STORM Bert did not prevent the TRI Equestrian Interschools proceeding in JAG Equestrian last Saturday. With a slight schedule change, all classes were able to run indoors.

The day started off with the Open classes and, following some withdrawals, five open teams lined up to take on the well-designed show jumping track. Team clears were hard to get, with the winning team of three from Glenart College - Caoimhe Spacey riding Ringwood Patience, Sophie Rhatigan on Bertragh Boy Beauty and Jack Murphy on Sam Sallad - producing three lovely clears to win the class.

Loreto Wexford - Hannah Rose Roche with A Little Bit of Twinkle, Amy Griffith and Wex Cal and Isabel Walsh and Bells Nugget - another team of three, produced the fastest team result of the four-faulters to take the runner-up position.

Borris College, which was also a team of three, came third, Darragh O’Brien on Ironhill Shooting Star, Cathy Doyle and Bradley and Rosemary Dundon on Killag’s Foxy Lady, with Kilkenny College and Colaiste Bhride Carnew in fourth and fifth.

The TRI Equestrian Open Individual classes followed. In the league class, 15 combinations battled it out for points, with Loreto Wexford’s Isabel Walsh riding Bell’s Nugget producing the fastest clear in 26.6 seconds to claim victory. Just a second separated them from Evita Thomsen from St Finian’s on Acapulco Z in second. Julianna Duffy from Ursuline Thurles riding Melody of Moycullen was third, with Hannah Roche, Niamh Tobin and Cathy Doyle in fourth, fifth and sixth. There were seven clears in total.

The TRI Equestrian Premier 1.10m class went to Eugene Rocks, ridden by Chloe Walsh for Carnew, ahead of Aimee Byrne and Major Profile from St Mary’s Naas in second and Borris College’s Cathy Doyle riding Bradley in third. Also placing on the day were Jack Murphy on Sam Salad from Glenart, Chloe Walsh, this time on Corky Rocks, and Killags Foxy Lady ridden by Rosemary Dundon from Borris. Because the winner is already qualified, Lucy Gaffney riding World of Orestus for St Mary’s Naas will also qualify for the final, having finished in seventh place.

Novice action followed, starting with the Hopoti Novice teams, which attracted a total of 12 teams anxious to gain points. The two teams from Tullow Community School put in sterling performances to place first and second. The teams were Lauren Bailey on Prodigal Son, Cillian Tobin on Hershey’s Kiss, Lexi O’Brien on Willow and Muireann Tooher riding Slieve Rushen Don in first; and Lauren Kehoe on Lumcloon Max, Una Farrell riding Khaleesi Storm Born, Lily May Mulhall on Samson Slaney and Caoimhe Curran with Ballymakea Gamble taking second.

Third place went to Georgia Queally and Carraun Ferdy, Rocco Mulhall on Licina, Gloria Queally riding Glenrock Lisa and Isabel Smithwick riding Cloves, representing Kilkenny College. Remaining points went to Newbridge College, Scoil Mhuire, Trim and St Mary’s New Ross.

The Hopoti novice Individual class was won by Aoife Griffith from Loreto Wexford, ahead of Millie Dalton on Jubilee from Ballinabranna in second and Amber Smith from Loreto Abbey riding Moorepark Gold Dust in third. Amber was also third in the popular Equieire novice 90cm qualifier class, which was won by Louisa Dalton riding Monarch of The Glen for St Leo’s Carlow.

Hannah Hennessy Murphy from St Mary’s New Ross riding Coppenagh Comet was third. Kitty Moran, Lucy Heals and Kate Kavanagh were fourth, fifth and sixth. Zazu Du Carrel, ridden by Pippa Gaffney for St Mary’s Naas in seventh also gains a qualifying spot, since the winner is already qualified.

The EII primary 75cm league class was won by Curraghmore Sparrow and Shannon Griffith from Screen NS and the fun 55cm class went to Rhys O’Brien McCarthy and Clondaw Misty for Blackwater NS.

The league continues this weekend in Broadmeadows Equestrian Centre.