Causeway Coast Olympic Torch show burns brightly
THE Causeway Coast Community Showjumpers brought another highly successful sporting season series of shows to a conclusion last weekend at their base in the Bowl Arena in Portrush with a two day event.
The weather for the two day Show was absolutely fabulous with large numbers in attendance on both days.
Thanks to the generous support which the Club enjoys from local farmers Mr Andrew Lynch and Mr William Taylor and expert tanker pilot and ex Greenmount College graduate Jonathan Butler ground conditions for jumping were kept in pristine condition for the duration of the Show.
A total of five classes were contested each day and on Saturday the featured events were the ladies 1.10 metres championship and the gentleman’s 1.10 metres championship.
Both events were very generously sponsored by the well known car sales specialists Curtis Cars Ballymena and Coleraine. Both Classes attracted a strong entry and produced some superb sport for the large number of spectators who took advantage of the many vantage points surrounding this unique arena.
The gold rosette in the ladies championship was won in some style by Limavady rider Jane Kealey on her own Crossmaglen Bandit with the promising young Eglinton rider Claire Doherty taking the silver and Victoria Bridge girl Lisa Smyth taking the bronze.
The men’s championship went to the young Donegal rider Simon Scott on Mr McConnell’s Carnoney Bridge Diva with R Hunter taking the silver rosette and Paul Caves taking the bronze.
Mr Matthew Porter and Mrs Jacqueline Stewart, Marketing Manager of Curtis Cars, spent the day at the Show and presented rosettes and prizes to the successful competitors in both classes.
The feature events on the Sunday were the Sportsman’s final generously sponsored by Richmond’s Feed Store and Tack Boutique, Coleraine and the 1.25 open championship sponsored by Ballyrashane Dairy Products, Coleraine with a prize fund of £500.
There was an additional bonus for the class winners on Sunday when each were presented with a container of supplement kindly sponsored by Equitop Myoplast. Mr Chris Elliott and his wife Linda, who is well known in showjumping circles, were present at the show and presented the prizes to the successful riders.
The first class of the day was the Sportsman’s final for which 15 had qualified from the earlier shows in the Causeway Coast series.
To the winner of this class went the Norrie Roulston Memorial Trophy presented by the Club in memory of the late Norrie Roulston, a founder member of the Causeway Coast Community Showjumpers and a well known and popular figure in equestrian sport all around the province. This was a keenly contested Class with the lovely trophy and gold rosette going to the well known dental surgeon and equine sports enthusiast Eavan White. This win gave much pleasure to the winner who was a close friend of Norrie’s. Second place and the silver rosette went to Castlerock rider Geraldine Parker with the bronze going to Janet Curry the SJAI Ulster Region secretary.
London Olympic Games Arena Party in Portrush
An addition to the show on Sunday was the presence in the arena of Mr Nigel Jess and his internationally renowned arena party who will be on duty in all the main arenas in the equestrian sport for the forthcoming Olympic Games in London.
This was a greatly appreciated gesture by this group and gives some measure of the esteem in which the Causeway Coast Shows are held in Irish showjumping circles.
The 1.25 championship produced some of the most spectacular showjumping seen in the Bowl Arena for some time and was thoroughly enjoyed by the large number of spectators who by mid-afternoon had surrounded the colourful arena. Course designers Sylvia and David Nicholl set a strong but fair track for the 18 contestants which produced the required six clear rounds to contest the six prizes on offer. Third to go in the jump off Ballycastle rider Liam McGarry riding Javas Sophie owned by J Murphy put in a second clear round which was good enough to take the Olympic Torch gold medal and rosette with young Donegal rider Sharon Callaghan taking second and third places and the silver and bronze medals. Liam McGarry has been having a great season on all of his horses and is a regular winner in Portrush while Sharon Callagan from Portsalon in Co Donegal is a young lady who should go far in the sport of showjumping.
The organisers are most grateful to Ballyrashane Dairy Products for their generous sponsorship of this class. The firm’s manager and chief executive Mr Nigel Kemps and his wife spent the day at the show and were on hand to present the winners medals and prizes.
Other distinguished visitors at the show during the two days included Mrs Clarke, the wife of Open Golf Champion Darren Clarke both of whom are now local residents of Portrush. Mrs Clarke was there to support her brother the international rider Richard Smyth, from Victoria Bridge, who with his daughter, Lisa, and son, Jonathan, were competing at the show.
Judges for both days were Miss Jacqueline McGrellis, from Eglinton, and Mrs Nucia Darragh, from Coleraine.
Results
Class 1 - 90cm: 1st, Little Task, C Spillane Pattison; 2nd, Kaleidoscope, E White; 3rd, Calle McCallie, A Wilson; 4th, Campari, A M Hughes; 5th, Fanad Star, S Scott; 6th, Donague Clover Lad, J Bleakley.
Class 2 - 1m: 1st, Bannside Boy, L Boyle; 2nd, Rockmount Misty Star, L Russell; 3rd, Redwood Humphreys, P White; 4th, Fabregas, P White; 5th, My Golden Wonder, F Thompson; 6th, Urker Lady, N Wilson; 7th, 3D Vonga Rua, C Doherty; 8th, Arnoldo, L Russell.
Class 3 - 1.10 metre: 1st, Crossmaglen Bandit, J Kealey; 2nd, 3D Vonga Rua, C Doherty; 3rd, Admiran Nutmeg, L Smyth; 4th, Amigo, C Doherty; 5th, My Golden Wonder, F Thompson; 6th, Lisfanta Joy, C O’Hara.
Class 4 - 1.10 metres: 1st, Carnoney Bridge Deva, S Scott; 2nd, Red Ice, R Hunter; 3rd, Quinvella, P Caves; 4th, Javas Blue Irish, L McGarry; 5th, Javas Keltic Dawn, L McGarry; 6th, Redwood Humphreys, P White.
Class 5 - 1.20 metres: 1st, Carnoney Sister Kate, S Scott; 2nd, Mo’s Touch, D Coyle; 3rd, Javas Blue Irish, L McGarry; 4th, Javas Sophie, L McGarry; 5th, My Cara Douglas, R Smyth; 6th, Bush Lady, I Smith.
Class 6 - 1 metre: 1st, Fabregas, P White; 2nd, Cyrano Buttercup, M Pearson Murray; 3rd, Urker Lady, N Wilson; 4th, Redwood Humphreys, P White; 5th, Diamond Courage, N Wilson; 6th, Jolico, E McCollum.
Class 7 - Amateur: 1st, My Golden Wonder, F Thompson; 2nd, Diamond Obelix, S McLean; 3rd, Tease Me Tiger, S Rankin; 4th, Coolda Castaway, D Cotton; 5th, Redwood Humphreys, P White; 6th, Fabregas, P White.
Class 8 - 1.10 metres: 1st, Calgot Cruise, S Brown; 2nd, Isobelle Argentina, S Callaghan; 3rd, Bunninadden Beauty, L Brown; 4th, Rathgoonanes Lux, C Doherty; 5th, 3D Venga Rua, C Doherty; 6th, Amigo VH, C Doherty.
Class 9 - 1.20 metres: 1st, Javas Sophie, L McGarry; 2nd, Zuidam, S Callaghan; 3rd, Isobelle Argentina, S Callaghan; 4th, Agento, S Scott; 5th, Silipso, J McCloskey; 6th, Rathgoonanes Lux, C Doherty.
Class 10 - Sportsman’s: 1st, Kaleidoscope, E White; 2nd, Milo, G Parker; 3rd, Ballybregagh Creggans Mill, J Currie; 4th, Diamond Magic, L McDowell; 5th, Donague Clover Lad, J Bleakley; 6th, Dakota, F Thompson.
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Weather for Belfast
Monday 20 May 2013
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