Peppermill out of Killossery Kruisette (Cruising), who herself was a top performer for the Army and is the dam of proven performers, including Killossery Kaiden, Killossery Konfusion and Killossery Kuidam.

Bought as a five-year-old by the Army Equitation School, she has just stepped up to National Grand Prix level this year. Galway’s Second Lt Lee, who joined McKee Barracks in March 2023, has been knocking on a door of a high profile win with multiple placings over the summer.

The competition, which was sponsored by Jim Derwin Bloodstock to the tune of €2,000, attracted a large field of 72 contenders. Twenty managed to produce a clear first round, four riders collected time faults, while nine had a single fence down and a further 14 had two on the ground.

As third to go in the jump-off, Lee recorded a time of 38.41 and had a long wait to see his hopes of victory realised. Young rider Billy Sinnott and Ian Smyth’s eight-year-old mare Ridge Douglas Lady finished as runners-up, when they stopped the clock at 38.89.

Ivor Broderick’s eight-year-old stallion Cornerado VDL (Cornet Obolensky x Indorado) took third place with Vincent Byrne in the tack, breaking the finish beams at 42.22.

Francis Donnelly’s Crystal Tom (Silvano x Graf Magna) was ridden into fourth place by Eve Donnelly in 44.95.

Jamboree VDL (Harley VDL x Corland), owned by Gary McIvor and ridden by Richard McIvor, slotted into fifth in 46.69, while Neil Egan’s home-bred Cloonbarry Kannalilly (Kannan x Cassini Il) and Shane Goggins were sixth as the fastest four-faulters.

Bracken for the win

The second win for the Army came in Sunday’s 1.30m Power and Speed, sponsored by Castlefield Breeding Farms, when Lt James Bracken rode the Minister For Defence’s Dunganstown Boy. By Diamant de Semilly out of Rincoola Bua (Cruising), the experienced gelding has been a great servant to the School over the years, with many of its riders gaining valuable mileage aboard him.

Bracken’s jump-off time of 27.79 proved best in the class, in which 36 of the 66 starters produced a double clear round over both the power and speed tracks. Junior rider Cáit Kenny finished in the runner-up spot, with her mother Sorcha’s eight-year-old Guy D’Authuit in 28.04.

Sven Hadley and his own home-bred stallion HSH Harper Du Seigneur (Aganix Du Seigneur x Chippison) finished in third place in 28.27. Jack Goaley’s Boleybawn Cayman (Cassidee x Ard VDL Douglas), bred by Ronan Rothwell and ridden by Shane Goggins, took fourth in 28.44.

Young rider Sean Dooley rode his father Fergus Dooley’s Indie Girl (Ballintogher Leo x Quabri De Laleu), bred by John Joe Collier, into fifth place in 28.47, while Valerie Farrell’s LKD Mini Q (O.B.O.S Quality 004 x Aldatus Z), bred by Thomas Minogue, was sixth.