THE pressure was on young riders and Children on Horses as they put in their best efforts last Sunday at Barnadown in Co Wexford, in a bid to book their place at the Dublin Horse Show.

In the 1.35/1.40m class, a total of 31 combinations batted it out for the four places on offer in this penultimate round. Winner of the five-year-old horse qualifier at the start of the month, Eoin Brennan was back in the winner’s circle, taking victory with Limestone Briarhill Lui. The pair were one of just four double clears in a time of 36 seconds.

Brennan was chased home by Jack M Murphy and Dinard H, who stopped the clock in a time of 37.35. Junior rider Bríd Ryan also kept the poles in place with Ne Touche Pas Van De Rostal in a time of 38.88 for third place. Last of the double clears in 41.46 and taking eventual fourth was Lauren Murphy and BP Skybound.

1.25m/1.30m

The 1.25/1.30m attracted the largest entry with 94 going to post and, from those, 12 booked their place in the third round. Leading the victory lap was Iseult Fleming and Cristallo Boy, when she kept the poles in their cups in a time of 39.49.

Just over a second separated the next placing, as Ella Clancy and Shooting Star crossed the line with nothing to add in a time of 40.65. Little separated the next placing, as Stephen Gibbons partnered Caroline O’Sullivan’s Coolisheal Lance to a clear in 40.91 for third place. Alice Wachman and Thijssen SR Z maintained a clean sheet in 41.21 for eventual fourth.

1.10m/1.15m

Winner of the 1.10m/1.15m was Michael McGrath, when he was the fastest of 11 triple clears in a competitive 22-way jump-off. Riding six-year-old Abbey Lagans, he galloped home in a time of 35.02 to clinch victory. Katie Nallon and Seamus Heverin’s seven-year-old MVS Celtic Emperor crossed the line in a time of 37.40 for second place.

Anna White accounted for third place with GSA Oscar, when they came home in 37.40, ahead of Gary Dooley and the six-year-old Killard Be Mine (37.50). Junior rider Isabelle Boland was only a split second behind aboard the seven-year-old MBF Maxwill in a time of 37.75 for fifth. Geraldine Tyner slotted into sixth place with the seven-year-old Bonmahon Indigo (38.79).

Children On Horses

Ella Rush took the win in the Children on Horses division, when she partnered her grandparents Noeleen and Francis Kerins’ Beach Buggy to a triple clear in a time of 38.74. Less than a second behind and taking the runner-up place was Alayna Hawkins and Jessica Lee’s Harry Beau Bay, clear in 39.23.

Caoimhe O’Meara also maintained a clean sheet with Croghan Hill Ace in a time of 39.41 for third place. Accounting for eventual fourth was Juliana Duffy and Castlefield Blue when she crossed the line with nothing to add in a time of 41.03. Fifth place belonged to Shaun Farren and the six-year-old Nevada TE (41.24), while in sixth was Brona Keane aboard Tim Beecher’s Loughnatousa Mr Jones (44.63).

Disclaimer: These reports are based on provisional results from SJI Live and places will be confirmed by Showjumping Ireland.