Gerard Clarke took the winner’s prize in the twelfth round of the Horse Sport Ireland/Connolly's RED MILLS Spring Tour at Barnadown with the eleven year old stallion Woudprins, to complete a hat-trick for the Meath rider who has now won the early season Spring Tour at the Co Wexford venue for three years in a row.

A huge field of 80 horses and riders lined out in the first round and some clever course building from Tom Holden saw the group narrowed down to 16 for the jump-off, with Clarke and the skewbald stallion Woudprins (Ico Sun x Notaris), coming out on top despite having an early draw in round two, as Gerard Clarke explained afterwards, 

“We were second to go against the clock and thankfully we held on for the win. The course builder did a very good job, the track was very jumpable. It wasn’t the biggest round of the league so far but there were plenty of related distances. Woudprins is owned by Eugene Hanratty from Crosmaglen and he hasn’t done a lot of shows at this level and I am delighted to win at Barnadown for the third year in a row”.

Barnadown Showjumping sponsored the competition with €2,500 on offer and at the finish, Gerard Clarke and Woudprins clear round in 42.07 seconds, was over a second quicker than their nearest challenger, former Irish national Champion Eddie Moloney, who finished runner up with John McDonald’s Chatsworth Dan, (Furisto Dan x Diamond Serpent) after they stopped the clock clear in 43.27 seconds.

Daniel Coyle Moves Back To Top Of Table

Daniel Coyle made the long trip from Derry to Barnadown extremely worthwhile, when he took third place with Zuidam (Guidam x Indoctro) and in the process moved back to the top of the HSI/Connolly’s RED MILLS Spring Tour league table, as he searches for his third tour title in a row.

Francis Connors was making his second appearance of the season at Barnadown having previously lined out at Ballinamona and the Waterford rider will be happy with the early season form of Hilda Anthony’s Uskerty Diamond Lady, (Carrick Diamond Lad x Young Barnaby) taking fourth place on this occasion.

Co Down’s Sophie Dalm slotted into fifth place with Unique (Concorde x Burggraaf), just ahead of Corinne Hyde and Echri (Ard Vdl Douglas x First Consul) in sixth.

With just three rounds of the H.S.I/Connolly's RED MILLS Spring Tour remaining, following the cancelation of the Clare Equestrian leg of the series, Daniel Coyle now holds a six point advantage at the top of the table over Galway’s Thomas O Brien in second, while Conor McEneaney remains in third.

The Horse Sport Ireland/Connollys RED MILLS Spring Tour, which is also supported by the Show Jumpers Club, ShowjumpingIreland, Castlefield Sport Horses, Thermatex, Platinum by Harry Dabbs, Darragh Equestrian Solutions, and Jumpinaction.net, now moves to Mullingar Equestrian Centre for the 13th round of the series on Saturday 12th of April.

HSI/ Connolly's RED MILLS Spring Tour  - Top Six following round 12 at Barnadown

Daniel Coyle            58 Points

Thomas O'Brien       52 

Conor Mc Eneaney  37 

Liam O'Meara          29

James Hogg            27

Peter Smyth           18

Result - H.S.I/Connolly's RED MILLS Spring Tour – Barnadown Co Wexford, Sunday 06/04/2014 - Sponsored by Barnadown Showjumping

1st  Gerard Clarke/Woudprins 0/0 42.07 

2nd Eddie Moloney/Chatsworth Dan 0/0 43.27

3rd  Daniel Coyle/Zuidam 0/0 44.38

4th  Francis Connors/Uskerty Diamond Lady 0/0 47.85

5th  Sophie Dalm/Unique 0/0 48.92

6th  Corinne Hyde/Echri 0/0 53.52

7th  Joan Green/Biscaya D'Eversem 0/0 60.48

8th  Tholm Keane/Warrenstown You 2 0/4 42.72

9th  Neal Fearon/Camillo VDL 0/4 43.27

10th Eddie Moloney/Pashmina K 0/4 44.32 

80 Starters 

16 Into Jump-off 

Winning Owner - Eugene Hanratty

Highest Placed Young Rider - Daniel Coyle

Best Turned Out - Quiberon D (Lucinda Roche)