A TOTAL of 24 combinations qualified for the Spillers six/seven-year-old Championship at Balmoral Show last Wednesday with just 21 taking up the challenge on the day.

Following a great season in 2022 and a super start to the year in Florida, where he rode for international rider Darragh Kenny, Athlone junior rider Francis Derwin Jnr landed the championship win.

Some 11 of the starting 21 produced a first round clear and, riding the Carol Gee-owned Leonardo, Derwin delivered the winning round in 34.82, fastest of eight clears. The seven-year-old KWPN gelding was bred by A De Bont by I’m Special De Muze out of the Voltaire mare Wulfin.

Olympic event rider Clare Abbott opted for a slightly more careful approach with the Sarah Riley-owned seven-year-old Caltra Classic and it paid off as they came home clear in 37.61. By Sligo Candy Boy and bred by Seamus Cawley, the bay mare is out of the Cult Hero dam Caltra Whiskey.

Jonathan Smyth and seven-year-old gelding Mr Kannan Ball were only a fraction of a second behind, clocking 37.67 for third place. Owned by Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig, the chesnut gelding is by Kannan out of the Beach Ball mare Amber Beach.

The highest placed six-year-old in fourth was Harry Marshall’s home-bred mare Lemonade, ridden by his daughter-in-law Savannah Marshall. The mare by Andiamo de Semilly who is out of Killyglass Georgia (Indoctro) broke the beams in 37.82.

Francis Derwin Jnr returned to the line-up to take fifth place with his father Francis Derwin’s six-year-old mare MMG Candy Lady (Sligo Candy Boy x Lord Z) in a time of 38.23.

Derwin was chased home by Carl Webb with JJS Ice Flo, clocking 38.27 for sixth place. Bred by Kevin Meagher and owned by Bravo Hughes Ltd, the mare is by Iceman De Muze out of HHS Go With The Flo (Cyrano 145).