JOHN Floody scored the perfect double at Cavan Equestrian Centre last weekend, winning both 1.35m feature classes on Saturday and Sunday at the popular venue.

Large entries and a full schedule made for competitive classes on both days of the show. On Saturday almost 100 combinations lined out for the Grand Prix class which offered a €2,000 prize fund.

Some 45 riders produced a clear first round to progress to the timed decider. Floody proved fastest of these aboard Clare Craig’s nine-year-old gelding HTS Carnanbreagha. By Sir Shutterfly out of Ballybunion Aldatus, by Aldatus Z he was bred by Brian Kieran and Floody has been riding him since he was a four-year-old.

The pair has accumulated a large amount of wins and placings at 1.35m and 1.40m over the past two years and their consistency shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.

They posted a very fast time of 25.54 in the jump-off to secure the top spot, knocking Lt James Whyte and the Minister For Defence’s mare Seapatrick (Iroko x Master Imp) into second place in 26.83.

Floody also managed to take third place aboard his other mount, Kevin Thompson and Geralyn Thompson’s gelding Donevan Erkindale (Unaniem x Faust) in 27.27. Seamus Hughes Kennedy and Clare Hughes’ eight-year-old mare Castlefield Hera finished fourth in 27.50.

Fifth place went to Nicole Kershaw riding Keonan Stables Ltd’s mare Clovalent (Valent x Cruising), while Katie Nallon and Bally Fair Deal were sixth.

Double

Sunday’s 1.35m class saw a much reduced start list of just 44 combination line out for the Stuart Clarke-designed track.

A total of 15 managed to leave all the fences intact in round one to progress to the jump-off. Of these, nine kept a clean sheet, five had a single fence down for four faults, and one collected eight faults.

Floody, riding his third placed mount from the previous day, Donevan Erkindale, took the win when breaking the finish beams in a time of 37.18.

Katie Nallon guided Judy Murphy’s gelding Javas True Colours (Luidam x Courage 2) to the runner-up spot in 37.92.

Seamus Hughes Kennedy and Castlefield Hera finished third in 38.47, while Catherine Thornton and the eight-year-old Coachella (Ustinov x Cruising) took fourth in 40.22.

Keith Ennis’ Belgian-bred gelding Olympic GL FVD (Galisco Van Paemel x Bengale) was fifth with Elaine O’Neill in the saddle, while Seamus Hennessy and King Louie AE (Locarno 62 x Baloubet du Rouet) completed the line up in sixth.

Good win for McMunn

Cian McMunn and Captain Marko won a competitive 1.30m two-phase on Sunday afternoon in Cavan. Sponsored by Hampton Lodge Equestrian, the class attracted 59 starters. Of these, 41 produced a clear first round.

Some 26 maintained a clean sheet through round two and 13-year-old McMunn was the fastest in 23.48. The teenager has been riding Captain Marko since the spring and the pair competed for Ireland at the Children on Horses European Championships in Spain last July. Captain Marko is owned by Breda McMunn and is by Captain Clover out of White Kannan, by Kannan.

Sven Hadley guided Patricia Grimes’ Siobhra (Lux Z x Clover Hill) to the runner-up place, just the smallest fraction behind the winner in 23.49. Third place went to Junior Taylor Peare riding Lissegan Geoffrey (Hermes De Reve x Captain Clover) in 23.59.

Ted Fagan rode Ballycarrick Lass (Ars Vivendi x Olympic Lux) into fourth, while Paddy Reape and Creevagh Special (Camiro De Haar Z x Harlequin Du Carel) were fifth. The Dutch-bred Fiske (Cardento x Golden Grannus), ridden by JP Meegan, finished in sixth.