Viewing class success for Niamh as she makes it an impressive one-two at the Meadows

Dominic McArdle riding Kilcolgan Clover Skye, equal first in the 1.10/1.20m COH

In one of the biggest classes of the day, the 148 1.10m warm up started the day in Arena 1. Fifty three starters were whittled down by visiting course designer Rafael Suraez. In a quick-footed second phase it was Emily Costello who set the pace stopping the clock in 29.26 with ‘Hello Noble Lady’.

The main class of the day in Arena 1 was the 148 1.20m Plus Vital Spring Tour, 14 combinations made it through to the jump off. Of these only three made it through without fault, led by Hannah McGoldrick and ‘River View Annie’, second place went to Ellie-Rose Cassidy with Ellen Thompson finishing in third.

The 148 1.30m, whilst not part of the Plus Vital Spring Tour, was part of the International Viewing weekend. Under the watchful eye of selector and HSI Pony Chef d’equipe Gary Marshall, Niamh McEvoy made it a 1-2,remaining faultless in a very technical course, which tested both pony and athlete to the max.

Senan Reape riding April Star (BVS), winners of the 128 1m

Completing the day in Arena 1 was the Children on Horses 1.10m/1.20m. Over the two sections a total of six combinations claimed double clear to share the prize pot equally.

In Arena 2, 128 ponies dominated the day, with many displays of talent on display, in the Warm Up class many of the combinations recording a faultless round in the first round. Twenty four combinations made it through to the second phase, however not to be unnerved by resident course designer, Aaron McCusker, it was Charlotte McCracken who stopped the clock in the fastest time. After a quick course change, it was time for the 128 1m Spring Tour, sponsored by Plus Vital, 15 combinations made it to the jump off. Stopping the clock in 35.98 was Senan Reape with his father Jonathan’s ‘April Star (BVS)’

Time certainly became a deciding factor in the 138 1m Warm Up, with 17 combinations going clear over both phases. In the end it was Connaught member Stephen Gibbons who claimed the win with ‘The Hilly Billy’, just 0.05 seconds ahead of challenger Maisie Adams from Leinster.

Winning the 138 1.10m, ‘The Bullseye’ owned by Steven Amos and rode by Lauren Murphy stopped the clock after a fantastic round in 35.85, who took the winning rosette ahead of Ellen Power with ‘Bear Me In Mind’ just a few seconds behind.

Results

128 90cms Warm Up - 1, Katheryne McCracken’s Uquam d’Emery PFS (Charlotte McCracken); 2, Kenneth Rush’s King Of Rock & Roll (Harry Rush); 3, Dale Adams’s Moyralla Bob (Lauren Adams); 4, Jonathan Reape’s April Star (BVS) (Senan Reape); 5, Jonathan Reape’s Prince Spartacus (Senan Reape); 6, Jim Derwin’s Boomerang Barney (James Derwin).

128 1m Plusvital Spring Tour - 1, Jonathan Reape’s April Star (BVS) (Senan Reape); 2, Donal Geaney’s Dooneens Electric (Kian Dore ); 3, Robert Fagan’s Kiltormer Ruby (Alanna Fagan); 4, Sandra Nallon’s Jim (Cobid) (Katie Nallon); 5, Dale Adams’s Ravara Mohawk (Lauren Adams); 6, Anita Duffy’s Mickybo (Senan Reape).

138 1m Warm Up - 1, Jane Gibbons’s The Hilly Billy (Stephen Gibbons); 2, Dale Adams’s Dunlewey Redshank (Maisie Adams); 3, Karen Mc Fadden’s Orfelia VD Bisschop (Cara McFadden ); 4, Jane C P Russell’s Miss Mull (Camryn Clarke); 5, Sarah Doherty’s Sparkling Nina Lass (Oliver Doherty); 6, Briony Murphy’s Lady Zee (Darragh Murphy).

138 1.10m Plusvital Spring Tour - 1, Steven Amos’s The Bullseye (Lauren Murphy); 2, Powers Equine’s Bear Me In Mind (Ellen Power); 3, Paula Williams’s Sligo Lux To Queeney (Coen Williams); 4, Martin Kirrane’s Nightlady (John Martin Kirrane); 5, Coolmore Showjumping’s Unsphinx D’Hurl ‘Vent (Tom Wachman); 6, Louise Mcentee’s Hubba Bubba (Katie McEntee).

148 1.10m Warm Up - 1, Claire Costello’s Hello Noble Lady (Emily Costello); 2, Anita Duffy’s Tirconaill Bluebell (Orla Duffy); 3, Tara Flanagan’s Thornfield Shadow (Kellie-Rose Flanagan); 4, Claire Costello’s Coumbrack Mr (Emily Costello); 5, Thomas Mannion’s Lavally Lassie (Ciara Mannion); 6, Leo Monaghan’s Machnus D’Hyrencourt Z (Rory Kavanagh).

148 1.20m Plusvital Spring Tour - 1, Rachel Counihan’s River View Annie (Hannah Mc Goldrick); 2, Paula Williams’s Claggan Gypsy Delight (Ellie-Rose Cassidy); 3, Andrew Thompson’s Sligo Little James (Ellen Thompson); 4, Clare Hughes’s Keatingstown Hunky Dory (Rhys Williams); 5, Caroline Gibson’s Calimero (Fei) (Annie Gibson); 6, Sandra Duffy’s Little Smithe (John McEntee).

148 1.30m Viewing Class - 1, Maeve McEvoy’s Fireman (Niamh McEvoy); 2, Claire Crawford’s Ardfry Skye (Niamh McEvoy); 3, Jim Derwin’s Master Stevie G (Francis Derwin (Jnr)); 4, Francis Derwin’s Rincoola Babog (Francis Derwin (Jnr)); 5, Paula Williams and Sandra Duffy’s Vie’Nka Du Lavandin (Rhys Williams); 6, Sandra Duffy’s Little Smithe (John McEntee).

COH Plusvital Spring Tour (1.10m/1.20m) - Divided between Norma Stafford Lynch’s CES Chipalier (Aoife Whelan), Jane Gibbons’s Clooncalagy Beauty (Stephen Gibbons), Cathy Cuffe’s Dunard Midget Gem (Sadhbh Cuffe), Kate Murphy’s Kilcolgan Clover Skye (Dominic McArdle), Gerard Mcnamara’s Master Holiday (Sarah Fitzgerald), Miriam Moloney’s Rocky Bond (Emily Moloney).