COACHELLA and Catherine Thornton were crowned champions in the six-year-old Irish Sport Horse Studbook Series in Cavan on Sunday.

By Ustinov out of multiple 1.50m producing Icing (Cruising), the mare was bred by Tom and Linda Magee and is owned by Thornton and David Campbell. A league total of 30 points earned from some very consistent performances saw the duo take the top spot in what was a very hard fought series, just one point ahead of Cora Sharkey.

“She’s is incredibly consistent. She jumps an awful lot of clear rounds. I’ve had her since she was a three-year-old so I know her inside-out. She was unlucky last year, she ended up second, so it lovely this year to go one better,” Thornton said afterwards.

“I didn’t even know, to be honest, she was in contention, so whenever I went out I was a bit surprised, but you can take everything you can get. She is out of an incredible mare, Icing. I think she has had four horses that have jumped at 1.50m plus. Quintabell was double clear in five-year-old today, another one of her progeny. Everything she throws jumps.”

Catherine owns a half-share in the mare and commenting on the plan, she added: “Hanging onto her would be one of the tougher things. She is the oldest horse in the yard and it is lovely to have a horse to jump in bigger classes. If I can I would love to keep her on a seven-year-old and go for the league again next year.”

Sunday’s final round produced Cora Sharkey’s second victory of the day when she and her father Joseph’s gelding Lisboy Emerald, by Emerald Vant Ruytershof, out of Hollypark Lux Alright (Lux Z), who was bred by Michael Mc Donagh, posted a winning jump-off time of 33.95 to take the win.

The runner-up spot went to GCS Athena, ridden by Adam Carey. This mare by Vigo D’Arsouilles, out of MHS Attraction (Numero Uno), is owned by Tim Brennan and was bred by Olivia Brennan. They stopped the clock at 34.78 for second place.

Regula Wassmer’s Tullabeg Jackeson (Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet x Olympic Lux), who was bred by Nicholas Cousins and ridden by Kenneth Graham, took third place in a time of 36.15. Fourth went to the eventual overall champion Coachella and Catherine Thornton in 37.11, while fifth was Victoria Clarke riding her own and Ronnoco Jump Ltd’s Major Roayale, a gelding by OBOS Quality 004 out of Rama Dama (Cavalier Royale), bred by Paul Seymour.

Sixth place went to Seamus Tighe’s Lough Scur Quality Lady (OBOS Quality 004 x Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan). Bred by the owner, she was ridden by John Mulligan.