EUROPEAN Gold Medallist Paddy Reape got his season off to a great start when he clinched victory in the TRM Show jumpers Club Spring Tour last Saturday in Banner Equestrian Centre. Riding Creevagh Special, the 16-year-old Sligo rider left nothing to spare as last to go against the clock, lodging a clear in 33.57.

Owned by Paddy’s father Jonathan, Creevagh Special was bred by the late Ronnie Hollinger. The 14-year-old mare is by Camiro De Haar Z (Zang) and is out of the Harlequin-Du Carel-sired dam Creevagh Harlequin Lady. Although only together for just over a year, the combination has delivered some impressive results. Last December, the pairing claimed the Under 25s 1.40m in Salzburg and finished fourth in the 1.50m. Previous to this, they recorded two runner-up places in 1.40m in Herning and a first and second in Opglabeek.

Hollinger, who had a great passion for breeding sport horses, would no doubt be proud to see two of the horses, which he bred, featured in these spring tours. Along with Creevagh Special, Annabel Shield’s mount Creevagh Carisma won the opening leg in Jag Equestrian and later in Wexford Equestrian.

Aimee Barry and Limoncello were second in the TRM/SJC Spring Tour Grand Prix held at Banner Equestrian Centre last Saturday \ Dilger Photography

Competitive class

Speaking after the win, Paddy said: “I am delighted to have claimed the win, as it’s always nice to have a win on home soil and at the start of the season. It was a very competitive class and I knew it would end up a fast-jump-off.

“I really didn’t think that Aimee’s (Barry) round would be beaten, but the mare was just faster across the ground. The top three finishers all took the same stride pattern, so as a result there was not much between us.”

Regarding the show, he said: “Banner pulled out all the stops and full credit to them for running a great show.”

Course designer James Tarrant set the track for the 33 starters and, with riders up for the challenge, 12 booked their place against the clock.

Little separated the next placing as Aimee Barry guided Garryndruig Limoncello to a clear in 33.93. Owned by Joe Barry and bred by Geri McGeoghan-Santry, Garryndruig Limoncello is an 11-year-old mare, by Amaretto Darco and is out of the Cruising-sired dam, Garryndruig Cruising Akademi.

Bought from Fergal Harrison in 2020, the combination has clocked up a series of good results last year, which included a win in the 1.40m Grand Prix in Cavan December Show and before this, they won the 1.40m WKD jump-off class in November.

Sven Hadley has featured in each of the rounds to date and he was back in the ribbons, claiming third place with Uidam, when he kept all the poles in place in a time of 34.99.

Not content with third place, he also secured fourth, when he came home with nothing to add with Sumas Taloubet in a time of 37.02.

TRM Ambassador Roby Moran presents Paddy Reape, first, Aimee Barry, second, and Sven Hadley, third with their prizes after the Spring Tour Grand Prix at Banner Equestrian \ Dilger Photography

Bred by Padraig Howley, the 16-year-old mare is by Luidam and out of the Cavalier Royale-sired dam, Miss Mac Car.

This combination has proved consistent at home and abroad. The pair recently claimed second and fourth place in the CSI2* in Kelsall Hill.

Winner of the round in Wexford the week prior, Annabel Shields also added to her leaderboard tally, when she secured fifth place with the eight-year-old Lapstan, when clear in 38.45.

Owned by Shields and bred in Ireland by Peter Brady, the gelding is by OBOS Quality and is out of Drumagoland Lancelot. This partnership claimed fourth place in the round in Broadmeadows.

Damien Griffin completed the top six, when he put in a foot-perfect round with ESI Hamshire, in a time of 38.49. Owned and bred by Ennisnag Stud, the eight-year-old gelding is by Zirocco Blue VDL and is out of the Coleman-sired dam, SSH Coolgirl.

Also delivering clears in the jump-off, but finishing just out of the top six, were Aoife McCabe and Heritage Enigma (38.57), Liam O’Meara and Sir Jim Jim (39.13), Diarmuid Killeen and Cicero’s Schazchen (40.94), junior rider Kian Dore and Puerto Rico Van’T Roosakker (41.78), junior rider Bríd Ryan and Kimplot Blue (43.35) and Andrew Hodgins and Shanaclough Luichew (46.70).

1.20/1.25m

Leading the victory lap in the 1.20/1.25m (inc. seven-year-old Hibernia Sport Horses Qualifier) class was Sven Hadley and Topspin, when they finished as the fastest of 25 double clears in a time of 24.32. Hadley also took the runner-up spot when he partnered HSH Harper Du Seigneur to clear in 25.11.

Junior rider Bríd Ryan accounted for the next two placings, claiming third with GCS Jasmine (6yo) in a time of 25.36 and fourth with Drombane Foxy Lady, coming home in 25.52. Annabel Shields accounted for seventh place with B.E Flygold, crossing the line in 25.76, while in sixth was Bill Maguire and Billerough Tyson (7yo) in 26.42.

1.10/1.15m

A total of 31 combinations contested the 1.10/1.15m, which incorporated the six-year-old Hibernia Sport Horses Qualifier and Munster Region SJI Spring Tour. Claiming this victory was Aoife McCabe and Heritage Mystique, when clear in 27.80. Hadley was back in the ribbons, claiming second place with Maximum Numero Too HSH (6yo), when clear in 20.03. A clear from Diarmuid Killeen and Clonncalagy Legend (7yo) in a time of 29.59 saw them take third. Junior rider Molly Gleeson accounted for fourth and fifth place. She delivered her best result with Hendrika Hiddink, clear in 30.46 and also kept all the poles in place with CHF Gem Leaf (7yo) in a time of 30.97. Last of the double clears was Damien Griffin and Brandy de la Vie (7yo) in a time of 33.86.

1.0/1.05m

Victory in the 1.0/1.05m (incorporating the five-year-old Hibernia Sport Horses Qualifier and Munster Region SJI Spring Tour) went to James Joyce aboard the five-year-old Heathermore Kenita, when clear in 39.85. Emily Collins also answered all the questions with the six-year-old CSF Tammi in a time of 44.11, ahead of Mark Duffy and Midnight Trend (6yo), clear in 47.43.

Accounting for eventual fourth was Paul McDermott on the five-year-old Apogee, clear in 47.54, while in fifth was Aoife McCabe and CBI Supremacy (5yo), who was the fastest of those on a single time fault (49.19). Aisling O’Brien also fell victim to the clock with Lackamore Dream (6yo) clocking 49.88.