DESPITE a change of date for the Inistioge Show, there was a good following for the Kilkenny event, with close to 200 entries being recorded in the Mervue Equine Leinster Summer league.

Byrne dominates

Wicklow junior rider, Cian Byrne, dominated the 1.10m division, as he took the first three places in the €1,000 Doody family-sponsored class. Riding the Sandra Duffy/Ireland Horse Sport and Leisure Ltd-owned China Man, he delivered a double clear in 26.67 seconds. Byrne also took the runner-up spot with Ciao Bella, when he lodged another clear in 27.91 and third with the Andrew Byrne and Olga Doyle-owned Lunasa Cruise, clear in 27.91.

Byrne has proved very consistent in this league and lies in pole position in both the 1.10m and 1.20m leaderboard. Fourth place was filled by Tholm Keane and the Fairy Tale Farms-owned six-year-old Nairobi, when clear in 30.17.

Patrick Joyce and Congress Flush accounted for fifth place, when clear in 31.75, ahead of Jack Ryan and the five-year-old Hallsmill Arezzo, clear in 34.05.

Local show

Following his National Grand Prix win in Balmoral, Inistioge local Jack Ryan was back in the ribbons, taking the win in the 1.20m section. Riding Seamus Drea’s Cornascriebe Emerald, they came home clear in 34.02 to take the winner’s share of the €1,000 in the D Ryan and F Quirke-sponsored class. Mikey Pender also featured in this line-up, claiming the runner-up spot with the six-year-old GCS Paradise, clear in 34.63. Not content with second, Pender also took third place with the six-year-old GCS Othello, when he put in another foot-perfect round in 35.02.

Fourth place belonged to Tomas Doyle and the seven-year-old, Monbeg Sapphire, clear in 35.20. A clear from Gemma Phelan and Gerard Burke’s six-year-old, Glidawn Gigi (36.00) saw them slot into fifth, while Jack Brennan and the six-year-old MHS Memories, completed the top six (0/0 36.75).

1.35m

Taking the win in the 1.35m section was Carlow rider Jason Foley and Chedington Fixit, when they were the fastest of just two double clears in a seven-way jump-off in a time of 43.68 seconds.

Susan Fitzpatrick took the runner-up spot with her own and Rosemary Farm-owned Guedelon Batilly, when they delivered the only other double clear in 47.40. Mikey Pender and his own and Emma Horgan’s Vilja’s Cornet Ballet Queen were the fastest of the four-faulters in a time of 41.53. Brendan Murphy also had one on the ground with Abs Misty, in 41.75 for eventual fourth place. Fifth place belonged to Francis Connors, who also had one down with Raymond McChesney’s RNH Valentino in a time of 47.01 for fifth. Cian Byrne ended his day on a positive note, as he filled sixth place with Niamh Rothwell’s eight-year-old Le President, when they crossed the line with four faults in a time of 50.66.