YOUNG riders and juniors earned more than their fair share of top-five places on the National show jumping circuit this year and, as a result of their success on home soil, are starting to break through on the international scene.

Northerner Jonathan Smyth could not have asked for a better year, winning both National Show Jumping titles; the GAIN/Alltech National Grand Prix title and the Showjumping Ireland Premier Series.

For the second year in a row, Smyth and Mulvin Lui were crowned National Champions after the four rounds of the Showjumping Ireland Premier Grand Prix Series.

The duo didn’t feature in the first round this year, which took place in Barnadown at the start of May. Sligo’s Kevin Gallagher riding Jessica Stallard’s DHF Lift Off (Harlequin du Carel x Mr Clover) dominated here. Not content with securing the win, Gallagher also took the runner-up spot aboard Greg Broderick’s Baloys PS (Baloubet De Rouet x Centadel).

Gallagher and DHF Lift Off went on to take second place in the next round in Balmoral in July. Mikey Pender won the class riding HHS Catwalk, owned by Bravo Hughes Ltd and bred by Thomas A Hughes, by Cit Cat and out of the Clover Echo sired dam, HHS Clo Jo.

The third round took place in a rainy Tattersalls in July and Susan Fitzpatrick and Miss Paris (Messenger x Paspertina) took first place here. Second went to Dermott Lennon and Millview Cicero.

The final round took place at the Plusvital Horse Championships at Mullingar. Commandant Geoff Curran ensured that the army Equitation School made their mark on the 2023 season when he won here riding Glengarra Wood (Capitalist x Cavalier Forest). Junior Francis Derwin and Flexi K were runners-up.

These combined results meant that Jonathan Smyth and Mulvin Lui had earned 19 league points, closely followed by Kevin Gallagher and DHF Lift Off on 18. In addition to the title and prize money, both combinations earned a place at the internationals at the five-star Dublin Horse Show.

Jonathan Smyth and Mulvin Lui, winners of the Plusvital 1.55m/1.60m Grand Prix at the Irish Breeders Classic at Barnadown in September \ Rolf Stenberg jumpinaction.net

Alltech National Grand Prix League

A win in the final leg of the GAIN Alltech Grand Prix in Mullingar in September saw Smyth and Mulvin Lights Out (Kroongraff x Diamond Serpent) retain their title for the second year in a row. The combination were narrowly trailing Niamh McEvoy and BP Hybernia going into the final, but after the win, Smyth took the title on 37 points, while McEvoy finished as runner-up on 33. Smyth also finished third with his other mount Crystal Graf on 31.

The duo began their campaign with a win in The Meadows in April. One week later, they took third place in Portmore. A second place in Castle Irvine at the end of May was followed by a sixth place in Omagh. A victory at the final round in Mullingar left them on a total of 37 and earned them the title.

Gerard Clarke and Castleforbes Gillian, winners of the HSI Studbook Series seven-year-old class at Galway Equestrian \ Rolf Stenberg jumpinaction.net

HSI Studbook Series

The seven-round HSI Studbook Show Jumping Series 2023 got underway in Galway at the start of May. Gerard Clarke and Castleforbes Gillian won the seven-year-old class, posting a double clear round to demote Monbeg Ruby, ridden by Tomas Doyle, into second place. Shane Moloney took third aboard Galilee Des Flagues, as well as fourth with his other mount HHS Disney.

The second round was in Barnadown, Co Wexford, where Ethen Ahearne took the win with LVS Goldrush H. One of nine combinations to progress to a second round, including last year’s six-year-old winner Brendan Murphy (Shirsheen Calensky). Ahearne had a time to beat of 38.94 seconds, set by the latter; he sliced over a second and a half off to secure the victory.

Cavan Equestrian Centre played host to the third leg, where a victory for Jonathan Smyth and Mr Kannan Ball saw the combination move into second place in the seven-year-old league at the half-way point.

The next round at the Mullingar International Show saw Doyle and Monbeg Ruby extend their lead, taking the win in the seven-year-old division. The pair have earned points at every leg of the league to date.

Tomas Doyle claimed yet another victory at the round in the Cork Summer Show, but this one came aboard the O.B.O.S Quality 004 sired gelding Monbeg Conspiracy.

The penultimate leg of the series moved north to Balmoral on the second weekend of July, where Jonathan Smyth and Mr Kannan Ball topped the podium once again in the seven-year-old class. Claiming second place was Clare Abbott with Caltra Classic, while Kilkenny’s Molly Hughes-Bravo and HHS Tokyo were third.

League leader, Doyle and the homebred Monbeg Ruby continued their run of good form taking fifth place to promote them to the top of the league table on 31 points. Smyth’s win put him into second place on 24 points, ahead of Clarke and Castleforbes Gillian in third with 19, with a single leg of the series remaining.

Husband and wife combination Tomas Doyle and Marti Rudd proved unbeatable in the series final at Tattersalls, Co Meath. Doyle’s sizeable lead over the course of the series and a third-place finish in the final leg saw him finish on 37 points with Monbeg Ruby. Smith finished second with Mr Kannan Ball and Gerard Clarke was third with Castleforbes Gillian.