THE third round of the Horse Sport Ireland jumping development series saw riders travel to Warrington in Kilkenny last Tuesday where, over the three divisions, a healthy 140 entries were recorded.

In the four-year-old section, 43 combinations went to post where 25 delivered clear rounds. Taking the win was Kildare’s Nicola FitzGibbon and Donatello. Owned by Gareth Nethercote and bred by George McCullough, the gelding is by Carisma out of Beach Lady (Beach Ball).

Not content with the win, FitzGibbon earned more of the €2,500 prize money on offer when finishing sixth with Mark Bolger and Aurore Vernois’ mare One Day Maybe. Bred by Patrick Hogan, she is by Bentley Van De Heffinck out of the Kannan sired Kannan Queen.

Taking the runner-up spot was Paul Burns who was riding his own and Karen O’Sullivan’s Belle Lake Sunrise. Bred by O’Sullivan, the gelding is by Corfilio T out of Rocklands Blue Brigade (Clover Brigade).

Slotting into third place was Zoe Connolly and her own Brockagh Field Cailin (Dakar VDL x Warrenstown WE 3), bred by John J Cummins. Sara Pothmann Cullen and the Padraig Howley-bred True Detective (Sligo Candy Boy x Harlequin du Carel), owned by Elena Pothmann, took fourth place, while fifth was filled by Kelly Hutchinson and her own HSH Tangerine. Bred by Peter Leonard, this gelding is by Hype out of Ringwood Popsey (Stormhill Miller).

Magic for Hopkins

The five/six-year-old division attracted the biggest entry with 69 combinations battling it out and 42 of those produced double clear rounds. Winner of this division was Daren Hopkins when he partnered the Ballywalter Stables-owned Magic Girl to a clear in 28.16. The five-year-old mare is by Malibu TN out of the Padinus-sired A Lucky Girl.

No stranger to success in the young horse classes, Tracy Walshe guided her own home-bred six-year-old mare Ballinaguilkey Fusion Exchange (Tullabeg Fusion x OBOS Quality) to a clear in 28.41 for second place.

Liam O’ Meara took third place with the Patrick Connolly-bred six-year-old mare CSF Day Dreamer (Mylord Carthago x Cavalier Royale), owned by Helen Sheridan, when clear in 28.56, ahead of Tholm Keane in fourth with Maurice Griffin’s home-bred five-year-old Miss Lakiha (Tyson x Pacino), clear in 28.56. Nicola FitzGibbon was back in the ribbons, this time taking fifth with Langara Ventures’ Gracefield Apollo (Luidam x Coriall), clear in 28.71.

Resident rider Eddie Moloney delivered a clear with Ellie Moloney’s home-bred HZ Brogan (Elvis Ter Putte x Ramiro B) in 29.05 for sixth place.

Local win

Local rider Robin Carey took the win in the 28-strong seven/eight-year-old section when he was the fastest of nine double clear rounds with the Adam Carey-owned seven-year-old mare Luicruz in a time of 28.99. by Luidam, Luicruz was bred by Sean Fahy out of the Puissance mare All Cruz.

Paul Beecher took the runner-up spot with SVS Sensation (Emerald van’t Ruytershof x Vincenzo, when clear in 30.08. SVS Sensation is owned by Pau’s wife Seryna Van Kuelen and bred by Brian Hutchinson.

In third place was Julieann Gaffney with Aisling Byrne’s Supreme Action (Action Breaker x Nevardo), clear in 31.19. Slotting into fourth place was Gemma Phelan with her own eight-year-old Beechfields Billy Barnwell (Billy Mexico x Vechta), clear in 32.03.

Fifth place belonged to Tadhg Beecher and Loughnatousa Olaf (7yo), clear in 32.66, while in sixth place was Linda Murphy and with Susan Fitzpatrick’s Castle Howard MRF Tiffin (7yo).