THE TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour got off to a good start last Sunday at JAG Equestrian, Co Kildare, with junior rider Timmy Brennan claiming the opening victory. Riding GCS Ita, the 18-year-old Kilkenny rider lodged the winning clear in 39.66 seconds.

Speaking after the win, Timmy Brennan said: “It’s fantastic to win our first Grand Prix of the year. My brother, Eoin, won our last one of 2022, also here at JAG Equestrian, so it’s good to see our horses in good form with a big season ahead. GCS Ita is a home-bred out of my dad’s mare MHS Attraction who jumped 1.60m.

“GCS Ita is a dream first horse for me. She’s named after my late grandmother (Ita Brennan) and comes from a very successful line she had for years which has produced many top ones, including Mikey Pender’s current mount HHS Calais. GCS Ita has had a few very nice foals for us by embryo transfer. Her first one won the four-year-olds at the Breeders’ Classic with Vincent Byrne, so hopefully the line will continue producing.

“Eoin finished fourth today on his new horse, Limestone Briarhill Lui, which is a great start for the pair. My eight-year-old mare Diadema Della Caccia also jumped clear today in her first show since September.

“We hope to jump one or two more Spring Tours, then travel to Italy for three weeks. The aim this year for us both is Junior Nations Cups and to jump our first ranking classes. Thank you to JAG Equestrian and TRM for putting on this class today. Hopefully it’s the first of many good days for us this coming year.”

Owned by Tim Brennan and bred by Olivia Brennan, the nine-year-old mare is by OBOS Quality out of MHS Attraction. Last year, among this combination’s good results was being part of the Irish team which finished third in the Opglabbeek Junior Nations Cup.

Chairman of The Showjumpers Club, Ronan Corrigan, said: “It’s great to see good entries for the start of the season. There was a good mixture of horses and riders from younger horse up to the more experienced, and young riders up to seasoned riders.

“Tom Holden set a fair track for the start of the season and the result was clear to see with combinations taking on the course well. JAG has upgraded its facilities and they ran a good show.”

For the opening round, the course was set to a 1.35m and this will remain the case until the round in April which will see the height increase to 1.40m. There was a good mixture of junior and senior riders competing in this round. The junior riders included Tim and Eoin Brennan, Emily Moloney, Cian Byrne and young rider Annelies Loose. In the final line-up, these emerging talented riders filled three of the top six placings.

Good early standard

There was also a good selection of younger horses, with two seven-olds and seven eight-year-olds on the start-list.

The standard was good for the start of the season. A total of 38 combinations took on the Tom Holden-designed course and, from those, 15 proceeded to the timed round, where five double clears were lodged. Six of those in the jump-off just had a single rail down.

Eventing rider Cathal Daniels also remained within the 39-second mark, crossing the line with Cappog Tomy in 39.80 seconds for second place. The 12-year-old gelding was bred by Tommy Reilly and is by Camiro De Haar Z out of Cornacassa Ferro.

Double-handed in the jump-off, Sven Hadley delivered his best result with the eight-year-old Phenomene Bleu VDM, coming home fractions behind in a time of 39.99 for third place. Owned by Euro Horse Axel Verloy, the eight-year-old stallion is by Diamant De Semilly out of the Nabab De Reve-sired Nuance Bleue VDM Z.

It was a good day for the Brennan family as 17-year-old Eoin Brennan answered all the questions with Limestone Briarhill Lui. The junior rider put in a gallant attempt as he came home clear in 40.77 for eventual fourth. JAG has proved to be happy hunting ground for Eoin in the past as he took the win in the Autumn Grand Prix last year aboard Eskola M.

Limestone Briarhill Lui was bred by Anne Coyne and is a 10-year-old mare by Kings Cornet out of the Luidam-sired Briarhill Crusie.

Last of the double clears and slotting into fifth place was young rider Annelies Loose who crossed the line with the Jean Quigley-owned Folly Foot in 43.57. The eight-year-old mare was bred by Eric Lamaze and is by Cornet Obolensky out of the Darco-sired Hot Stuff.

One fence down

Speed merchant against the clock, Sven Hadley proved that the time could be beaten as he stopped the clock in 37.17 aboard Fabuleu Vd Watertoren but it came at a price as he came home with one on the floor for sixth place. Owned by Carroll Produce, the 12-year-old gelding is by Master Blue out of Uchinga Hero. This combination ended their season last year with a series of good results in Lier CSI2*.

He has started his season on the same positive note as he claimed victory in the 1.20m with the Carroll Produce-owned Kabran De Reve Z, clear in 26.12, and took third with the Patricia Grimes-owned Siobhra when he clocked 27.47.