Young rider Noelle Barry took her first victory in the senior divisions when triumphing in the sixth leg of the Gain/ Alltech Autumn Grand Prix League. Partnering Norway Venture, Barry led the pack as first to go in an eight-horse decider clinching the win in Sunday’s €3,000 feature class at Cavan EC, kindly sponsored by the venue.

Barry said, “It was a testing course, quite technical. I was first to go in the jump-off so I was quite conscious of staying clear so I gave myself a bit of room back to the double but tried to keep as tight as I could everywhere else.”

Barry’s tactics paid off when the Co. Clare based rider came home in a time of 36.27 seconds with all the fences intact which proved to be a target that would unbeatable.

By Aldatus Z out of a Coevers Diamond Boy dam, Yvonne Meaney’s Norway Venture has been a consistent performer for Barry since their first pairing in 2013.

This may be Barry’s first outright victory at Grand Prix level but the young rider is no stranger to 1.40m with the ten-year-old gelding. Best of the Irish at the 2014 Junior European Championships when finishing seventh individually, Barry has also placed in the National Grand Prix league and featured at this year’s Dublin Horse Show in the 1.35/1.40m Young Rider Classes.

Barry stayed consistent over two days at the Dublin Horse Show winning the opening class before going on to finish third in the Championship. The superb performances saw her selected for the elite bursary class where she impressed the judges enough to be awarded top honours which included a bursary with Shane Sweetnam. Barry will now winter in Florida with the American based Irish rider.

Sophie Dalm assured the one-two for the young riders when taking the runner-up spot with the eleven-year-old Belgian import Evita de Wulf Selection. Coming at the latter stages of the jump-off, Dalm made a good attempt at Barry’s time but proved fractionally off the mark when the clock showed 36.71.

Francis Connors was the only other rider on the day to keep a clean sheet on his second outing.  Riding the eight-year-old For Pleasure-sired Corelli, Connors took the tactical approach sacrificing speed for accuracy completing in 48.94.

Clem McMahon and Joan Greene shared equal fourth position in the line-up when both logging an identical time of 37.67 with a single error. McMahon, aboard the seven-year-old stallion Dream Boy M, left the first fence minus its top rail while Greene faulted on the home stretch with Coolgrange Cruising.

Peter Smyth provided the cut off point for the top six with the Windmill Uno, four faults in 51.13.

With none of the leader boards top three making an impact this week the leader board remains unchanged heading into next week’s double header. Portmore EC on Sunday 25^th represents the first chance for riders to gain points while the league then heads south to Killossery Lodge on Monday 26^th.
 
Gain/Alltech Autumn Grand Prix League Cavan EC 18^th October 2015 Full Result
Sponsored by Cavan Equestrian Centre.

1. Noelle Barry                Norway Venture                    0/0 36.27
2. Sophie Dalm               Evita de Wulf Selection         0/0 36.71
3. Francis Connors        Corelli                                     0/0 48.94
4. Clem McMahon          Dream Boy M                        0/4 37.67

4. Joan Greene              Coolgrange Cruising             0/4 37.67

6. Peter Smyth               Windmill Uno                         0/4 51.13