Gemma Phelan claimed her first victory in the TRM/Horseware New Heights Championship Series when triumphing in the fourth leg at Galway County Show.
Partnering Loughnavatta Indigo, Phelan came out in front in a 10-horse decider when recording a time of 35.11 seconds to secure the lion’s share of the €10,000 purse on offer.
Owned and bred by Rory Costigan, the Luidam-sired eight-year-old Loughnavatta Indigo is out of the dam Loughnavatta Sabrina, by VDL Arkansas.
The winners of the 2016 Seven-Year-Old Horse Sport Ireland Irish Sport Horse Studbook Showjumping Series, Phelan and Loughnavatta Indigo have already shown good form this season with top six finishes in the legs of the Showjumping Ireland National Grand Prix League at Louth County and Thomastown.
Clem McMahon, fresh off the victory at the previous leg of the NHCS at the Mullingar International Show with Aldaluck, put more points on the leader board when taking the runner-up position. McMahon was on this occasion paired with Hilton CMS Paparazzi and proved fractions off the pace when the clock showed 35.28.
Owned by Hilton Farm, Hilton CMS Paparazzi is sired by McMahon’s former Nations Cup mount Pacino out of the Indoctro-sired dam Rockmount Rosie. The eight-year-old mare showed great promise at the beginning of the season at the CSI2* in Oliva Nova and has also featured at the international show in Balmoral last month.
Michael Duffy made it into the top ten with two mounts. Castleforbes Violette supplied one of only five double clears on the day to secure third position in the line-up with a time of 35.95. The eight-year-old Vivaldo VH Costersveld-sired mare recently secured her qualifying place in the seven and eight-year-old international class at the Dublin Horse Show.
Castleforbes Vladimir had a single error in a time of 37.68 to finish as the fastest four faulter in sixth place. Duffy and Castleforbes Vladimir had also been on form in Saturday’s round of the National Grand Prix League taking third place.
Vincent Byrne and Francis Connors had shown good form in Mullingar and once again had a successful weekend as the only other combinations to keep a clean sheet in the clocked round.
Byrne aboard the 12-year-old Heartbreaker-sired Hannibal V Overis Z took home the green rosette while just behind him was Connors on the Ard VDL Douglas-sired Erne Lady Goldilocks.
The next round of the TRM/Horseware New Heights Championship Series takes place on July 9th at Cork Summer Show.
TRM/Horseware New Heights Championship Series Galway County Show June 18th 2017 Result
1. Gemma Phelan Loughnavatta Indigo 0/0 35.11
2. Clem McMahon Hilton CMS Paparazzi 0/ 0 35.28
3. Michael Duffy Castleforbes Violette 0/0 35.95
4. Vincent Byrne Hannibal V Overis Z 0/0 36.47
5. Francis Connors ERNE Ladygoldilocks 0/ 0 39.74
6. Michael Duffy Castleforbes Vladimir 0/4 37.68
7. Stacey Babes Camillo VDL 0/4 38.24
8. Cormac Rafferty KMR Benzini 0/ 4 38.27
9. Martin Hynes Galway Brigade 0/4 45.47
10. Neal Fearon Cohiba VDL 0/8 35.66