The Meadows Equestrian Centre will bring their ‘Summer of Sport’ to a close from today the 18th-21st August when they hold a 4-day Championship event. In true Championship style and a total prize fund in excess of £27,000 the Lurgan venue will see the very best in National show jumping taking centre stage with various classes to suit all levels of rider.
The host venue will see a dramatic climax to the SJI TRM Premier Grand Prix Series, and spectators will witness the crowning of the 2016 Premier Champion. Additionally, for the second consecutive year international selectors will be attending the Meadows as they close the curtain on the 2016 Irish Sport Horse (ISH) Studbook classes, where the valuable final points will be on offer to help appoint the Irish representatives for the FEI Young Horse Show jumping Championships in Lanaken.
The MEC team are also delighted to announce the continuation of the 4-Year-Old Championship sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland with a fantastic €2000 on offer for the eventual winners in 2016. To be eligible for the final, the top 20 4-year-old horses from qualifiers on the Thursday and Friday will go through to the grand final on Sunday 21st August.
Friday 19th August will also see The Meadows host the Northern Ireland Qualifier for the HSI Foal Championships, where Foals will be permitted to enter one regional qualifier but will not be confined to entering the qualifier in their own region. €3,000 in prize money will be on offer at each of the qualifiers where 4 foals will be selected for the Final; the best show jumping type colt and filly, and the best eventing type colt and filly.
The final will take place on the 19th September at Cavan Equestrian Centre where a pot of €10,000 will be on offer and two Champions will be named, Champion Show jumping Foal and Champion Eventing Foal. There will also be a special prize for the overall best traditionally-bred foal.
The success of the now annual Inter Schools competition at the Meadows has led to the addition of a 1m Interschools Championship at the 4-day Spectacular. With 25 to qualify in the qualifiers on Thursday and Friday with a Grande Finale on Sunday 21stgenerously sponsored by TRI Equestrian.
In addition to the fantastic prizes on offer thanks to our generous sponsor, the 25 finalised will also be given the opportunity to walk the Premier Grand Prix Final course with International Course Designer, Tom Holden and some of the best international talent Ireland has currently on the circuit.
Organisers are expecting the very best riders from Ireland to attend the 4-day extravaganza. “We are hopeful that some riders who have been on recent International duty will attend to entertain spectators with some of the very best horses and riders that Ireland has to offer”.