WATERFORD Tipperary SJI kicked off their Mackeys Amateur League in style last Sunday. Competitors from five counties made the journey to Francis Connors’ Ballylawn venue, with 12 making it through to what turned out to be an exciting jump-off track built by Pat Peare from Wexford Equestrian.

Efficient clear

Des Hourigan opened the second round with an efficient clear, before John Fennell soon took over the lead in 37.77 seconds on his own Comeragh’s Jingle, who returns to competition after breeding a colt foal last year. Despite valiant efforts by John Halley in third, Brian Daly in fourth, Caoilfhionn Lawlor in fifth, and John Fennel in sixth, it fell to the final competitor, Gary Flynn, on the ever reliable Bahrain Prince to stop the clock in 37.51 and take first place with a brave line to the last oxer and bring the competition to an exciting close.

The next leg of the league will be in June in Paddy O’Donnell’s Kilfarrasy venue before moving on to Clonmel show in July.