THE last class at Friday’s RDS Equestrian National Championships was the Children on Horses where 16 combinations battled it out for the coveted title.

The course, which was set by Alan Wade, asked a few questions, such as the planks at fence four, followed by the RDS oxer over a water tray. In the middle of the track, there was a triple combination, oxer vertical to a vertical, and later in the course, a double to be negotiated.

Despite a testing course, seven booked their place in the jump-off. First to go against the clock, Ruben Hall and Hillviews Rough Diamond delivered another foot-perfect round in a time of 41.73 seconds, which would later see them slot into third. Next to go, Heather Byrne and Golden Puissance faulted at the second rustic oxer, but calculated riding saw them keep the pace up and clock 43.01 for sixth place. The lead changed hands as Abbie Oakey and Cinnickroodnoot kept all the poles in place in a time of 38.56.

Winning round

Annie Boland didn’t hang about as she took to the course with Mary Boland’s Kahlua Du Karl. The Wexford rider first made up time in the turn back to the second oxer and later to the double and back to the proceeding vertical. A daring gallop to the last saw them clock the winning time of 38.26 and consequently demote Abbie Oakey and Cinnicknoodnoot into second and Ruben Hall (Hillviews Rough Diamond) into third.

Alice Moloney and Cosima also proved out of luck when they faulted at the second oxer and their time of 38.03 saw them slot into fourth.

Last to go, with the Lorna Moore-owned Scooby Bee, Benjamin Moore was out of luck when he also fell victim to the second oxer and crossed the line in 42.22 for fifth place.