Horse Week: Champion day once more for Eva and Nicely Dun Darcy

The day began with a confidence building course situated in the field arena, which is open to everyone wanting to give working hunter a go, with classes consisting of cross-poles to 70cm.

All competitors completed the course of eight fences and really impressed the judge Declan O’Neill.

Standing out in the championship show was Aoife Kavanagh and ‘Oliver Twist’ who were awarded Champion on the day followed by Olivia Ward and ‘Oscar’ who achieved Reserve Champion on the day. Well done to both competitors.

The horse classes started at 11am with the 60cm and four-year-old class. It was a successful day for Clara Annett and ‘Cleo’ who took first place in the 60cm class and second place in the 70cm horse class.

First place in the 70cm class went to Ryann Phillips and ‘Lady’ who had travelled all the way from CAFRE in Enniskillen. This journey proved a rewarding one, as the pair were awarded the accolade of Reserve Champion Horse on the day. Congratulations!

It was great to see Katie Longmuir and ‘Nady Diamond’ back out competing at this venue once again and what a successful day the pair had, taking the win in both the 80cm and 85cm small hunter classes, topped off with being awarded Champion Horse on the day!

This was a real boost of confidence the pair needed, well done!

The latter part of the day saw the pony classes get underway with the 60cm class. It was a red rosette for Julia Kerr and ‘Tyssul Quartz’ who were delighted to conquer the water trough which was fence seven on the course. Mona Roelle was one of the youngest competitors in the afternoon session and took the working hunter course by storm! Two second place rosettes were achieved – one in the 60cm and one in the 70cm class. Megan Burns and ‘Frankie’ took the win in the 70cm class, going in to the championship show to be awarded Reserve Champion Pony.

Everyone was glad to see Emily Hawe back on board ‘Crannard King of Hearts’ and on winning form in the 80cm class. Second place went to Anna Reid and her new mount ‘Rosscon Bianca’, who also took the win in the 90cm class. Gigi Roelle claimed second place in both the 90cm and 1m classes on her bay mare ‘Derrynoose Lady’. Eva Kennedy took the win in the 1m class and was also awarded Champion Pony for the second week in a row! Congratulations.

Hagans Croft would like to thank everyone who supported the second week of their five-week working hunter league and NIF Qualifiers. Thanks are extended to judge Declan O’Neill, scribes Katie and Sophia and all the stewards and arena party for making the event run so smoothly.

This event is pre-entry only with entries taken via Hagans Croft’s website www.haganscroftequestrian.co.uk or you can download and enter through the Hagans Croft App.

Entries close each Thursday at 9pm prior to Saturday’s event and start times are posted online Thursday evenings. Photographs can be purchased online from Black Horse Photography.

To find out more about the league, please contact Gillian on 07849 106453 or go to the website: www.haganscroftequestrian.co.uk

Working Hunter League & NIF Qualifiers - Saturday 5th April 2025

Main Arena - Working Hunter Horses

Champion Working Hunter Horse

Katie Longmuir, Nady Diamond

Reserve Champion Working Hunter HorseRyann Phillips, Lady

Class 1 - 60cm Working Hunter Horse & 4 year old Working Hunter Horse NIF

1. Clara Annett, Cleo.

Class 2 - 70cm Working Hunter Horse

1. Ryann Phillips, Lady; 2. Clara Annett, Cleo; 3. Nadia Donnelly, JR.

Class 3 - 80cm Working Hunter Horse NIF

1. Katie Longmuir, Nady Diamond; 2. Kerry Parkhill, Lola; 3. Madison McAfee, Lady; 4. Alara Terak, Ossie Man; 5. Nicole McClements, Al; 6. Ryan Conway, JR.

Class 4 - 85cm Small Working Hunter Horse (not exceeding 158cm) NIF

1. Katie Longmuir, Nady Diamond; 2. Antonia Law, Smokey; 3. Karry Parkhill, Lola.

Class 5 - 90cm Working Hunter Horse NIF

No Clears

Class 7 - 1m Working Hunter Horse NIF

No Entries

Main Arena - Working Hunter Ponies

Champion Working Hunter Pony

Eva Kennedy, Nicely Dun Darcy

Reserve Champion Working Hunter Pony

Megan Burns, Frankie

Class 8 - 60cm Working Hunter Pony NIF Starter Stakes & M&M

1. Julia Kerr, Tyssul Quartz; 2. Mona Roelle, It Takes Two To Tango; 3. Megan Burns, Flash.

Class 9 - 70cm Working Hunter Pony NIF Starter Stakes & M&M

1. Megan Burns, Frankie; 2. Mona Roelle, It Takes Two To Tango; 3. Connie Watt, Ballyrainey Jack; 4. Harris Mathers, Lena's Clover; 5. Holly Lindsay, Smyths Pocket Rocket.

Class 10 - 80cm Working Hunter Pony NIF 133cm also M&M

1. Emily Hawe, Crannard King of Hearts; 2. Anna Reid, Rosscon Bianca; 3. Megan Burns, Frankie; 4. Violet Campbell, Mourne Maverick; 5. Daniel Kennedy, Cuba Prince.

Class 11 - 90cm Working Hunter Pony NIF 143cm also M&M

1. Anna Reid, Rosscon Bianca; 2. GiGi Roelle, Derrynoose Lady; 3. Laura McMaw, Dunross Ocean Mist; 4. Sophie Lindsay, Nicely Dun.

Class 12 - 1m Working Hunter Pony NIF 153cm

1. Eva Kennedy, Nicely Dun Darcy; 2. GiGi Roelle, Derrynoose Lady.

Field Arena - Give it a Go Working Hunter

Champion

Aoife Kavanagh, Oliver Twist

Reserve Champion

Olivia Ward, Oscar

Class 14 - Xpoles

1. Olivia Ward, Oscar; 2. Sophie McKibbin, Skippy.

Class 15 - 40cm

1. Faith Alexander, Beauty.

Class 16 - 50cm

1. Hannah Orr, Humbug.

Class 17 - 60cm

No Entries

Class 18 - 70cm

1. Aoife Kavanagh, Oliver Twist; 2. Kaitlyn Kearns, Stefan; 3. Julia Kerr, Tyssul Quartz; 4. Harris Mathers, Lena's Clover.