Horse Week: The Meadows welcomes riders to TRI Ulster Region Spring Tour final 2024

As always, this league proved very popular with competitors and was eagerly contested up to the last with these young athletes keen to get a podium finish!

Stakes were high with the generous sponsorship of TRI Equestrian who provided fabulous rugs for all the winners and £5,500 in vouchers.

Organisers must thank Gareth McCombe for his unyielding support and braving the elements to carry out the presentations. They are lucky to have the continued support of TRI Equestrian.

Gareth McCombe stated: “This is our eighth year sponsoring the TRI Equestrian Summer and Autumn Tour. We feel that over those eight years our sponsorship has increased the following of the league, generating more entries and, therefore, making it more competitive.

“We have had higher entries than ever and it’s great to see this highly competitive platform being created at all levels of the sport.”

He continued: “We would like to thank everyone, from the kid at their first show to the others who have now reached new heights for their support over those eight years.

“Hopefully we can continue to support and enhance the development of our young athletes by running a league that is worthy of their talent.”

The Ulster Region Committee also provided £3,900 in prize money, plus £800 worth of vouchers, and the top placings earned the athletes a place in the Ulster squad for the All Ireland Interprovincial finals.

Alongside this, the Ulster Region Pony Committee also provided £1,800 for the young pony classes which proved very popular.

A big shout out to the Meadows Equestrian Centre for ensuring the smooth running of the show, with excellent courses and super jumping.

The ‘up and coming’ stars who compete in the 128 50cms and 60cms classes had all to fight for on the day with many combinations on top points.

These two classes are judged using ‘optimum time’ and it is essential that the children ride a smooth and controlled round and earn the valuable points to secure their league placings.

All other classes are decided by time in the second round.

Katie McDonald on Sparkling Black Jack rode a great round to win the 128 50cms just ahead of Alyssa Smyth on Thornberry Something Special with Amelia Boggs on Erwwastad Hyderus taking the final podium finish.

In the 128 60cms final, Cara Grant on Barrera Attraction took top spot, Katie McDonald on Sparkling Black Jack took second place with Jack Bell taking third place with the legend Tuity Fruity.

From the start to the end of the day the timed classes provided lots of excitement with Anna Rose Garrity on Rosegate Mayfly starting off her great day by winning the 128/70cm a full three seconds ahead of nearest rival Perrie Barkley on Penanns Smurf.

Jack Bell on Tuity Fruity closely followed in third place. The final class to be jumped was the 148/1.20m class which was won in great style by Charlotte McCracken on Charlton Supreme ahead of Connie McFadden on Infinity with Zoe Keys in third position on Victory Day.

While some riders had the enviable position of knowing they had banked enough league points to ensure their league positions it is very often the points distributed on the final day’s jumping that decide on the league positions and podium positions.

Results of the finals can be accessed on the SJI Live app while league results are as follows:

128/50cm: Caleb Mitchell, Mary McBride, Kate Green, Cooper McManus, Jack Bell, Caleb Mitchell, Ronan Wylie, Zara Moore.

128/60cm: Cooper McManus, Miley Rouke, Caleb Mitchell, Eliza Burke, Ella Jane Johnston, Mary McBride, Kate Green, Ronan Wylie.

128/70cm: Perrie Barkley, Maeve Nesbitt, Winter McKinley, Miley Rouke, Tim Morton, Alyssa Smyth, Poppy Coulter, Poppy Coulter.

128/80cm: Tim Morton, Bobby O’’Keefe, Louie O’Keefe, Alyssa Smyth, Nuala Arbuckle, Lily McBride, Anna Rose Garrity, Perrie Barkley. 128/U10s: Tim Morton, CaitieMcEvoy, Harry Kelly, Lily McBride, Mark Brown, Anna Rose Garrity, Rory McBride,Kara McLaughlin.

128/90cm: Caitie McEvoy, Alice Steele, Katie McDonald, Harry Kelly, Tim Morton, Tegan Mulgrew, James Mellett, Sophie Johnston.

128/1m: Alice Steele, James Mellett, Tegan Mulgrew, Caitie McEvoy, Katie McDonald, Khloe McLaughlin, Serena Brown.

138/80cm: Rebecca Coulter, Miley Rouke, Zac Hanna, Zac Hanna, Moya Cronin, Eabha Quinn, Megan Hannaway, Winter McGinley.

138/90cm: Zac Hanna, Katie McDonald, Charlotte Nelson, Medb Kinney, CaIlie Cooke, Rebecca Coulter, Jessica McGonigle, Miley Rouke. 138/1m: Daragh Coyle, Zoe Mellett, Eunan Kelly, Ellie Bingham, Medb Kinney, Serena Brown,Keeva McElhennon, Charlotte Nelson. 138/1.10m: Cliodhna McEvoy, Sara Margey, Rosa McElhatton, Daragh Coyle, Elizabeth McCracken, Ellie Bingham, Zoe Mellett, Eunan Kelly. 148/80cm: Emma McGillion, Megan Rouke, Lily Beatty, Eabha Brennan, Annie Connell,Cara Garrity, Emily Maneely, Eva Omelvena.

148/90cm: Emma McGillion, Abbie Rose McGeady, Hannah McCombe-Funston, Megan Rouke, Peter Morton, Eabha Brennan, Katie Boggs, Jennifer Tate.

148/1m: Helen Rice, Peter Morton, Cara Garrity, Abbie Rose McGeady, Jennifer Tate, Sarah Coyle, Evans Coyle, Megan Savage.

148/1.10m: Zoie Dobbins, Abbie Rose McGeady, Charlotte McCracken, Ted Gibson, Sophia Bingham, Peter Morton, Brooke Rafferty, Johan Fitzpatrick-Burns.

148/ 6&7 Yr: Johan Fitzpatrick-Burns, Peter Morton, Zara-Jane Kelly, Sophia Bingham, Brooke Rafferty, Evans Coyle, Adam Adair, Oliver Kinnear.

148/1.20m: Charlotte McCracken, Brooke Rafferty, Peter Morton, Abbie Rose McGeady, Caitlin Kelly, Zoe Keys, Juliana Nelson, Adam Adair. COH/JU 1m: Taylor McKnight, Zac Hanna, Ted Gibson, Sophia Bingham, Sophia Bingham, Helen Rice, Katie Boggs.

COH/JU 1.10/1.20cm: Zac Hanna, Zoe Mellett, Eunan Kelly, Shaun Farran. JNR 1.10/1.20m Taylor McKnight, Eoghan Trainor, Eimear Farrell, Sophia Bingham, Emma Burns, Adam Adair, Johan Fitzpatrick – Burns, Emma Bratton.

The Young Pony Series brought another dimension to the league and these provided a showcase for the upcoming ponies of the region.

The 128 4/5yr old section was won by Tim Morton on Blueoak Rockstar with Amelia Gallagher on Orderview Myles while the 128/6&7yr old section was Katie McDonald aboard Loughside Pebbles in First and Nuala Arbuckle taking runners-up spot on Serge.

The two 138cm sections were closely contested with Nuala Arbuckle taking the win in 4/5yr old aboard Ondine DHP and Eloise Trainor guiding RB Ginger into second place. With more ponies fitting the criteria in the 138/ 6&7 year old class isix ponies collected prizes on the day.

In First place was Medh Kinney on Tyrrellspass Louis , second was Zoe Mellott on JSH Junior and Zoe also took third place on Lyncourt Lady Eleanor. Fourth, fifth and sixth went to Elizabeth McCracken / Glencroft Andrea, Charlotte Nelson / Sparkling Taylor Maid and Cliodhna McEvoy / Blueoak Sophia accordingly. Julianna Nelson claimed the winner's rug aboard Jimmy's Kroongraaf in the 148/4&5 Yr old section.

It was Johan Fitzpatrick-Burns who took the win on Kinamara Dun Boy with Evanne Coyle aboard Grainmor Princess. Third place went to Adam Adair on Sparkling Avalon Radisson ahead of Oliver Kinnear/ Rosedale Sandstorm, Peter Morton/ Blueoak Shelby and Zara-Jane Kelly/Castlehill Cheeky Boy.

Congratulations to all the young athletes who competed and Ulster Region Pony Committee look forward to seeing everyone at the TRI Equestrian Autumn Pony Tour which kicks off in early September.