Exciting New Derby Events for the Mid Antrim Horse Show
The Mid Antrim Horse Show will hold its annual showjumping show at the usual venue of the Ballee Playing Fields, Ballymena, on Saturday 27th June, starting at 9am with the 90cm registered in Arena 1.
This year there will be a difference in format as in Arena 2 there will be an exciting new Derby course for the Amateur and non-registered classes. There will be a variety of fences and all the courses in both arenas will be built as usual by the ever efficient family team of Raymond Jess and his son Nigel. The new Derby track will incorporate unregistered show-jumping classes, and will make a much more versatile and challenging course with something to suit everyone. There will be no Working Hunter Classes this year but the Derby event will be a very interesting replacement, incorporating Derby and Working Hunter type fences.
These classes will start with Junior Jumping and 50cm jumping, followed by 70cm. The 80cm, 90cm and 1 metre classes, all will have a timed 2nd round jump off. For the Junior Jumping, 50cm and 70cm competitions, prizes will be in kind, but for the 80, 90 and metre classes there will be a cash prize fund similar to cash jumping.
The Amateur class which starts at 9.30am, is this year in the Northern Region leg of the Horseware Derby League. It is kindly sponsored by Anthea Moffett with the invaluable support of Tri Equestrian, now based at the Meadows in Lurgan, who have sponsored some great prizes. The Registered classes are all part of the Bluegrass Ulster Region League and will hope to match the success of last year’s competitions. In 2014 the prestigious 1.35m Grand Prix saw Dermott Lennon scoop the red rosette and generous first prize, with Angela Percy, who rode for him, taking second place. This class is again very kindly sponsored by Volvo Dennison Commercial Trucks with a £1000 prize fund. The 1.20, 1.10, 1m and 90cm classes have prize funds totalling £525.
As competitors know from the past, the jumping surface is excellent at the Ballee playing fields and with its sandy base it stands up to any weather, wet or dry. Last year the show was a victim of its own success as the popular registered classes ran on quite late, but this year the Amateurs will start in Arena 2. Entries for each competition will close 30mins after the class has started.
The Show committee would like to thank all their sponsors for their generosity and look forward to this exciting new Show.
Category: News, Results, Show Jumping
