Packed St Patrick's weekend for competitors at The Meadows

The St Patrick's bank holiday weekend was a busy one for the Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Mar 2017, 07:11 BST
Updated 24th Mar 2017, 10:42 BST
Grace Sheridan riding Murphy, clear in the 1mGrace Sheridan riding Murphy, clear in the 1m
Grace Sheridan riding Murphy, clear in the 1m

On Saturday the venue was the host of the latest leg of the Show Jumping Ireland CWD National Spring Pony Tour, while the next day it was the SJI Horse Series which took centre stage.

Starting off Saturday morning in arena one was the 148 1.30m viewing class. Under the watchful eye of H.S.I pony high performance manager, Gary Marshall, 23 combinations from all over the island took part in a very testing course designed by Rafael Suarez.

It was the round from Abby Sweetnam that proved unbeatable claiming 1st place with Susan Sweetnam’s ‘Dynamite Spartacus’.

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Winning the CWD 148 1.20m Spring Tour at the Meadows was Ruari Aylward on Coppenagh Oliver Twist, owned by John Aylward followed closely by Cora Sharkey and ‘Who’s Argo’. Recording the only double clear of the competition, Max Wachman onboard Sue Magnier’s ‘Cesha Old’ took the honours in the Children on Horses 1.10/1.20 handicap.

In arena two the 128 and 138 Spring tours were in full swing with some fantastic skills on display from the younger members of SJI.

Winning the 128 CWD leg at the Meadows was Munster rider Coen Williams with his mother’s PARC Giggles, stopping the clock in 33.50, just 0.16 seconds ahead of Tom Wachman and ‘Little Jack Spratt’. Whereas in the 138 Spring Tour, it was Francis Derwin on top form as he took the red ribbons with his mother Ann’s ‘ Ruby Brown’.

On Sunday with darkening skies and a forecast for rain, the bravest of riders travelled to the meadows for the continuation of their SJI Horse series. However, as the day progress the skies cleared slightly to allow for dry conditions.

With the St Patrick’s weekend now behind them, organisers at the Meadows now look forward to this weekend where once again the arenas will be full of action. Saturday, March 25, sees the SJI Horse series return to its original Saturday format, and Sunday 26th sees the start of the Ulster Region Spring Pony Tour for 2017.

Results

CWD Children On Horses 1.10m/1.20m Handicap - 1, Sue Magnier’s Cesha Old (Max Wachman).

Ponies:

148 Warm Up 1.10m - 1, Liam Lynskey’s Black Shadow (Ciaran Nallon); 2, Kate Wachman’s Diamond (Belgium) (Max Wachman); 3, Mark Fagan’s Stoneman Lacey (Robyn Fagan); 4, Claire Crawford’s Ardfry Skye (Pataire Crawford); 5, Hugh-Paul Ward’s Drumlohan Glen (Dylan Ward); 6, Marsh Kyfe Equestrian Centre’s Miss Delightful (Yiayan Evans).

148 CWD Spring Tour 1.20m - 1, John Aylward’s Coppenagh Oliver Twist (Ruairi Aylward); 2, Joseph M Sharkey’s Whos Arco (Cora Sharkey); 3, Jennifer Walsh’s Mr Bunny (Emma Mcentee); 4, Francis Donnelly’s Rincoola Babog (Eve Donnelly); 5, Jim Derwin’s Master Stevie G (Kate Derwin); 6, Liz Murray’s Mathius (John Murray).

148 1.30m - 1, Susan Sweetnam’s Dynamite Spartacus (Abbie Sweetnam); 2, Donal Geaney’s For Kids Only (Dan Geaney); 3, Marie Shanahan’s Cinderella Girl (Lucy Shanahan); 4, Clare Hughes’s Cuffesgrange Cavalidam (Seamus Hughes Kennedy); 5, Sandra Duffy’s Florian 26 (Ciaran Nallon).

128 Warm Up 90cm - 1, Jane Clarke’s Lenamore Mini Metro (Maeve Clarke); 2, Joanne Morton’s Tynan Petal (Lucy Morton); 3, Sarah Doherty’s Millfield Papoose (Oliver Doherty); 4, Joanne Morton’s Tynnan Tuttle Pip (Lucy Morton); 5, Ciara Buckley’s Knock Your Socks Off (Liam Buckley); 6, Derek Mahony’s Ravara Fairytale (Fiachra Mahony).

128 CWD Spring Tour 1m - 1, Paula Williams’s Parc Giggles (Coen Williams); 2, Kate Wachman’s Little Jack Spratt (Tom Wachman); 3, Joanne Morton’s Tynnan Tuttle Pip (Lucy Morton); 4, Kate Wachman’s PARC Epic (Tom Wachman); 5, Marjorie Dunne’s Wingland Heloise (Leo Dunne); 6, Marion Hughes’s Little Miss Big Time (Marta Hughes Bravo).

138 Warm Up 1m - 1, Lorcan Hennessy’s Cratloe King (Seamus Hennessy); 2, Andrew Thompson’s Lisross Diamond Skye (Ellen Thompson); 3, Andrew Thompson’s Evros Delight (Ellen Thompson); 4, Mary Power’s Bear Me In Mind (Alice Power); 5, Jean Finney’s Coltstown Dun Cruiser (Alex Finney); 6, Brian Moran’s Riot Del Pegulil (Niamh McEvoy).

138 CWD Spring Tour 1.10m - 1, Ann Derwin’s Ruby Brown (Francis Derwin (Jnr)); 2, Annette Fitzgerald’s Strandfield Ruby (Sarah Fitzgerald); 3, Kate Wachman’s Sligo Lux To Queeney (Rhys Williams); 4, Lorcan Hennessy’s Ballylinn Champ (Seamus Hennessy); 5, Jean Finney’s Dolly du Carel (Alex Finney); 6, Joe McMahon’s Western Oreo (Caragh Charlton).

Sunday 19th March

90cm - Divided between Helen Salter’s Comarello (Rachael Salter), Tracy Woods’s Falling For You (Zoe Woods), Lorraine Gilmore’s Itsnoteasyted (IRE) (Ryan Stewart).

1m - Divided between Tracy Woods’s Falling For You (Zoe Woods), Gareth Saunderson’s Linnaeus Van Thornesele (Gareth Saunderson), Lorna Robinson’s Mr Guidam cruising (Chelsea Robinson).

1.10m - 1, Jane Clarke’s Glenpatrick Cool Guy (Fionn Clarke); 2, Joe Harris’s Coppindell Concorde (Joe Harris); 3, Laura Keery’s Ferro Diamond (Laura Keery); 4, Stephen Clarke’s GTA Leonardo (Gareth Saunderson); 5, Paul Swift’s Swift Cyrano Storm (Robert Newell); 6, Nicola Tang’s Neat Kaiser (Paul Tang).

1.20m - 1, Alison Saunderson’s Concerto Thornesele Z (Gareth Saunderson).