THE first class on Saturday morning at the Cavan Winter Horse Festival was the five-year-old final, sponsored by Der Sennat 111, the stallion standing at Castlefield Stud.

No stranger to young horse championships, it was Ballypatrick Stables’ Leah Stack, who emerged as the winner aboard Keith Ennis’ Rosconnell Tango. By Tyson, out of CSF Sophie (Goodluck VDL), the gelding was bred by Mairead Lacey, who collected a cover to Der Senaat 111 for 2025 as the winning breeder.

Some 44 youngsters started out in the competition. This number was reduced to 21 for the second round. As third last to go, Stack guided her mount to the fastest time of the day, crossing the finish line in 34.56 for the win. The pair finished second in the five-year-old final at the Dublin Horse Show in August.

The Catriona Fallon-owned and bred Pimmes Party (Celtic Hero B Z x Cavalier Royale) was ridden into second place by Sven Hadley in 36.18. Jake Hunter and Sandra Duffy’s home-bred gelding Mosie Blue (Mosito Van Het Hellehof x Mr Blue) took third in 36.56. Fourth place went to Cathal Daniels riding the Hans Jurgen Kuehnle-owned and bred Tullibards Pandora (Tullibards Benny’s Legacy x Grandeur) in 37.15.

Stack also took fifth place with her other mount, Castlefield Breeding Farm’s Belgian-bred mare Ti Amore Van De Doornhaag (Emerald van’t Ruytershof x Toulon) in 37.46. Ger O’Brien’s Killeaneys Mr T (Tyson x Askoll Peter Pan), bred by Amanda Kirwin and ridden by Shane Goggins, finished in sixth place.