THREE riders, who started out on different paths, partnered their first point-to-point winners last Sunday. Josh Ahern did so at a sun-kissed Ballindenisk, while Jordan Kidd and Christine Worrell were on the mark at a fog-shrouded Tinahely.

Kidd was the first of the pair to strike at the Shillelagh & District Foxhounds’ meeting, which was held at Fairwood Park, venue of the annual Tinahely Agricultural Show. There, on his seventh ride in a point-to-point and his first of the 2023/24 season, the 21-year-old landed the seven-runner open race on the French-bred Arverne.

The nine-year-old Doctor Dino gelding, who was having his first start in a point-to-point, is trained by Gavin Cromwell, for whom Jordan works each morning before heading home to help his mother, Ann Marie, with their own horses, which include Flat and National Hunt youngstock. Jordan’s younger brother Dylan (18) is now a conditional jockey with trainer John McConnell, having started his flat apprenticeship with Jessica Harrington for whom, on his first ride, he landed a premier handicap at Leopardstown in July 2022.

Jordan was never going to make a flat jockey and, standing 6’ 2”, even his time as an amateur will probably be short-lived, so it was great to see him partner his first winner. It’s hard to believe that this tall rider once competed in minimus as a member of the Meath Branch and loved taking part in all other Irish Pony Club activities, particularly tetrathlon.

He was also very keen on hunting and, when he could avoid school, was out twice a week with the Meaths, being particularly friendly with Kit Henry’s son Jack. Before joining the Cromwell yard, Jordan rode out for Navan trainer Pat Martin – as did Dylan, both being friends of Martin’s son, who is another Jack and another former Meath Branch member.

Emotional

There was an emotional first success for Monasterevin’s Christine Worrell (20) whose win, on just her third ride, came in the Tattersalls NH six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden on Elusive Touch. The nine-year-old daughter of Elusive Pimpernel ran in the colours of her trainer, Paddy Quinlan, whose beloved daughter Dani died early last month.

Christine Worrell won the Mares Maiden at Tinahely with Elusive Touch \ Healy Racing

Studying Agricultural Science in Waterford, former pony show jumper and former Laois Pony Club member Christine rides out as often as she can for Martin Brassil, who previously trained Elusive Touch.

Salseros and Josh Ahern at Ballindenisk \ Healy Racing

Nineteen-year-old Josh Ahern was never a member of an IPC Branch nor did he do any hunting. In fact, until 2020 he never rode at all, concentrating instead on playing football and hurling for Bride Rovers.

“I got bored during lockdown, so one day I jumped up on my sister Chloé’s pony and took it from there,” said Josh, who is studying PE training and history at UCC. “I just ride out for my father Garrett and all rides I’ve had since I started point-to-pointing in January 2022 have been for him.”

On Sunday, father and son landed the concluding five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts’ maiden at the United Foxhounds’ meeting at Ballindenisk with the French-bred Salseros, a 2015 Martaline gelding on whom Josh had finished sixth of 16 in the hunters’ chase at Limerick over Christmas.