As The Equestrian Store sponsored Pony Premier starts to gather momentum the second leg was held at the picturesque Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre courtesy of the Reape family. As always the welcome was generous and no stone had been left unturned.
This was also the first of the two trial weekends used by Horse Sport Ireland to select their prospective team members for the Europeans being held in Sweden during the RDS, so it was fitting that the Swedish course designer Peter Lungstrom was in charge of the main arena throughout.
Unfortunately, Sunday dawned with strong winds and torrential rain but never the less the arena offered perfect conditions all day and the crowds were able to witness top class jumping from the luxury of the stilted restaurant and sheltered balcony.
The Under 10 Pony Premier started sharp at 9.00am and saw a field of twenty six produce fifteen first round clears and a further eight in the second round. With only one combination picking up four faults in the jump off the action was tense as the youngest of athletes showed just how it should be done where only the clock could determine the placings.
The McEntee family from Dromore in Co.Down had good reason to celebrate as youngest family member Katie won the Und 10 Premier on home soil with ‘Super Sonic’ stopping the clock in 26.04 as her elder sister Emma was a member of the Silver winning nations cup team in Deauville when riding the Vina Buller owned ‘Miss Tonic’, this pair also winning the 1.15 Grand Prix on the final day. Second place in the Under 10 Premier and only marginally slower was Co Galway native Kian Dore on ‘PARC Pixie’ as he broke the beam in 26.68 with Ennis athlete Coen William and ‘Castlequarter Hero’ finishing in third in 27.01. Williams leads this league at this early stage on 17 points ahead of Dore (15) and Tom Wachman whose sixth place finish on Headmore Little Lightening gave him enough points to tie for third with McEntee both on 12 points.
The Ulster region continued to dominate as Ellie Rose Cassidy and ‘Little Ceaser’ came out on top in the 128 division when jumping the only treble clear out of twenty two starters, her time of 35.07 being only a formality. In fact four of the top six had all made the trip from north of the border with Natasha Kerr and ‘The Nut Cracker’ finishing in third 0/0/4 28.38, John McEntee fourth on ‘Star Spangled Banner’ 0/0/4 30.75 and Alex Finney ‘Ballyknock Master Roan’ fifth 0/0/4 32.16. Francis Derwin took runner up points with ‘Essenar Jinja Ninja’ 0/0/4 28.18, this maintaining his lead at the top of the table with 18 points. Cassidy and McEntee share second place with 13 points suggesting that this is going to be a very exciting league right to the end.
From a start list of nineteen Wexford native Harry Allen continued to dominate as he won his second Pony Premier with ‘Fountain Ranger’ finishing on a zero score in 33.11 and bringing his points tally up to 20. Taking second, also with a zero score, was Ballinasloe girl Kate Derwin, this pair only slightly slower in 34.92, they maintain their second place on the leader board with 16 points. Third place on the day went to Leah Stack as she brought Felicity Deakin's owned ‘Shaman Sundance’ home on a clean sheet in 36.32 with Charlotte Houston picking up points for fourth with ‘Woodfield Superstar’ 0/0/0 37.36. Houston maintains third place on the leader board with 12 points.
In the 148 division there were double stakes to play for as the first round score counted towards the trials for those who had jumped all weekend. Thirty seven combinations started over a technical but fair track which included an open water, rarely used in Ireland but very educational. Patrick Hickey was the man in form as he steered ‘Wischin Chin M’ to victory in this class as he jumped clear all the way in 37.40 narrowly defeating Abbie Sweetnam and ‘Dynamite Spartacus’ also on a zero score their time of 39.30. This pair were the only two to complete having not touched a pole. Michael Pender picked up third place points as he finished on a total of four faults in 34.31 when riding Louise Quin’s ‘Zirina’ with Robbie Clancy and ‘Bertie Brown’ taking fourth in 35.31 also with four faults.
There are now five athletes sharing the top of this leader board, all on 10 points – Jack Ryan, Patrick Hickey, Conor McMahon, Robbie Clancy and Michael Pender so the next leg at Barnadown which is also the second trial will be tense.
Photo by Monica Flanagan Photography. Copyright monicaflanagan.com2015. All rights reserved.