ANNABEL Shields and her own mare Creevagh Carisma were named TRM/Show Jumpers Club Spring Tour Champions at the final round in CoilÓg Equestrian Centre last Sunday.
Held over 14 rounds, starting in February and finishing in April, the league is the first opportunity of the year for Irish riders to compete at 1.35m National Grand Prix after the winter break.
Briton Shields, who has based some of her horses at Sven Hadley’s yard for the past few months, travelled back and forth to compete in the league, and the commute has proved worthwhile.
She guided Creevagh Carisma to three wins: taking the top spot in the first round at JAG in February, Wexford at the start of March and then again, just two weeks later, in Killossery Lodge.
The duo also recorded third place on St Patrick’s Day in Warrington, as well as a fourth in Mullingar and then another third place at the final round in CoilÓg.
By Camino de Haar Z out of Creevagh Duca di Clover, Creevagh Carisma was bred by the late Ronnie Hollinger and has been a great servant to Shields, earning her numerous wins and placings at international level.
As the TRM/ Show Jumpers Club Spring Tour Champion of 2024, Shields pocketed the top prize of €3,000.
Gary Dooley emerged as the leading junior/young rider, following a duo of wins aboard CSF Olympic Jewel.
Seventeen-year-old Dooley won the second round of the TRM Show Jumpers Club Spring Tour in Broadmeadows in February and then won the next round in Cavan one week later.
Owned by the rider’s father Declan, she was bred by Brian Connolly and is by My Lord Carthago, out of Olympic Clover, by Clover Hill.
Niamh O’Connor Barry was named Leading Pro-Am Rider, having earned runner-up spots in the rounds at Killossery and Broadmeadows with her own nine-year-old gelding Drumiller Vegas, by Cardento out of Meabhs Clover, by Rockhill Clover, which was bred by Paul Dillon.
Round winner
Sven Hadley and his own mare Uidam captured the final round of the TRM/Show Jumpers Club Spring Tour 2024 in CoilÓg last Sunday.
A total of 32 combinations lined out for the final, which offered a prize fund of €3,000.
Sven Hadley Uidam, winners of the final leg of the TRM/ Show Jumpers Club Spring Tour at Coilóg \ Rolf Stenberg jumpinaction.net
Just 11 managed to answer all the questions, posed by course designer Tom Holden, in the first round correctly to progress to the jump-off.
Hadley proved fastest of these with Uidam. By Luidam out of Miss Mac Car, by Cavalier Royale, she was bred by Padraig Howley.
The pair posted a time of 40.35 as first to go in the timed decider, and left it up to the remaining 10 to try to catch him.
Young rider Max Foley came closest riding the Bravo/Hughes-owned and bred Catwalk (Cit Cat x Clover Echo). They left all the fences up, stopping the clock at 42.27 for the runner-up spot.
Runners-up at the Spring Tour round in Cavan in February and third placed in Barnadown, Derek McConnell and Sorcha Hennessy’s Inlaws Manolo (Corland x Lord Z) broke the finish beams at 43.46 to secure third.
Helen Sheridan’s Big Dan du Rouet (Querlybet Hero x Harlequin Du Carel) bred by Michael Ryan, slotted into fourth in 45.88.
Ethen Ahearne and Dermot Walsh’s eight-year-old LVS Goldrush (Stakkato Gold x Stakkato) took fifth, as the fastest four-faulters in 41.38.
Young rider Matthew Farrell and LKD Mini Q (O.B.O.S. Quality 004 x Aldatus Z) completed the line up in sixth.
1.30m Two Phase
Coolcorron Lone Ranger was the winner of the 1.30m Two Phase Special, which incorporated the seven-year-old final for the Hibernia Sport Horses League.
Bred, owned and ridden by Robert Splaine, the seven-year-old stallion is by Tyson out of Jokers Bell C, by Slyguff Joker.
The pair were one of just 14 double clears from a starting field of 37, and recorded a second round time of 36.05 for the win.
Hadley Sporthorses’ 10-year-old German-bred mare, Canchouette PS (Cantolar x Champions For Pleasure) was ridden into second place by Evan Burke in 36.41.
Third went to Patrick Byrne aboard his own mare Oughterard Diva (Puissance x Cruising) in 36.69.
Gillian Bond and her own eight-year-old Kilmountain Saphira (KMS Chicago x Womanizer), bred by Marie Hennessy, were fourth in 39.89, while Junior Jack Murphy and Valerie O’Reilly’s MHS Oklahoma (Kannan x Mister Blue), bred by Michael Brennan, took fifth.
Sixth went to young rider Max Foley riding Bravo Hughes’ seven-year-old HHS Sir Loui (Luidam x VDL Arnaskas), bred by Michael Keane.
1.20m Two Phase
GCS Jasmine, owned by Eugene Ryan and ridden by junior Brid Ryan, won the 1.20m Two Phase Special incorporating the six-year-old final of the Hibernia Sport Horses league.
By Cardento, out of MHS Revolver, by Plot Blue, she was bred by Olivia Brennan and was one of 16 double clear rounds from 49 starters, crossing the finish line at 29.96.
Young rider Caelinn McCabe and her own Kuda (Luidam x Ard VDL Douglas), bred by Mr Wright and Norris, finished in second place, when they stopped the clock at 30.20.
Third place went to Martina Romagnoli’s Italian-bred mare Alandia S (Cormint x Corrado II), with Sacha Larrive Petit in the saddle in 31.66.
Alannah O’Donoghue rode Fairy Fort (Soolmoy Clover Man x O.B.O.S. Quality 004), bred by Joe Bolger, into fourth in 31.88.
Fifth went to Cathal Daniels riding his own seven-year-old Ardragh Lucky Lass (Sligo Candy Boy x Guidam), bred by Oliver Ward, while sixth was Beech Hill Tayla Blue (Bonmahon Master Blue x Temple Clover), ridden by Mark Tracy.
SHARING OPTIONS: