​Francis Connors pictured with John Gereth from Connolly’s RED MILLS at Ballylawn Show Co Waterford – Photo jumping news. com

Francis Connors ensured that the winners prize stayed on his home-soil at Ballylawn Stud, when he won the opening round of the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster grand prix league on bank holiday Monday.

Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos – (Photo: Stefano Grasso/LGCT)

World No1 Scott Brash was victorious for the second night in a row on Miami Beach on Saturday evening, as he galloped away with the inaugural Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach Grand Prix title aboard Hello Sanctos. This was the two-time Longines GCT Champ’s fifth Grand Prix win in the last three seasons as he continues to dominate the Tour in spectacular fashion.

Brash is part of the Connolly’s RED MILLS team of brand ambassadors, which also includes Ireland’s Denis Lynch who finished twelfth after also making the jump-off with Ho Go van de Padenborre.

Bassem Hassan Mohammed (QAT) and his relatively new ride Palloubet D Halong put in the performance of their young partnership to take Silver, while 2014 Longines GCT of Shanghai Grand Prix winner Pieter Devos (BEL) and Candy finished with a worthy Bronze medal. From the VIP Lounge, Michael Bloomberg, Bruce Springsteen, HE Sheikh Joaan Al Thani and Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine watched world-class sport at it’s very best.

Equestrian Formula 1

Speaking from the VIP Hospitality Lounge Mr Bloomberg said: “I think this is a wonderful thing for Miami and for the economy of Miami. This could become like the Formula 1 is to Monaco and places like that not just the people who come to watch the show, the people who support it, the people who work in the hotels where we all stay, the restaurants. It is amazing the hard work that goes into this.”

As official feed supplier to LGCT Miami, Connolly’s RED MILLS shipped over eight tonnes of their high quality feed to the spectacular location for the first Global Tour event of the season, with RED MILLS unique NFMS^TM packaging technology allowing these World-class competitors to keep their horses on a consistent diet regardless of country or climate.

Having claimed a strong victory with his new mount Hello Forever in yesterday’s 42nd American Invitational, Scott Brash went into the Grand Prix a firm favourite, but facing hot competition from a stellar line-up of world-class riders from around the globe.

The first round of the Grand Prix was a testing and technical course which caught out many an experienced combination. The tight, awkward distances, tall uprights and sharp corners demanded precision, control and power. There were no clear bogey fences, though an airy vertical on a dog-leg following the Longines combination claimed many.

Of the 50 Grand Prix starters, 12 clears proceeded to the 2nd round, including Katie Dinan (USA) and Stakorado, Margie Goldstein-Engle (USA) and Royce, Denis Lynch (IRE) and Ho Go van de Padenborre, Luciana Diniz (POR) and Apollonia, Beezie Madden (USA) and Simon, Kent Farrington (USA) and Voyeur, and Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Rosana du Park.

The top 18 riders came back to try their talents against another Uliano Vezzani course, including four on 4 faults. The U.S. had a strong showing with seven riders going through to the next round. All eyes were on Scott Brash and his 2012 Olympic mount as the combinations came back for their next test against the course.

The second round saw an early clear from Laura Kraut (USA) and Nouvelle carrying four faults from the first round. But subsequent clean rounds were few and far between until Bassem Mohammed and Palloubet D Halong notched up the first double clear. The course was twisty and with many turns, requiring immense control, with big oxers demanding scope and care.

Beezie Madden and Simon agonisingly lowered the final fence, but were swiftly followed by reigning European Champion Roger-Yves Bost (FRA) and Nippon d’Elle who were the second double clear. It wasn’t until near the end of the first round that Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos joined Bosty and Bassem in the final showdown – the combination looked on cracking form from the very beginning.

Bassem set the standard first to go in the jump-off, clear in a time of 39.74s. Second to go, Bosty risked a tight turn back to a tall upright and picked up a refusal, leaving him in 4th place. Scott Brash knew what he had to do and executed his plan with foot-perfect precision to stop the clock in 38.57s. Last to go, Pieter Devos pushed his mare, recently returned from a long break from competition, but lowered an early fence in the tricky jump-off course leaving Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos once more unbeatable.

Scott will be back in action in Antwerp in a few weeks once again hot on the trail on the Longines GCT Championship, which if he wins once again this season, will be his 3rd in a row – a truly incredible feat.

For more details on Connolly’s RED MILLS products visit www.redmills.com

2014 Connollys RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league runner up Seamus Hayes pictured with from left Tony Hurley ShowjumpingIreland Chairman and Jerry Sweetnam Munster league organizer

The final round of the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league at Banteer Gymkhana served up another thrilling competition in the 2014 series, with the result hanging in the balance right up to the end.

Connollys RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league leading young rider Patrick Joyce with from left his father John Joyce and Gareth Connolly of Connolly’s RED MILLS

Local rider Noelle Barry from Co Cork claimed a superb runner up finish with the nine year old Aldatus Z sired Norway Venture, jumping what was one of six double clear rounds in the class with the Yvonne Meaney owned gelding.

Meanwhile Liam O Meara was crowned 2014 Munster Greyhound Night 1.10m league champion, collecting the €1,000 first prize, just ahead of Blanch Sterling who collected €500 as league runner-up.

2014 Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix Champion Francis Connors pictured with from left John Geraghty from RED MILLS, Tony Hurley ShowjumpingIreland Chairman and Gareth Connolly of Connolly’

Seamus Hayes and the stallion Chipolini VMZ, photo credit Sonya Dempsey

Tipperary’s Seamus Hayes captured the sixth round of the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league, at Tallow Gymkhana in Co Waterford, with the Tina McDermott owned Chipolini VMZ.

Full ​Result – Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League – Round 6  - Tallow Gymkhana Co Waterford 03/06/2014

Francis Connors and Uskerty Diamond Lady who won the West Clare round of the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League

For the second time in as many rounds, Waterford’s Francis Connors and the Hilda Anthony owned Uskerty Diamond Lady, grabbed the winners prize in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league, this time in the fifth round of the series at Charleville Show in Co Cork.

Full ​Result – Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League – Round 5 Charleville Show Co Cork. 28/06/2014

Catriona Fallon and Nivitas Charge K on their way to victory in the third round of the Connnolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league, at Ballinamona Equestrian Centre in Waterford, (photo Sonya Dempsey)

Galway born Catriona Fallon with the Nightfield Equestrian owned Nivitas Charge K, captured a very competitive third round of the Connnolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league, at the picturesque Ballinamona Equestrian Centre near Waterford City.

A nine-year-old son of Luidam, Nivitas Charge K has been a consistently sold performer at 1.35m level and finished third in the HSI/Connolly’s RED MILLS Spring Tour at Ballinamona earlier this year.

The Noel Phelan designed course included a selection of Munster Grand Prix league newly sponsored fences, which will feature at each of the league rounds throughout Munster and eventually 12 of the 37 starters made it through to the jump-off.

Third to go against the clock, Cork’s Brian Morrison, was the early leader with Wilton VDL, a clear in 39.21 seconds would eventually be good enough for seventh place.

Reigning Munster grand prix league champion Francis Connors shaved almost five seconds off the target time, to take the lead with Hilda Anthony’s Uskerty Diamond Lady, the ten year old daughter of Carrick Diamond Lady was in superb form posting a clear in 34.26.

Full of confidence following her win in the Mullingar International grand prix a week earlier, Joan Green was next to go clear with Clarequest Hill Cruise, their time of 36.83 seconds would see them take fifth spot at the finish.

Swiss rider Julie Jucker who is based with Miguel Bravo and Marion Hughes at Hughes Horse Stud, then posted a brilliant clear (35.26) with her own Nisis de la Cense and would hold on to finish fourth with the Hobby de la Cense 13 year-old gelding.

Catriona Fallon and Ninitas Charge K then entered the arena and immediately showed their intensions with a super tight turn back to the Barry O Connor Training and Sales sponsored third fence of the jump-off, before galloping to the treble combination where Nivitas Charge K stayed careful as a cat. A long gallop to the second last Red Mills oxer followed before Fallon cleared the Munster Joinery last fence to stop the clock clear in 34 seconds flat.

Stephen Smith was next to go clear, his time of 39.13 with his own Goodwill VB would see them finish in fifth, while second last to jump, Peter Moloney from Coligan Dungarvan, was in excellent form with the very consistent Ribanbelle Tame going clear in 35.19 second to grab third place.

Last to jump was former Hickstead Derby winner Paul Beecher from Tallow and he opted for a steady clear (40.30) with the eight-year-old Captain Kelly to finish in eighth place and leave Catriona Fallon as a deserving winner and Francis Connors as runner-up.

This latest result sees Peter Moloney, who finished third overall in the series in 2013, move to the top of the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league table on 14 points with Francis Connors in second on 12 ahead of a group of three riders (Seamus Hayes, Gerard Clarke and Catriona Fallon) on 10 points

The Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league now moves to West Clare Show on 22 June before Charleville in Co Cork will host round five of the series on Saturday 28 June.

RESULT – Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League – Round 3 Ballinamona Co Waterford 08/06/2014

1st Catriona Fallon/Nivitas Charge K 0/0 34.00
2nd Francis Connors/Uskerty Diamond 0/0 34.26
3rd Peter Moloney/Ribanbelle Tame 0/0 35.19
4th Julie Jucker/ Nisis de la Cense 0/0 35.26
5th Joan Green/Clarequest Hill Cruise 0/0 36.83
6th Stephen Smith/Goodwill VB 0/0 39.13
7th Brian Morrison/Wilton VDL 0/0 39.21
8th Paul Beecher/Captain Kelly 0/0 40.30
9th Lisa O Sullivan/Castlequaid Diamond 0/0 41.07
10th Paddy O Donnell/Done Crusing 0/4 32.99

37 Starters
12 Into Jump-off

Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League-Table Following Round 3 Ballinamona
Peter Moloney 14
Francis Connors 12
Gerard Clarke 10
Seamus Hayes 10
Catriona Fallon 10
Gemma Phelan 8
Liam O meara 8

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Kernan Equestrian Centre 

Kernan Equestrian Centre ran a very successful horse show on Sunday 30th March.  This incorporated a leg of the HSI Connolly’s RED MILLS Spring Tour. All competitions were kindly sponsored by local company Glencarron Nursing Home and the Showjumpers Club

Sunday dawned early, with the hour springing forward but that made little impact on the excellent turnout of horses, riders and spectators. The first event of the day the 1m saw Lorraine McGuinness on North Louth Horse Park’s Russian Gold taking 1^st place. In the 1.10m class April McCrea took the red rosette on Baby Blossom in a time of 27.51secs narrowly beating Kate Murray and  Tuillibards Petite Bonnie’s time of 27.81secs relegating them to 2^nd place. Close on her heels was Laura Brown on Kec Purple Princess who finished up on a time of 28.11secs. The best supported class of the day the two phase 1.20m produced a very high standard  of jumping with twenty nine combinations out of the 66 starters jumping double clears. Jordan Coyle on Rebel Z  held on to his  early lead in a fast time of 21.80 secs. to give him first place even though his brother Daniel did his best on Isobella Argentina, his time of 23.10secs was good enough for 3^rd place as still to come Paul Carroll on Carroll’s Produce Ltd’s Castleroche la Roche  triumphed with a faultless round in 22.62secs. giving him the 2^nd prize.

The eagerly awaited 1.35m €2,500 Grand Prix jumpoff event attracted 38 entries  with Peter Smyth grabbing a hard fought victory on on James Mc Kean’s Victoria Rose.  Glencarron Nursing Home sponsored the competition, with 10 of the 38 starters making it through to the second round.  Peter and the eleven year old mare Victoria Rose (Limmerick x Edmund Burke) are already multiple Grand Prix winners and they showed their class with a double clear round over Tom Holden’s course to take victory in 30.03secsonds, just ahead of Alexander Butler and Vimminka who were just a fractions slower (30.16secs) to take 2nd place.

Reigning Spring Tour champion Daniel Coyle held the lead in the weekend’s action

and as news filtered through that Tomas O’Brien had won at the southern venue Maryville, Coyle knew he needed a good result to maintain his position. A clear round in 31.10secs with Linzi Johnston’s Uptown Girl saw Daniel take 3^rd place .  His brother Jordan Coyle also produced an excellent performance to finish 4^th on VDL Cassius.  Alexander Butler grabbed another slice of the €2,500 prize fund on offer when taking 5^th place with Monastery Stud More Pleasure while young rider Emily Turkington completed the top six with Willem, their time of 32.18 secs was just one hundredth of a second behind 5^th place Alexander Butler

Young Rider of the show was Daniel Coyle.and the Best Turned Out prize went to Mise Le Meas (John Floody). Kernan Equestrian Centre rugs were presented to winners of the 1m/1.10m&1.20m classes by James Kernan. The rug to the winner of the 1.35 Grand Prix class was sponsored by Darragh Equestrian Solutions.

Kernan Equestrian Centre wish to extend their sincere thanks to Glencarron Nursing Home for  their generous sponsorship of this leg of the HSI/Connolly’s RED MILLS Spring Tour in association with The Showjumpers Club.  They also wish to acknowledge the support of Castlefield Sport Horses; Thermatex; Platinum by Harry Dabbs &Jumpinaction.net.

Kernan Equestrian Centre
HSI Connolly’s RED MILLS Spring Tour

Grand Prix Horse Show

Sunday 31^st March 2014

Ev 1:1m- 1,Nth Louth Horse Park’s Russian Gold (Lorraine McGuinness);

2,P. McCourt’s  Trebor Tell Me More (Maeve McCourt); 3, M. McShane’s MMS Camilla (Mary McShane); 4, L. McEntaggart’s Explorer Z (Louise McEntaggart); 5, L.Klelly’s Atlantic Sparkle (Ryan O’Neill); 6, P. Kirwan’s Rebel (Sarah Jane Kirwan);

Ev 2: 1.10m- 1,W. McCrea’s Baby Blossom (April McCrea); 2,L. Murray’s Tullibards Petite Bonnie (Kate Murray); 3,E. Kelly’s Kec Purple Pineapple (Laura Brown); 4,R. Hughes’s Roxborough Double Diamond (Ryan O’Neill); 5,P. McCourt’s Latika (Emmet McCourt); 6, A. McCrea’s Clagan Royale (Stephen Brown); 7, P. Duffy’s Brockwood Supersonic (Sean Kavanagh); 8, M. Buser’s Vigo g (Beverley Thompson);

Ev 3: 1.20m- 1, D. Coyle’s Rebel Z (Jordan Coyle); 2,Carroll Produce Ltd’s Castleroche La Roche (Paul Carroll); 3,J. Carr’s Isobelle Argentina (Daniel Coyle); 4,E. Kelly’s Kec Purple Pineapple); 5,J. & E. Hogg’s Indicator (James Hogg); 6, L. Murray’s Lullibard’s Petite Bonnie (Kate Murray); 7,M. McAllister’s Hermrs Roysle (Tom Hearne);

8,N. Kieran’s Echo Ireland (Rebecca Kieran);

Ev. 4: HSI Connolly’s RED MILLS  Spring Tour Grand Prix

Sponsored by Glencarron Nursing Home & Showjumpers Club

1-J. McKean’s Victoria Rose (Peter Smyth (30.03secs); 2,Ladycastle’s Syndicate’s Vimminka (Alexander Butler (30.16secs); 3, L. Johnston’s Uptown Girl (Daniel Coyle (31.10secs); 4, G Sharkey’s VDL Cassius (31.43secs); 5, M. Leddy’s Moanastery Stud More Pleasure (32.17secs); 6, E. Turkington’s Willem (Emily Turkington (32.18secs);

7, W. Lapsley’s George (Kelda Morgan (4/32.88secs); 8, E. McCourt’s Money Train (Emmet McCourt (4/32.88secs).

Rug for 1^st prizewinner: Sponsored by Darragh Equestrian Solutions

Best Turned Out: Mise Le Meas (John Floody)

Winning Owner :James McKean

Highest placed Young Rider: Daniel Coyle

Rugs for 1m/1.10m/1.20m: Sponsored by Kernan Equestrian Centre

Leader Board: 30^th March 2014.

Thomas O’Brien         52 Points

Daniel Coyle               51 Points

Connor McEnaeney   37 Points

James Hogg               27 Points

Liam O’Meara             25 Points