HEADFORT and Mosstown, two clubs in the Midlands Region, were represented by a title winner apiece at last Sunday’s Connolly’s Red Mills/Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ national show jumping championships at the Mullingar Equestrian Centre.

Headfort’s Kim McInerney struck in the very competitive RC100 Championship, where six combinations from 33 starters got through to the jump-off, having earlier recorded double clears. Against the clock, three riders picked up four faults, while Corrib’s Marie Claire Rogers was clear in 57.13 on Erin m2S.

Rathangan’s Sarah Kelly Drake posted an excellent clear in 56.69 with Wilhelmina Q, on whom she has won two EI100 (Amateur) classes this season from four starts. However, she and the Castlecomer Q nine-year-old had to settle for second behind McInerney who, riding her Irish Sport Horse mare Dicksgrove Bellatrix, an 11-year-old grey by Harlequin du Carel, stopped the clock on 56.68.

McInerney, a software project manager in finance, has been riding Dicksgrove Bellatrix since 2019 and joined Headfort two years later. “I bought Belle from the Fives family in Munster and still keep in touch with them. I had luck on my side on Sunday as, while it was raining on and off during the day, it stayed dry for my three rounds. I compete as an ‘A’ amateur with Show Jumping Ireland and hope to move up soon to 1.10m level. My end-of-season target is the Winter Festival in Cavan.

“I get individual coaching from Billie Jean O’Neill, who is based in Trim. She has been a big help in getting Belle settled, as she gets inside the head of a horse like no one I’ve ever met. As a member of Headfort, I also get coaching from Oisín Cooke, who works out of Balrathboyme Stud, where Headfort is based, and supports the club at all regional and national competitions.”

Looking to the future, McInerney is breeding out of the Riverland Roi mare Touch Of Riverview and has retained the mare’s first foal Rutilant du Seigneur, a 2023 colt by HSH Harper du Seigneur.

RC70 championship

Mosstown’s Ria Shaughnessy, who announced her return to national competition in no uncertain terms when recording the only double clear in the RC70 Championship on Drakerath Sky, is another who is now breeding from a former mount. In Shaughnessy’s case, this is the 2009 Castleforbes Lord Lancer mare Castleforbes Valentine, who was covered for the first time this year.

Shaughnessy joined Mosstown 17 years ago, when she moved over from England and put her then ride on livery at David and Robert Harrison’s Mosstown Stables, where the club is based and where she and the other club members are coached by Lesley Fitzgerald.

Having taken time out of the saddle to have three children and, five years ago, a bilateral hip replacement (“one of the best things I’ve ever done”), Ria is slowly returning to competition and, for the past four months, has had the 20-year-old grey mare Drakerath Sky on loan from the Harrisons. They recently won the 70cm Midlands Region show jumping league.

“I’m being particularly nice to my husband Gerry at the moment, in the hope that he’ll buy the mare for me as a birthday present!” said Shaughnessy, whose brother Rhys Bartle came over from England to support her at Mullingar on Sunday. On hand for the day as groom was Ria’s 11-year-old son Michael, who competes with SJI on the 10-year-old dun gelding Mister Worldwide and is targeting next Sunday’s Glencarrig Lady league final at CoilÓg.

“Bringing Michael jumping on Saturdays, leaves Sundays free for me, so it’s all working out quite well at the moment,” said Shaughnessy.