KILDARE’S Kate Fahey moved out of Ponies into Junior company this year and, having been placed earlier in the season on Chris Spratling’s Lissyegan Cooley, partnered the Irish Sport Horse gelding to victory in the EI110 (J) championship at Kilguilkey House last weekend.

Fahey and the 14-year-old Martell bay completed on their dressage score (34) to win narrowly from Ali Fitzpatrick and Kelly (34.2), who were two seconds over the time across the country. Erin McClernon led after dressage, but had a fence down show jumping to drop to third on Seapatrick Beachball (36.6).

The very busy combination of Kate Walsh and the Connemara gelding Beechtree Watchful (winners of the Open individual competition at the Irish Pony Club eventing championships at the end of August), who were on 33.1 after dressage, were eliminated when parting company in the show jumping phase, while Tom Nestor was also eliminated for three refusals across the country on Coolafancy.

As 17-year-old Kate headed from Kilguilkey to Thurles, where she is a weekly boarder in Leaving Cert year at the Ursuline Secondary School, we caught up during the week with her mother Ber, who accompanies her daughter to all events.

Delighted

“We were absolutely delighted with the win!” said Fahey senior. “When we were looking for a horse for Kate, we heard about this fellow in England and went over to see him. It was a big jump from a pony to a 17.2hh horse, but Kate got on really well with him, so we leased him with an option to buy. He arrived here in March – during Cheltenham week! She gets show jumping lessons from Tom Walsh, Heike Holstein is her dressage coach and Esib Power has been a huge help in getting the pair to gel together.

“She was a bit nervous going out on the cross-country on Sunday but, as she was lying second, she knew would have to really go for it and she did, coming home clear within the time. She really loves the horse and he’s a dream to do anything with – I ride him while she’s at school. They’ll do the 2*-S at Ballindenisk to wrap up the year.

“We really enjoyed the weekend at Kilguilkey. Everything was fantastic, very relaxed and chilled and we were with a lovely group of people,” concluded Ber, who is not riding out any of the horses trained by her husband Peter at the moment, following the retirement of stable stalwart Peregrine Run. “I’ll get back to it,” she stated.

Kate also rides out for her father at weekends and during school holidays and racing is her only interest outside eventing. She has no doubt studied the pedigree of Lissyegan Cooley, who was bred in Co Galway by Sean Mulkern. The bay is out of the unraced Mister Lord mare Yes Me Lord, who comes from the family of the seven-time track winner, and blacktype performer, Darkorjon but, more pertinently, is a half-sister to the Norwich gelding September Bliss, on whom the above-mentioned Elizabeth Power completed Badminton (twice) and Burghley.