SIX of the 15 riders who competed in the Junior/Young Rider event horse class at the Dublin Horse Show are also competing at the Lisgarvan House International event this weekend, while one, Godfrey Gibbons, has travelled to Poland for the European young riders’ championships.

The half-dozen in Co Carlow include Ciara O’Connor, who won the class at Dublin with Ashwood Iron Lady. O’Connor and the seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, who qualified at Tullylish, held a narrow lead (28.3 marks) on day one, following the presentation phase. Close behind were Ben Cousins with Bonmahon Triomphant (28.2) and Emma Egan with her two rides, Cluain Kingsman (27.7) and My Blue Valentine By Hsh (27.6).

The jumping phase in the Main Arena on Thursday morning proved influential, with Bonmahon Triomphant and Cluain Kingsman dropping out of contention, while clear rounds boosted their rivals’ scores and saw others climb up the standings.

The top five on the final leaderboard jumped clear, with O’Connor’s consistency in all phases seeing the Wexford rider claim the honours with Ashwood Iron Lady (86.3). Egan placed second on My Blue Valentine By Hsh (84.8), Corena Bowe finished third with Patrickswell Sherry (84.7), on whom she had won the older performance Irish Draught class the previous morning, Godfrey Gibbons placed fourth on last year’s runner-up, DS Conn Boy (84.4) and Abby Coakley was fifth with Toome Carrick Jimmy (83.4).

The judges for this class were the British trio of Sarah Bullen, Emilie Chandler and Piggy March. The last-named commented: “This is a brilliant concept and I wish we had something similar at home. Our winner was very well-produced and showed a great attitude. She was very good over the two days while, for some, things didn’t go so well today (in the Main Arena).”

Ashwood Iron Lady, catalogued as being owned by Paul Pringle and the successful rider’s aunt, Sharon O’Connor, was bred by the latter. The brown daughter of Iron Man van de Padenborre is out of the Ramiro B mare Pikeur, whose offspring also include the Dignified van’t Zorgvliet gelding Ashwood Rio who, partnered by Ciara, won the Dubarry Burghley five-year-old qualifier at Millstreet.

O’Connor, who represented Ireland at the European pony eventing championships at Le Mans last year, but has now moved into the Junior ranks, has been enjoying an excellent season to date and looked very much at home in the Main Arena last Thursday week.