CORK rider Shane Dalton put his first win on the board in the TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour last Sunday at Tipperary Equestrian. Riding Alexander Hamilton’s Zavy Echo, he was the fastest of 16 double clears in the two-phase class. The combination put in a blistering round, coming home in a time of 28.55 seconds to take the winner’s share of the €3,000 on offer. This is the second time that the pairing have featured in the line-up, taking sixth in the round in Maryville.

Bred by his owner, Zavy Echo is a nine-year-old gelding by Zavatar F and out of the Clover Echo-sired dam, Taylor Echo.

Speaking after the win, Dalton said: “I was delighted at how the horse jumped, as he has only stepped up to this level. I have been riding him since November and he has shown great potential for the top level and it’s great to have a horse of this calibre. The plan is that he will move up to the Grand Prix level.”

Regarding the class, he added: “I went in the middle of the class and I had seen some of the faster combinations go ahead of me. It was a straightforward enough course and, to be in it, you needed to be able to cut in, thankfully it went our way today. I would like to thank the Ryan family for running another great show.”

There was another great turnout for this popular league, with 51 combinations taking on the John Doyle-designed course.

Runner-up in the round in Maryville, Linda Moloney and the eight-year-old Ballinaguilkey Fusion Exchange repeated this performance, taking the blue ribbon for the second time. The pairing were just off the winner’s time, when clocking 29.13. Owned by Andrew Flemming and bred by John and Barbara Walshe, the palomino gelding is by Tullabeg Fusion and out of the OBOS Quality 004-sired dam, Ballinaguilkey Heidi. The Walshe family are no strangers to breeding top class animals, with EIC Cooley Jump The Q, which was bred by Pam Walshe, recently taking second in the five-star Longines Global Champions Tour in Miami under Max Kuhner.

Annabel Shields was back in the ribbons, this time taking third place with Creevagh Carisma, when they stopped the clock in 29.59. Owned by Shields and bred by the late Ronnie Hollinger, Creevagh Carisma is a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Camiro De Haar Z and out of Creevagh Duca Di Clover. This combination currently tops the leaderboard, going into the final round at CoilÓg Equestrian.

Slotting into fourth place was junior rider Eoin Brennan and Limestone Briarhill Lui, when they galloped home in a time of 29.70. Bred by Anne Coyne and owned by Tim Brennan, the 11-year-old mare is by Kings Cornet, and out of the Luidam-sired mare Briarhill Cruise. This combination is no stranger to this level, having delivered results last year at Grand Prix level.

A fraction of a second divided the next placing, as Seamus Hughes Kennedy and Echonix came home in a time of 29.84. The combination took the runner-up spot in the round at Barnadown the previous weekend. Owned and bred by Brendan McSorley, the 10-year-old stallion is by Aganix Du Seigneur and is out of the Clover Echo-sired dam, Echo Peach.

Completing the top six was Francis Connors and Carrigshawn Vendi Royal, when they stopped the clock in a time 30.37. Owned by Francis, Jenny and Kate Connors, the nine-year-old mare was bred by John Warner and is by Dondoctro Ryal K and is out of Carrigshawn Vendi. This mare has already shown great scope, finishing second in the Plusvital 1.55m/1.60m Grand Prix in the Irish Breeders Classic in September 2023 and third in the Autumn Grand Prix in Wexford. They also claimed fourth place in the opening round of the tour in Jag Equestrian.

1.30m

It was another good outing for Galway rider Sven Hadley, as he led the victory lap in the 1.30m (including the seven-year-old Hibernian Young Horse League), when he delivered a clear with the seven-year-old Make It Easy, in 35.51. Annabel Shields jumped clear aboard Jessy Van De Heide in a time of 35.6, which saw her secure second place. Shane Dalton and the eight-year-old Drimoleague (ISH) accounted for third place, when clear in 37.06, ahead of Robert Splaine and the seven-year-old Coolcorron Lone Ranger, clear in 37.36. Daren Hopkins didn’t hang around with the Ballywalter Stables-owned seven-year-old, Elite Della Caccia, delivering a clear in a time of 40.04 for fifth place. Young rider Katie Power and the seven-year-old Starfield Brighteye, took sixth place, when they put in a foot-perfect round in a time of 40.16.

1.20m

Sven Hadley was back in the ribbons, claiming victory in the 1.20m Munster Spring Tour (including the six-year-old Hibernian Young Horse League). Riding Topspin, he was fastest of the clears in a time of 31.98. Not content with the win, the Galway rider also took fifth place with the seven-year-old Make It Easy HSH, when they came home clear in 36.37. Junior rider Bríd Ryan occupied second and third places in this line-up. She delivered her best result with Drombane Foxy Lady, clear in 33.05 and a clear with six-year-old GCS Jasmine in a time of 36.10. Completing the top six was Evan Burke and Trendy Caruso, clear in 36.41.

1.10m

Winner of the 1.10m Munster Spring Tour (including the four-year-old Hibernian Young Horse League) was amateur rider Lorraine Yonge (AA) and her reliable Belfieldflight, when they came home in a time of 28.72 seconds.

Fellow amateur rider Gary Flynn (AA) was fractions of a second behind aboard Argento Cruise, when they delivered a clear in 29.18. Third place was also filled by an amateur rider, as Caroline Ryan (AA) partnered the eight-year-old Killerisk Conor to a clear in 32.53. Amateur rider, Lisa Hitchmough (AA) accounted for eventual fourth with her own Manija, when clear in 32.61, while in fifth place was Olive Clarke and Oilean Honey, clear in 32.85. Junior rider Matilde Hughes Bravo took sixth place with Miss Belgium 111, when they kept all the poles in place in a time of 32.96.