IT was a busy weekend for young riders as they traveled to Hollypark in Limerick in a bid to take one of the young rider titles on offer in the SJI Young Rider Championships.

Following some nail-biting classes, it was Robyn Moran who was crowned the National Young rider champion. The Limerick rider was also crowned the leading 1.40m champion. Claiming the 1.30m title was Alexandra Hourigan, while Stephen Gibbons took the 1.20m title. Molly Taylor was joint 1.10m with Daisy McNamara and Molly was also crowned the Children on Horses Champion.

The action kicked off on Friday morning with the 1.10m Welcome Stakes and taking the opening win was Daisy McNamara and Kilnamac Barbara, when clear in 29.09. In total 51 combinations went to post and from those 25 delivered double clears. McNamara was chased home by Ronya Benson’s Be Good, clear in 30.04. Molly Taylor delivered her first good result with Hard To Beat taking third when they clocked 30.38. Fourth place belonged to Stephen Gibbons and Ballynagran Captains Mate, clear in 30.44, ahead of Jazmine Kerr and All That Jazz in 30.84. Completing the top six was Jack M Murphy and Ballinteskin Gaia in 30.91.

Winner of the 1.20cm Classic was Robyn McOwan aboard the Clare Hughes-owned Zuidam when clear in 33.82. Molly Taylor was back in the line-up taking second with Ventures’s Hard To Beat, clear in 35.22. It was a good day for Clare Hughes as Isobel Hourigan partnered ESI Carvalho to a clear in 35.22 for third place. Stephen Gibbons also featured in this line-up, claiming fourth with Lisa Fylan’s Tubbertelly Bella, clear in 37.21.

Fifth place belonged to Naomi Carr and Blakeneys Star when they came home clear in 39.44, while in sixth was Sarah Moore and GSS Mircino, clear in 40.33.

The 1.30m saw 30 combinations going to post and 14 delivered double clears. The fastest of those and claiming this win was Alexandra Hourigan and Fernanda 22 in a time of 33.39. It was a good weekend for Alexandra Hourigan as she took the win in the 1.30m Jump Off class the following day aboard Cuffesgrange Caballus when she delivered a foot perfect round in 34.95.

Sarah Fitzgerald followed closely behind HHS Lou, stopping the clock in a time of 33.44. Robyn Moran slotted into third with Cushlas Fryday, when she was fractions behind in 34.80. Coen Williams also wasted no time with Benny Lee`s Castlelawn Diamond Junior, coming through the beams in a time of 35.07. Isobel Hourigan was back in the line-up with ESI Carvalho, taking fifth when clear in 35.82, ahead of Robyn Moran and Fortside Fortside Clever Candy in 35.87.

Just 15 combinations took on the 1.40m class and leading the victory lap was Rhys Williams and the Jonathan Flynn’s Dodarde E Z, when they delivered a clear in 73.57. Robyn Moran added to her points tally when she took runner-up with Cushlas Fryday, delivering a clear in 74.13. Also adding points to her tally was Alexandra Hourigan and Cuffesgrange Caballus, clear in 75.46, while in fourth was European Team Champion, Rhys Williams and Cowboy Balou, clear in 75.65. Coen Williams and CNF Dynamite also featured in the line-up, filling fifth place, clear in 80.33, ahead of Annie Courtney-Cadam and LCC Bond, clear in 85.35.

Leading the 1.15 m victory lap was Children on Horses rider Alanna Keeling aboard the Marion Hughes owned HHS Blue Moon when she delivered a blistering clear in 33.86. Daisy McNamara returned to take the runner-up spot with Kilnamac Barbara, clear in 34.56, while in third was Siobhan Davern Hayes and Newmills Redemption, clear in 38.59. Robyn Moran picked up another prize as she partnered Fortside Bonnaroo to a clear in 45.17, ahead of Lily O’Dea and CSF Mcgregor who was fastest of the four-faulters in 44.44. Completing the top six was Naomi Carr and Nicole VDV, who also had one on the ground in a time of 45.93 seconds.

The winner of the one-metre was Robyn Moran and Fortside Trend, clear in 35.26. This pair were back in the ribbons the following day, claiming the win in the 1.10m two-phase special. The runner-up place belonged to Alanna Keeling and HHS Blue Moon, clear in 36.49. Slotting into third was Robyn Heraty and Ballymolloy Brie, clear in 38.09, while in fourth was Oliver O’Connor and Ballynoe Carnival Girl, clear in 38.61. Slotting into fifth place was Emily Crawford and LGS Safari, clear in 41.39, ahead of Lily O’Dea and CSF Four Seasons, clear in 43.58.

The winner of the 90cm class when clear in 36.61 was Erin Vivian and Ramiro Be Classe, clear in 36.61. This combination went on to take the 90cm class on Saturday when they put in another faultless performance in 37.30. Fionnghuala Benson emerged victorious in the Accumulator class with Chatsworth Danielle coming home in 48.16.

Saturday Championships

The first of the championships to be contested was the 1.10m with 46 combinations battling it out.

Taking the win was Alanna Keeling aboard HHS Blue Moon, when she was fastest of nine double clears in 30.35. Molly Taylor and Hard To Beat were fractions behind in 31.19, while in third was Jazmine Arthur and All That Jazz, in 31.51. Jack M Murphy slotted into fourth with Ballinteskin Gaia, in 31.69, ahead of Daisy McNamara and Kilnamac Barbara in 34.21, while in sixth was Rachel Scanlon and Lexus Quality, clear in 34.67.

Leading the victory lap in the 1.20cm Championship was Olivia Shanahan and Cooleyhill Bonzo C when she was fastest of the six double clears in 31.87. European gold medallist Seamus Hughes Kennedy partnered Ciara Kearney’s seven-year-old Curra Ferro to a clear in 33.03, for second, while in third place was Stephen Gibbons and Ceide Candy Heart in 33.54.

Isobel Hourigan and ESI Carvalho slotted into fourth place, when they stopped the clock in 33.65, ahead of Naomi Carr and Blakeney’s Star in 34.87. A clear from Sean Gormally and Miss Stella in 36.63 saw her take sixth place.

The 1.40m Championship saw 27 combinations go to post and from those just two double clears were delivered. Taking the win when they delivered a blistering round in 30.77 were Coen Williams and Elsandro Du Bois. The other double clear came courtesy of Lila Bremner and ES Coco Kan in 39.13. Sarah Fitzgerarld was fastest of the four faullters in 34.44 aboard HHS Lou, while in fourth was Robyn Moran and Cushlas Fryday also on four faults in 34.88. Slotting into fifth was Gary Dooley and CSF Olympic Jewel, four faults in 37.84, while Robyn Moran returned to the line-up to take sixth with Fortside Clever Candy, four faults in 41.03 seconds.

Leading the victory lap in the one-metre Championship was Roisin Kavanagh and the six-year-old Galaxy Diamond, clear in 32.94. The winner was chased home by Robyn O’Neill and Return to Sender who stopped the clock, clear in 33.12. Matilde Hughes Bravo and Miss Belgium III slotted into third when clear in 34.61. This combination later went on to claim the 1.10m Table A speed class. Fourth place belonged to Seamus Hennessy and Tinkas Lad, clear in 35.57. Slotting into fifth was Sarah Foley and J’aime van Het Beetjen, clear in 36.09, while in sixth was Ava Daly and Freedom Van’t Heike, clear in 36.62.