Temperatures soar as final RDS qualifying spaces are filled

The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan was the venue for the final qualifier for the pony and Young Rider classes at the Royal Dublin Society's Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.
Young rider 1.35-1.40 joint winner Hannah Patterson riding Douglas WYoung rider 1.35-1.40 joint winner Hannah Patterson riding Douglas W
Young rider 1.35-1.40 joint winner Hannah Patterson riding Douglas W

Under rising temperatures athletes from all over Ireland travelled to the MEC to pick up one of the coveted qualifying rosettes.

In the 148 A qualifier it was ‘Gipsy Boy’ ridden by Kayleigh Soden to take the first place honours after three foot perfect clear rounds.

The 138 A qualifier had an impressive start list of ponies and after three rounds of superb jumping K Watchman’s Fountain Ranger was victorious in the Paul Duffy designed course.

COH winner Jennifer Torrens riding SonconcordeCOH winner Jennifer Torrens riding Sonconcorde
COH winner Jennifer Torrens riding Sonconcorde

The third round was also needed to declare a winner in the 128A qualifier after 12 combinations made it through to the final round. The eventual winner was Tom Wachman riding Kate Wachman’s ‘PARC Epic’ with an impressive triple clear round and a time of 38.67.

Ulster rider Jennifer Torrens lead the way in the Children on Horses qualifier with Jeannie Taggart’s Sonconcorde having successfully cleared three rounds and stopping the clock on 33.10, 3 seconds faster than closest rival Robyn Moran.

In the young rider classes, the 1.10 was won by Isobel Fitzpatrick with HHS Fair Game, having recorded the fastest triple clear in 41.55. The 1.25-1.30m qualifier was won by Susan Fitzpatrick after three gruelling rounds designed by Nigel Jess. Riding Susan Fitzpatrick’s Ursula D’Amaury she topped the third round in 37.80 to seal qualification before the final during the RDS Dublin Horse Show in July.

In the final qualifier of the day the 1.40m Young Riders, after two rounds, three riders were tied with the all important clear round and subsequently they decided to draw instead of a second jump off.

148 Grade A winner Kayleigh Soden riding Boolagh Gyspy Boy148 Grade A winner Kayleigh Soden riding Boolagh Gyspy Boy
148 Grade A winner Kayleigh Soden riding Boolagh Gyspy Boy

Results:

148A RDS Qualifier: 1st, C Soden’s Boolagh Gipsy Boy (Kayleigh Soden) [0/0/0 46.58]; 2nd, Foleys Ponies Lyncott Fancy Pants (Jason Foley) [0/0/0 46.87]; 3rd, J Sharkey’s Who’s Arko (Cora Skarkey) [0/0/0 50.61]; 4th, M O’Brien’s Flintstone B (Jodie Giles) [0/0/0 56.02]; 5th, G Garrett’s Moonlit Connaught (Abby Morton) [0/0/4 42.11]; 6th, M O’Donnell’s Orchids Vienna (Sean Monaghan) [0/0/4 46.83]; 7th, A Duffy’s Tirconiall Bluebell (Orla Duffy) [0/0/4 50.26]; 8th, Foley’s Ponies’ More Clover (Jason Foley) [0/0/6 58.78]; 9th, J Dunlop’s Annaghmore Beach Babe (Emma McEntee) [0/0/8 56.75]; 10th, B Sweetnam’s Spartacus Reape (Abbie Sweetnam) [0/0/WD].

148 6/7 Year Old RDS Qualifier: 1st, J McLoone’s Ardara Lady (Jack McKeown) [0/0/0 35.32]; 2nd, K Foley’s Moes (Sean Foley) [0/0/0 38.47]; 3rd, C O’Sullivan’s Mochulla Blue (Lucy O’Sullivan) [0/0/0 40.45]; 4th, G Gormley’s Northern Dancer (Lewis Trenier) [0/0/0 41.97]; 5th, F Deegan’s HHS Chillax (James McOwen) [0/0/4 39.15]; 6th, J Morton’s Tynan Whiskey River (Kathryn Morton) [0/0/4 41.25]; 7th, G Flanagan’s FBS House (Jodie Flanagan) [0/0/4 45.25]; 8th, C Harte’s Tara LHI (Hazel Harte) [0/0/4 45.37]; 9th, K O’Donaghue’s Little Smithe (Tony O’Donaghue) [0/0/4 46.16]; 10th, M Connolly’s Kiltiernan Pride (J Naughton).

138 A RDS Qualifier: 1st, K Wachman’s Fountain Ranger (Tom Wachman) [0/0/0 36.71]; 2nd, M Power’s Bear Me In Mind (Katie Power) [0/0/4 44.83]; 3rd, D Ganey’s Ardataggle Lady (Dan Ganey) [0/0/4 43.56]; 4th, S Duffy’s Pidget (Lucy Shanahan) [0/0/8 42.30]; 5th, L McEntee’s Hubba Bubba (John McEntee) [0/0/E]; 6th, S Shea’s Creative Dancer (Lucy Shanahan) [0/4 41.15]; 7th, C Hughes’ Lisboy Latte (Seamus Hughes Kennedy) [0/4 47.29]; 8th, S Furs Eyre Wonder (Cora Furs) [0/4 47.37]; 9th, S Aylward’s Coppenagh Celtic Rebel (Seamus Hughes Kennedy) [0/4 53.72]; 10th, L Hennessy’s Ballylinu Champ (Seamus Hennessy) [0/8 45.69].

COH winner Jennifer Torrens riding SonconcordeCOH winner Jennifer Torrens riding Sonconcorde
COH winner Jennifer Torrens riding Sonconcorde

128A RDS Qualifier: 1st, K Wachman’s PARC Epic (Tom Wachman) [0/0/0 38.67]; 2nd, K Wachman’s Sparkle (Tom Wachman) [0/0/0 39.75]; 3rd, J Russell’s Kilcreene Apollo (Katie McEntee) [0/0/0 41.26]; 4th, J Finney’s Some Journey (Alex Finney) [0/0/0 41.68]; 5th, J Morton’s Tynan Tuttle Pip (Lucy Morton) [0/0/0 42.02]; 6th, M Dunne’s Wingland Heloise (Leo Dunne) [0/0/0 44.08]; 7th, M Hughes Little Miss Big Time (Martha Hughes Bravo) [0/0/0 44.31]; 8th, K Wachman’s Murphy Spartacus (Tom Wachman) [0/0/0 45.24]; 9th, G Kerr’s The Nut Cracker (Jemima Heffron) [0/0/0 50.75]; 10th, G&J Penfold Kilcreene Basil (Harriet Penfold) [0/0/4 44.53].

Young Rider 1.10-1.15m RDS Qualifier: 1st, H Fitzpatrick’s HHS Fair Game (Isobel Fitzpatrick) [0/0/0 41.55]; 2nd, D McGarry’s Drumin Baronness (Kevin Gallagher) [0/0/0 44.25]; 3rd, P Sweeney’s JSB Leave It Too Me (T Sweeney) [0/0/0 45.82]; 4th, D O’Regan’s Gilmans Point (Cathal O’Regan) [0/0/0 42.06]; 5th, D McMordie’s Drumaclan Jack (Sara McMordie) [0/0/4 43.78]; 6th, D McGarry’s Carrow Iroko (Kevin Gallagher) [0/0/4 44.75].

Young Rider 1.25-1.30m RDS Qualifier: 1st, S Fitzpatrick’s Ursula D’Amaury (Susan Fitzpatrick) [0/0/0 37.80]; 2nd, D Bourns’ Enrico Blue (Jenny Rankin) [0/0/0 38.63]; 3rd, A Connor’s Abordable Du Talus (Nicholas Connors) [0/0/0 42.05]; 4th, D O’Regan’s Lux Swan (Cathal O’Regan) [0/0/0 42.13]; 5th, Starlight- N (Hannah O’Shea) [0/0/0 42.53]; 6th, A Connors’ Lantino 31 (Nicholas Connors) [0/0/8 44.54].

Young Riders 1.35-1.40m RDS Qualifier: 1st, H Patterson’s Douglas W (Hannah Patterson) [0/0/Divided]; 1st, L McAlinden’s Knockash Galante (Daniel McAlinden) [0/0/Divided]; 1st, D Bourns’ Tullibards Bennys Legacy (Jessica Kuehule) [0/0/Divided]; 4th, R Smyth’s Charlton Clio (Jonathan Smyth) [0/4 50.41].

148 Grade A winner Kayleigh Soden riding Boolagh Gyspy Boy148 Grade A winner Kayleigh Soden riding Boolagh Gyspy Boy
148 Grade A winner Kayleigh Soden riding Boolagh Gyspy Boy

Children On Horses RDS Qualifier: 1st, J Taggarts Sonconcorde (Jennifer Torrens) [0/0/0 33.10]; 2nd, J Kennedy’s Cartown Rubber Bandit (R Moran) [0/0/0 36.50]; 3rd, S Fives’ Loughantousa Brennan (C Fives) [0/0/0 37.78]; 4th, C O’Donnell’s Hickory Hill (K O’Donnell) [0/0/0 38.47]; 5th, SJ Alexander’s I Am Legend (J Creighton) [0/0/8 35.96]; 6th, K Murphy’s Kilcolgan Clover Skye (A McGuinness) [0/4 44.78].