THE hosts, and their near neighbours Castle Leslie, recorded a double apiece at the Border Counties Riding Club Derby Day, staged at the Cloncaw Equestrian Centre, Glaslough, last Sunday.

The two Border Counties members won on the same mare, Flowers By Echo. Kim Farrell partnered the 15-year-old to win the newcomers’ 60cm class with the sole clear round, while the grey’s owner, David Carvill, was on board in the RC80 open.

Here, where there was an optimum time of 2m 09secs, Carvill and Flowers By Echo were home clear in 2:02.12 (-6.88), while their nearest challengers, the Boyneside combination of Amy Kiernan and Hilltop Dream Girl, also left all the fences intact, but in 2:17.27, which was 8.27 seconds over the optimum.

Grainne McMahon struck first for Castle Leslie, when recording the fastest clear (1:52.32) in the RC90 open on club chairperson Ann Bowe’s Little Breege, who is evented at EI100 (Amateur) level by her owner/breeder as Festy Breeze. The 19-year-old traditional Irish Sport Horse mare by Ashfield Festy is out of Bonny Wee Lass (by Standard Bearer).

Border Counties’ Colleen Moffett, the main photographer behind the camera at Contrast Captured, finished second with her 14-year-old skewbald gelding, Paw Prince, having gone clear in 1:53.66.

The Castle Leslie double came up in the RC100 open through club safety officer Louise Flynn, who was clear on the ISH mare Miss Arkansas, a 20-year-old VDL Arkansas bay, while her sole opponent, Derryledigan chairman Enda Smyth, picked up nine faults on Princess.

Megan Smyth and Lux like Marble of Derryledigan RC won the RC70 open class at the Border Counties RD Derby Day

The club order was reversed in the RC70 open, where the optimum time was set at 2:29. Here, Derryledigan’s Megan Smyth claimed the honours when clear in 2:32.8 with the ISH gelding Lux Like Marble, a 12-year-old Olympic Lux bay, while Castle Leslie’s Paul Lynch likewise went clear on Troy (2:11.22).

Action in the North East Region of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs continues further south tomorrow at the National Horse Sport Arena, Blanchardstown, where the Castle Hill club is running a full programme of dressage, showing and working hunter classes.

The focus of attention for AIRC members on Sunday next, July 21st, will be centred on the Mullingar Equestrian Centre, venue for the Connolly’s Red Mills/AIRC national show jumping championships. Entries closed on Wednesday for these championships for which there are no qualification criteria. Eleven classes were advertised – two at RC70, RC80, RC90, RC100 and RC110/RC120 levels plus a young horse class (90cm).