BORDER Counties Riding Club retained the Team Eventing title for a record fourth time at the AIRC National Eventing Championships last Sunday.

Nine teams, from seven regions, declared for the final club championship of the year which took place at Lisgarvan House just outside Ballon, Co Carlow where the best three scores counted towards the team total.

Just five penalties separated the top three teams with Border Counties claiming the spoils, on 94.3 penalties, for the second year in a year and a record fourth time since the championship was introduced in 2009. Calliaghstown narrowly missed out on the top spot when the Dublin based club fell short by just 2.1 penalties on 96.4 to take the blue ribbons home.

Caroline McQuillan, who is a regular member of the team making her third winning appearance, once again provided the teams lowest score when the Glaslough resident added just 0.4 penalties across the country to finish on a total of 28.2 on her 11-year-old gelding, Foxtail Orchid.

Sarah Lester provided the teams next best score on 31.3 after Cloncaw Smartie picked up 10 penalties over the coloured poles, while Johnathan Bellew provided the discard score on Edenagor Kate after the eight-year-old chesnut ID mare had 12 penalties show jumping to finish on 49.8.

Club chairperson Dean O’ Neill said: “The eventing championships are one of the highlights of the year for our club and the team gave it their all on the day in each of the disciplines to claim the prestigious title for the second year in a row and our fourth time since 2011.

“Congratulations to Caroline Mc Quillan, Laura Finn, Sarah Lester and Johnathan Bellew who put in a lot of hard work along with many of our members who competed on the day also, many of which was their first time. You all did the club proud.”

Marie Lawlor provided the runners-up from Calliaghstown with their lowest score after Ace Mr T had nothing to add after the jumping phases to finish on 25.8. Miriam Marron (Foxboro Bunty) was next best on their dressage score of 30.3, while Suzanne McGee (Bohemian Ruby) added four penalties over the coloured poles to finish on 40.3.

Sandra Phipps provided the discard score of 47.5 after the Calliaghstown member returned with two poles on the floor in the show jumping phase on MBF Pearl.

Mosstown Riding Club took the remaining podium place in third on 99.1 with Ballycanew (101.2) in fourth place ahead of Earl’s Well (106.8) and Mill Road (108.2) completing the top six teams in fifth and sixth respectively.