IT was a good weekend for Mikey Pender as he took the honours in the final leg of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook series in both the five-year-old division and in the seven-year-olds.

In the five-year-olds, riding Forty Roses Pender, Pender delivered the fastest double clear, in 39.60 seconds. A mare by Heritage Fortunus (HANN) out of HHS Diamond Exchange (ISH) by Ramiro B (BWP), she was bred by Declan Kehoe and is owned by Marion Hughes.

Following a great Dublin Horse Show, having won the four and five-year olds, Jessica Burke kicked off another good weekend when she took second place with Leona Walsh’s Lux Like Cruise, clear in 41.95. Sophie Richards took third place when she piloted Carol Gee’s MHS Fernhill to a clear in 42.73.

Jessica Burke was back in the ribbons when she slotted into fourth with Miss Jolly clear in 43.25. Burke had much to celebrate as Miss Jolly took the crown in the overall five-year-old Irish Sport Horse Studbook Series champion.

Owned by Gabriel Slattery, Miss Jolly is a mare by Captain Clover (ISH) out of Princess Rooskey (ISH) by Ginger Holly (ID) and was bred by Tony Foody.

Catherine Thornton and her own and Patricia Kavanagh’s Drumiller Sensation took fifth place when they were last of the double clears, in 43.61. Jack Ryan and BBS McGregor proved fastest of the four faulters, in 39.45, for sixth.

Hannah Patterson was back in the ribbons when she took the win in the six-year-old decider. First to go riding her own Volt Star, she lodged the only double clear of the class, in 36.83 seconds. Patterson kept it tight throughout the course and made up time in the turn to the penultimate and then to the last oxer.

Owned by Patterson and bred by Deirdre Bourns, Volt Star is a mare out of Volitol (ISH) by Lux Z (HANN). This combination has proved very consistent in these aged classes, finishing fifth in Dublin in the six-year-old qualifier before taking third in the six/seven-year-old Championships at National Balmoral.

Next up, Mervyn Clarke and Thomascourt BGS’ inside line from three to the double cost him as it fell to the floor, but their time proved good enough for eventual fourth.

RENOWNED BREEDER

Renowned for breeding and producing young horses, Marion Hughes featured strongly in this division as HS High Five, who was bred by Hughes, took second place. Owned and ridden by Maria Vozone, the duo also fell victim to the first part of the double in in 36.20 for second place. Mikey Pender kept the HHS Flag in the air when he partnered Hughes’ HHS Fortune into third. Pender also faulted at the first part of the double, but a series of tight lines saw him clock 36.87.

Six-year-old champion at Dublin Horse Show, Gabriel Slattery’s stallion Castlelawn Captain Junior was back in the line-up when Jessica Burke piloted him into fifth place. Burke took the longer line to the double but, despite this careful approach, they picked up four faults at the second part of the double, in a time of 44.14. Burke didn’t go home too disappointed as the stallion won the crown in the overall six-year-old Irish Sport Horse Studbook series.

This stallion boasts a great traditional Irish horse breeding line going back to the great Clover Hill. He has proved very consistent, both on the national and international circuit. As a five-year-old, he took fifth place in Lanaken in the consolation class.

Hughes’ HHS Geneva was fastest of the four-faulters in the first round, for sixth place.

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DIVISION

In the seven-year-olds, Mikey Pender led the victory lap with HHS Washington. A gelding by Tinaranas Inspector (WESTF) out of Cadiz (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST), he was bred by and is owned by Miguel Bravo. First to go in the eight-way jump-off, the combination jumped double clear in a time of 32.22 seconds to take the win.

Jessica Burke also made her presence felt in this division when she partnered Liam Nicholas’s Express Trend to a clear, in 36.62, for second. Richard Kerins and Achonry Carie accounted for third when clear in 38.49, while Francis Connors and BP Castlefield took fourth when last of the double clears, in 40.02.

Paul Carberry and Brandonview First Edition delivered a very fast round in 33.46, but it came at a price as he clipped the vertical at fence four and, as a result, had to be content with fifth place. Peter Smyth and Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick completed the top-six line-up when they faulted at the first part of the double and crossed the line in 33.89.

Overall winner of the series was Martin Egan’s Castlefield Vegas (ISH), by Cassino (SWWB) out of Clarkes Quiet Optimistic (ISH) by Lux Z (HANN). Bred by by John Clarke, the gelding has proved very consistent for O’Neill and recorded three wins throughout the series. The pairing also took the win in the seven-qualifier in Dublin and finished second in the Championship.