THE Fagan family’s 2023 Mullingar International Horse Show kicked off on Friday with the Glenpatrick CSI2* 1.20m Table A, with 61 combinations battling it out.

Taking the win when fastest of 29 clears was 13-year-old Junior rider Cian McMunn and Captain Marko when they came home in 53.29. Owned by Breda McMunn and bred by Gabriel Slattery, the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse is by Captain Clover and out of the Kannan-sired White Kannan.

Almost three seconds slower and slotting into second in 56.27 was Antrim rider Trudie McCoosh riding Alan McCoosh’s seven-year-old ISH stallion TMSH Quality Assured (OBOS Quality x Clover Hill), bred by Paul B Seymour.

Cora Sharkey also erred on the side of caution clocking 58.35 with the Ann Gannon Clancy-bred AHG Whiterock Duggie (Ard VDL Douglas x Cruising), clocking 58.35 for third. Little divided the next placings as Harry Rush and his new, but experienced gelding Tabby (Captain Clover x Cruising), owned now by his mother, Fran Rush, came home in 59.04, Accounting for fifth place was Aine Shortall and Francis Derwin’s Killerisk Can YA, clear in 59.33, ahead of Molly Taylor riding Langara Ventures’ Hard To Beat, fractions behind in 59.94.

Another win

McMunn was back to winning ways on Saturday morning when the international action began with the Glenwood CSI2* 1.25m. He again partnered Captain Marko to take victory in the €2,000 class. From 59 starters, he was the best of nine clear rounds in 52.74 seconds and the results, among others, helped him to be crowned the leading rider of the show.

McMunn was chased home by Hollyanne Sweetnam who delivered a clear with Barra Sweetnam’s One And Only Spartacus, by OBOS Quality and bred by Jeremiah Meehan, in a time of 52.91.

Katie Conlon and Bernard Conlon’s Ping Ball were just over a second behind with 52.92 for third, ahead of Nicola Fitzgibbon and Langara ventures’ Emily May who clocked 53.58. Sven Hadley and his own Uidam answered all the questions in 54.36 for fifth. Aine Shortall and Killerisk Can YA returned to the line-up, taking sixth when clear in 54.98.