Equestrian News NI » Horse Sport Ireland

Allen fourth in Dutch five-star jump-off, Hanley wins at Millstreet

News Desk — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 06:50:26 +0000

Allen fourth in Dutch five-star jump-off, Hanley wins at Millstreet

WEXFORD’S Bertram Allen was 6,000 euro richer after a fourth place in the mean feature class at Valkenswaard’s five-star show on Friday, while Mayo’s Cameron Hanley took just under 8,500 euro for a win at Millstreet in Co. Cork.

Riding the nine year-old Belmonde, Allen was one of 12 to make the cut for the jump-off at the Netherlands show, and took an early lead with Ballywalter Farms’s gelding, but eventually was outpaced by three riders following, with the 20,000 euro first prize going to the world’s number one-ranked rider, Britain’s Scott Brash, who piloted Hello Forever.

Allen will be hoping for a bigger slice of the prize money in Saturday’s Global Champions’ Tour Grand Prix at Valkenswaard, where fellow-countryman Denis Lynch will be aiming to join him on the start list.

At Millstreet’s three-star show, meanwhile, Cameron Hanley took the honours in this evening’s main jump-off competition aboard his own gelding Antello Z, stopping the jump-off clock one-and-a-half seconds ahead of his nearest challenger, Derry’s Daniel Coyle and John D. Carr’s chestnut gelding Zuidam, who collected 5,000 euro for their runner-up place.

Paul Kennedy and Cartown Danger Mouse took fourth place for Ireland in a 47-strong international field.

Twomey and Swail give Ireland two more victories at the Dublin Horse Show

News Desk — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 10:09:20 +0000

CORK’S Billy Twomey kicked off another good day (Saturday) for Ireland at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse show with a lunchtime win in the Accumulator class aboard Joe Flynn’s Irish Sport Horse stallion Ardcolum Duke, shading Dutch runner-up Johnny Pals and Urjul van Generhese by just under two seconds on time for the 4,600 euro first prize.

Tipperary’s Trevor Breen also made the top five with a fourth place on Sceilig Sport Horses’s stallion Georgie D’Auvray Ec.

Conor Swail broke through with a win today on Susan Grange’s talented young gelding Simba de la Roque. The Co. Down rider was competing in the The JLT Dublin Stakes jump-off class, and was one of 11 to go clear in the first round.

Swail was fourth to jump in the final round, and set a very fast time of 39.01 seconds, with his nearest challenger, France’s former European Champion Roger-Yves Bost and the mare Sangria du Coty falling short by just under half a second, allowing the Irish rider to pocket the 8,000 euro winner’s prize.

The Land Rover Puissance attracted the usual enthusiastic crowds to the main arena, but Irish riders were unable to deliver a third win to the day’s action, with Egypt’s Sameh El Dahan taking the 12,400 euro prize purse on the fourth jump-off, though riding an Irish Sport Horse, Britt Megahey’s gelding Seapatrick Cruise Cavalier.

Billy Twomey was best of the Irish Puissance riders, finishing third on the third jump-off with Charlotte Flack’s mare Ratina Kan. Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez took the runner-up prize of 8,500 euro with Caballito, conceding victory to El Dahan when clipping the big red wall on the fourth jump-off.

Nelson takes Individual European Pony Bronze at Championships

News Desk — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:49:38 +0000

FOURTEEN year-old Zara Nelson added to an impressive week for Ireland’s pony riders at the European Championships in Malmo, Sweden when she claimed the Individual Bronze medal in Eventing this afternoon (Sunday).

The Kilcullen, Co. Kildare native rode Kieran Connors and Michelle Nelson’s Millridge Buachaill Bui (ISH)(TIH) through all three stages of the championship with only 1.6 time penalties on cross country being added to her original dressage score.

Today Nelson was impeccable in today's show jumping phase, producing a fault-free round to maintain her overnight Bronze position.

Gold went to Germany’s Calvin Böckmann and Askaban B, while Silver was claimed by France’s Melissa Prevost with Podeenagh Aluinn.

Ireland had another top ten finisher in Lucy Hancock, who took sixth individual place with Newton Westie (ISH).

The Irish Pony European Eventing team of Nelson, Hancock, Maresa Ronan and Alex Power fell just 13 penalties short of a medal when they took fourth overall yesterday, with Gold going to Great Britain, Silver to France and Bronze to Sweden.

In Individual Show Jumping today, Ireland’s Mikey Pender and Imagine If One (ISH) finished fifth overall, with victory claimed by Justine Maerte of France with Shamrock du Gite.

The Irish Pony European Show Jumping team, however, took the Silver Medal on Friday when Pender, Olivia Roulston, Abbie Sweetnam and Luke Garrigan finished only three faults adrift of Gold medallists Great Britain, with France taking Bronze.

Victory for Allen in French Grand Prix

News Desk — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 10:07:32 +0000

IRELAND’s Bertram Allen and Molly Malone V scorched to glory in Sunday’s five-star grand prix at Dinard, France, outwitting a field of 43 top international competitors.

On what proved a very testing course, only five combinations managed to post zero scores in the opening round. The Wexford rider was then fourth to go in the decider in which the target was set by French rider Kevin Staut on Reveur De Hurtebise H D C, whose clear in 46.95 looked good enough for victory.

However Allen and the grey Molly Malone set a scorching pace and, leaving everything intact, crossed the beam in 46.54.

Last to go Aymeric De Punnat of France on Armitages Boy incurred four faults, leaving Allen with victory and a purse of 67,000 euro.

Daniels takes second in Camphire Three-star, O’Connor Third

News Desk — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 06:40:45 +0000

EIGHTEEN year-old Cathal Daniels scored a notable second place in the main feature class at Camphire International Horse Trials in Co. Waterford this afternoon (Sunday).

Daniels, who has already been selected for the GAIN Horse Feeds Young Rider Eventing Squad that will compete for Ireland in the 2015 European Championships in Strzegom, Poland next month, finished on his dressage score of 49.00 after going clear through the show jumping and cross country phases.

Riding Margaret Kinsella’s Irish Sport Horse mare Rioghan Rua, Daniels finished less than two penalty points off the winning score of Australia’s Christopher Burton and Nobilis 18, and moved up three places from his overnight fifth position.

Irish combinations accounted for seven of the top ten places in the 42-strong international field at Camphire’s three-star competition, with Austin O’Connor and Kilpatrick Knight (ISH)(TIH) finishing in third and Sarah Ennis with the Irish Sport Horse BLM Diamond Delux in fourth.

Fifth place went to Sam Watson and Horseware Lukeswell (ISH)(TIH), while Austin O’Connor took seventh on the Irish Sport Horse Morning Venture and also eighth with another Irish Sport Horse, Balham Houdini.

Tenth place was claimed by Patricia Ryan and the Irish Sport Horse Tullineaskey Hi Ho.

Austin O’Connor featured again as best of the Irish in the CCI2* at Camphire, finishing sixth on 51.3 with Day by Day (ISH) with Christopher Burton again taking the winner’s trophy, riding Santano II.

The CIC2* class was won by Ireland’s Clare Abbott and Glenkeeran River (ISH)(TIH).

Lynch third in London Five-Star Jump Off

News Desk — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 07:36:53 +0000

TIPPERARY’S Denis Lynch came away almost 14,000 euro richer after finishing third in today’s (Sunday) feature class at the five-star Longines show in London.

Competing in the Massimo Dutti Trophy competition, the Irish rider and Thomas Straumann’s bay gelding All Star 5 were one of 14 combinations to make it through to the jump-off round, and despite being second to go, set a blistering time of 38.08 seconds that at the final bell only two other combinations could better.

The first prize of 30,195 euro went to Britain’s Laura Renwick with the nine year-old gelding Bintang II, who shaved three quarters of a second off Lynch’s time, while second place went to Italy’s Emanuele Massimiliano Bianchi and the 11 year-old stallion Isco de Amoranda, who were a quarter of a second faster and took home 18,300 euro. Lynch’s prize money was 13,725 euro.

Lynch also won 2,700 euro for a seventh place in Friday’s jump-off competition in London, riding Abbervail van het Dingeshof.

Also in the money earlier today was Co. Down’s Conor Swail, who collected just over 8,000 euro for a win in the speed class at the four-star show in La Coruna, Spain with Susan Grange’s Simba de la Roque.

Elsewhere another Tipperary rider, Thomas Ryan, took third place in the three-star Grand Prix at Ascona in Switzerland with Quite Zero, losing out to Finnish winner Anna-Julia Kontio with Pacific des Essarts by just over two seconds, while at Gross Viegeln in Germany, Mayo’s Cameron Hanley had a double clear with Z Acodate DDL in the Grand Prix but settled for a sixth place on time. The class was won by Germany’s Eva Bitter and Perigueux.

In China, meanwhile, Co. Down’s Dermott Lennon placed sixth in the two-star Grand Prix at Dalian with Colour Your Life, and Harry Marshall from Co. Antrim took third in Belgium’s two-star Grand Prix in Hasselt, riding Barcelona.

Splaine Confirms Squad For Aga Khan at RDS Dublin Horse Show

News Desk — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 06:05:14 +0000

Horse Sport Ireland confirms Investec Irish Show Jumping squad for the 2015 Aga Khan Cup at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show

THE Investec Irish show jumping squad to represent Ireland at the 2015 Aga Khan trophy competition which will take place at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show on August 7th has been named. The squad, selected by Team Manager Robert Splaine is, in alphabetical order:

Bertram Allen from Wexford with Billy Twomey’s Romanov

Greg Broderick from Tipperary with Caledonia Stables’s MHS Going Global (ISH)

Darragh Kenny from Offaly with Caroline E Lloyd’s Sans Soucis Z

Cian O’Connor from Meath with Adena Springs’s Good Luck

Conor Swail from Co. Down with Vanessa Mannix’s Grand Cru VD Vijf Eiken.

Robert Splaine said: “The Dublin Horse Show is a great event and it means a lot to us. The support from the home crowd is second to none and we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Reynolds Excels Again at Four Star Cappeln

News Desk — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 18:21:30 +0000

JUST two days after scoring a personal best Grand Prix placing when coming second in the four-star Grand Prix at Cappeln, Germany, Ireland’s Judy Reynolds went a step further by taking another second place, this time in the more technical Grand Prix Special on Sunday.

Written by Mike Dunne

Once again partnering Joe and Kathleen Reynold’s 13-year-old Jazz gelding Vancouver K , the Kildare rider achieved a score of 70.412%, which was only bettered by Austrian Victoria Max-Theurer with Blind Date 25 on 75.490, the pairing which had also won the Grand Prix on Friday in which Reynolds was second.

It was the latest in a series of personal bests for Reynolds, as she sets her sights on the European Dressage Championships in Aachen, Germany, in August.

Lennon and O’Connor Take Top Two Places in Swedish Speed Class

News Desk — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 06:09:45 +0000

IRELAND’S former world champion show jumper Dermott Lennon claimed the top spot in Friday’s speed class at the five-star show in Falsterbo, Sweden, with Olympic bronze medallist Cian O’Connor close behind in second place.

Co. Down’s Lennon, third to jump in a field of 29, set a blistering time of 70.49 seconds with the 13 year-old gelding Vampire, and only O’Connor managed to come anywhere close, stopping the clock just under half a second slower with the ten year-old mare Quidam’s Cherie.

Lennon collected the Agria Trophy and 2,310 euro in prize money, while O’Connor took 1,400 euro for his runner-up place.

Falsterbo’s famous Derby takes place on Saturday afternoon, while the Grand Prix is scheduled to begin on Sunday at 1pm.

Liberation and Alan O’Regan take Cork leg of the ISH Studbook Series

News Desk — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 07:46:25 +0000

CORK native, Alan O’Regan, riding his mother Frances’ Guidam (SF) gelding, Liberation (ISH), were victorious in the 7 Year Old Final of the sixth leg of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook Showjumping Series at Cork Summer Show. There was a total of €9,500 on offer in prize money from Horse Sport Ireland at this leg of the 2015 Series.

Written by Colin McClelland

In the 6 Year Old Final, it was Declan Egan on board Deirdre Bourns’ Kroongraaf (KWPN) gelding, CSF Mr Kroon (ISH), who took top spot. While in the 5 Year Old Final, seven Irish Sport Horses shared the win – with the 5 year old class being run not against the clock.

The next leg of the Series takes place at Tattersalls, in association with Rolestown and the Ward Union Hunt, on 25th and 26th July in Ratoath, Co. Meath. Full results, including breeding details, from Cork Summer Show are listed below.

5 Year Old Final:

=1st Creevagh Paparazzi (ISH) – 2010 gelding by Camiro De Haar Z (ZANG) out of Novel (KWPN), by Zeoliet (KWPN). Owner/Bred by Linzi Johnston, Co. Antrim. Rider: Joanne Blair

=1st Noels Horse (ISH)(TIH) – 2010 gelding by Clover Echo (ISH) out of Doonaha (ISH), by Coevers Diamond Boy (ISH). Bred by Anthony Collins, Co. Dublin. Owner: Richard Dalton. Rider: Shane Dalton

=1st Glynnwood Uno Corland (ISH) – 2010 mare by Numero Uno (KWPN) out of Whoopy C (KWPN), by Corland (HOLST). Bred by Peter Glynn, Co. Galway. Owner: Deirdre Bourns. Rider: Declan Egan

=1st Lissyegan Geoffrey (ISH) – 2010 gelding by Hermes De Reve (SF) out of Woodbank Shiraz (ISH), by Captain Clover (ISH). Bred by Geoffrey Hall, Co. Longford. Owner/Rider: Damien Griffin

=1st MHS Tamara (ISH) – 2010 mare by O.B.O.S. Quality 004 (OLD) out of Royal Charter (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Bred by Ita Brennan, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Gerard O’Brien. Rider: Ger O’Neill

=1st MHS Attraction (ISH) – 2010 mare by Numero Uno (KWPN) out of French Ballerina (ISH), by Diamant De Semilly (SF). Bred by Michael Brennan, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Tim Brennan. Rider: David Moran

=1st HHS Sevenhouses (ISH) – 2010 gelding by Heritage Fortunus (HANN) out of HHS Daisy (ISH), by Ard VDL Douglas (KWPN). Owner/Bred by Marion Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Rider: Valentim Besmard

6 Year Old Final:

1at CSF Mr Kroon (ISH) – 2009 gelding by Kroongraaf (KWPN)by Shane Connolly, Co. Galway. Owner: Deirdre Bourns. Rider: Declan Egan

2nd Deep Pockets (ISH) – 2009 gelding by O.B.O.S. Quality 004 (OLD) out of Simply Chic (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Bred by Charles Pidgeon, Co. Westmeath. Owner/Rider: Jim Derwin

3rd HHS Fair Game (ISH) – 2009 mare by Heritage Fortunus (HANN) out of Dreaming Of U (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Bred by Marion Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Harry Fitzpatrick. Rider: Anne Marie Fitzpatrick

4th ESI Carvalho (ISH) – 2009 gelding by Padinus (KWPN) out of Cyndara (ISH), by Quidam Junior I (KWPN). Bred by Mary Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Ennisnag Stud. Rider: Peter Moloney

5th ESI Vienna (ISH) – 2009 gelding by Toulon (BWP) out of Coral Reef (SBS), by Cumano (HOLST). Bred by Cian O’Connor, Co. Meath. Owner: Ennisnay Stud. Rider: Peter Moloney

6th Beech Hill Lucia (ISH) – 2009 mare by Luidam (KWPN) out of Felice De Champeix (SF). Bred by Alex Tracy, Co. Dublin. Owner: Deirdre Bourns. Rider: Jenny Rankin

7 Year Old Final:

1st Liberation (ISH) – 2008 gelding by Guidam (SF) out of Harvalier (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Bred by John Greene, Co. Offaly. Owner: Frances O’Regan. Rider: Alan O’Regan

2nd Kilcannon Cavaquin (ISH) – 2008 mare by Harlequin Du Carel (SF) out of Clear Cavalier (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Bred by Tony Loughnane, Co. Tipperary. Owner: Mary Bolger. Rider: Jason Higgins

3rd Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight (ISH) – 2008 gelding by Jacomar (KWPN) out of Curraghgraigue Errigal (ISH), by Errigal Flight (ISH). Bred by Boden Powell, Co. Tipperary. Owner: Martin O’Meara. Rider: Liam O’Meara

4th Newmarket Clare Lady (ISH) – 2008 mare by Newmarket Jewel (WESTF) out of Newmarket Clare (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Owner/Bred by Billy Daly, Co. Cork. Rider: Francis Connors

5th Kennysflight (ISH)(TIH) – 2008 gelding by Errigal Flight (ISH) out of Cruseings Girl (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Bred by Eamon Kenny, Co. Laois. Owner/Rider: Liam O’Meara

6th Mini Cruzano (ISH) – 2008 mare by Silvano (KWPN) out of Hyundai Santa Fe (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Bred by Oliver Walsh, Co. Galway. Owner: Leona Walsh. Rider: Thomas O’Brien

Speirs Rides Two Winners in ISH Eventing Series at Ballinamona

News Desk — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 08:36:01 +0000

CAMILLA Speirs took the 6 Year-Old trophy in the ISH Eventing series with Loughnavatta Cedar (ISH) at Ballinamona last weekend.

Written by Colin McClelland

The winner is a bay gelding by Luidam (KWPN) out of the Dam Ballydoolagh Aimee Sunrise (ISH) and was bred by owner Rory Costigan.

Second was Kilroe Free And Easy (ISH) ridden by Angela Dennehy, owned by Maurice Coleman and bred by Harry Lalor, with third going to Cushlas Skyimp (ISH) ridden by Emma Jackson, owned by the rider and and bred by William Donegan.

Twenty-seven horses took part in the event.

The 5 Year-Old class was won by LEB Lias Jewel (ISH) a bay mare also ridden by Camilla Speirs, and owned and bred by Jo Breheny. The winner is by Limmerick (Holst) out of the LEB Liath (ISH). Twenty horses competed.

In the 4 Year-Old class, David Maher rode Barnadarrig Boy (ISH) to victory. Owned and bred by William Kirwan, the winner is a bay gelding by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan (BEWB) out of Mark Clover (ISH). Ten horses took part in the class

Wins for Foley and O’Connor in USA and Netherlands

News Desk — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 06:49:09 +0000

YOUNG Rider Tom Foley scored an impressive win at the three-star show in Tryon, USA last Wednesday, while Olympic medallist Cian O’Connor was victorious the following day at Arnhem’s three-star in the Netherlands.

Written by Colin McClelland

Nineteen year-old Foley, riding Spy Coast Farm’s mare Beluga, was the only one of 39 starters to break the 60 second barrier on the clock, coming home in 59.56.

Clare native Foley, who was one of Ireland’s European silver medal pony team in 2010, said after what his first win at the North Carolina venue: “When we walked the course I thought it looked very good. It was a nice course. I knew it was going to be a fast and hard test. There were a lot of people going in front of me in the class that were going to go fast. I have a great horse. I have to thank Shane Sweetnam for giving me the ride and to Lisa Lourie, the owner of Spy Coast Farm, for supporting me. It’s been great to have these kinds of opportunities and I’m so grateful.”

Meanwhile other Irish riders on the far side of the Atlantic also had success last night when Co. Down’s Conor Swail took second place at Spruce Meadows in Canada on Ilan Ferder’s Viva Colombia in the five-star speed competition, with Shane Sweetnam on Sweet Oak Farm’s Easy Contact Humlan claiming third. Chile’s Samuel Parot took first on Couscous van Orti.

Nearer home today, Cian O’Connor and Adena Springs’s mare Quidam’s Cherie were fastest in a huge field of over 90 starters at the three-star Netherlands show in Arnhem, while Capt. Michael Kelly and the Irish Sport Horse Ringwood Glen took sixth place.

Mayo’s Cameron Hanley also featured in what was the main class of the day, with a ninth on Ashford Farm’s Ikketiska van de Noordheuvel.