MEATH’s Caroline Lynch rode two horses in the Preliminary Category 2 championship at Barnadown last weekend, placing fifth with her Irish Sport Horse mare Quora, a six-year-old by Golden Lariat, and winning on her Irish Draught mare Diamond Rockn Robin, a four-year-old grey by Keamore Diamond Clover out of Sallygap Robin (by Rockrimmon Robusticus).

Winner of the Novice Category 2 title at the Slieve Bloom Stud national championships was the Leinster Region’s Tara Hayes and her ISH mare Sandora BS, a six-year-old bay by Spielberg out of the unraced Zagreb mare Silver Grouse who comes from the family of the John Smith’s Grand National winner, Silver Birch.

Kevin Acres won the Novice Category 3 championship with Miriam Walsh’s Dutch Warmblood mare Hope Is Eternal, a 10-year-old chesnut by Sheraton.

At Elementary level, honours in the DSE Equestrian Outfitters Category 2 championship went to the South Munster Region’s Jennifer Rea and her ISH gelding Fermoyle Charles, a seven-year-old bay by S Creevagh Ferro out of the Captain Clover mare, Fermoyle Jane.

North Munster’s Lucy Cusack claimed the Northern Region Category 3 title with her Dutch Warmblood gelding Kirktown, a seven-year-old bay son of Uptown.

Medium winners

At Medium level, the Childeric Saddles winners were Ella Rose Maher (Category 2) and her five-year-old New Forest pony McFlurry (by Spoekedammetjes Nick) and Kate Dwyer on board her Dermot Cannon-bred ISH mare Harmony, an eight-year-old by Blue Hors Hotline.

Tara Hayes claimed a second title when landing the Childeric Saddles Advanced Medium Category 2 championship with the Dutch Warmblood gelding Ferrero K, a 12-year-old son of Apache. In the JS Horsetrucks Category 3 championship at this level, Dwyer and Harmony had to settle for second behind Rachel Dowley and another Dutch Warmblood gelding, Insticator BS, a nine-year-old bay by Florencio.

With a large group of pupils competing at the championships, Marlton’s Josephine Delahoyde availed of the opportunity to show them her winning style in the Childeric Saddles Advanced championship on her mother Barbara’s Holstein gelding Cashmere, a 10-year-old dark brown son of Catoo.