Neal Fearon scored a decisive victory at Barnadown EC in the TRM/Horseware National Grand Prix League with Peig Van Amerongen’s 12-year-old Hanoverian mare Drees Boeken’s Grossos Roeschen.
With the preceding two legs of the league cancelled due to inclement weather conditions, a large field of 62 entered Sunday’s feature class worth €4,000 generously sponsored by Shires.
International course designer Tom Holden’s track yielded only eight clear rounds through to the timed decider. Fearon, drawn early in the jump-off set an unbeatable standard of a fault free round in a time of 37.78 which would prove to be nearly a second clear of nearest rival Francis Connors.
Fearon has already shown good form this season with the Grosso Z-sired mare, a victor in the second leg of the HSI/Connolly’s Redmills Spring Tour at Ravensdale Lodge back in March. The pair have also featured at the three-star show in Lummen last month, winning a 1.35 m class as well as finishing in the runner-up position at 1.40m level.
Waterford based rider Connors had occupied pole position for a short period of time with the 10-year-old Lux Z-sired Hyperion when stopping the clock at 38.45. Connors had taken over the lead from pathfinder Edward Butler.
Butler, the first to take on the shortened and raised course, set the original benchmark of a clear round in a time of 38.57 aboard Rincoola Rua which would hold for the yellow rosette. Harold McGahern’s eight-year-old Diamant de Semilly-sired mare has been a consistent performer for Butler winning the seven-year-old Irish Sporthorse Studbook Showjumping series.
Only two other riders logged double clears on the day. Edward Doyle was the faster with Mullaghdrin Touch The Stars across the line in 39.29 while Rebecca McGoldrick was just wide of this mark with Cuba Libre recording a time of 39.66.
Alexander Butler showcased his speed credentials with Nabab de Reve-sired Vimminka putting in the fastest time of the day, 36.71, but had to settle for sixth position in the line-up when lowering a single pole.
TRM/Horseware National Grand Prix League Barnadown Equestrian 10th May 2015 Result
Sponsored by Shires.
1. Peig Van Amerongen’s Drees Boeken’s Grossos Roeschen (Neal Fearon) 0/0 37.78
2. Bobby Flynn’s Hyperion (Francis Connors) 0/0 38.45
3. Harold McGahern’s Rincoola Rua (Edward Butler) 0/0 38.57
4. Gina Prescott’s Mullaghdrin Touch The Stars (Edward Doyle) 0/0 39.29
5. Debbie McGoldrick’s Cuba Libre (Rebecca McGoldrick) 0/0 39.66
6. Ladycastle Syndicate’s Vimminka (Alexander Butler) 0/4 36.71