THE final round of the Baileys Horse Feeds flexi-eventing series took place at The Meadows Equestrian Centre last Saturday after which Emma Jackson departed with the bulk of the prize-money on offer. The seven-leg series commenced on January 21st and attracted over 600 starters with competitors being awarded points for performance as well as attendance each week. As the name would suggest, riders could take part in dressage, show jumping and cross-country or a combination of all three disciplines.

Over the series, a large number of judges were required as were scribes, scorers, starters, arena party members, etc, all of whom displayed great commitment and whose efforts were much appreciated. So too was the dedication shown by Judy Maxwell of Baileys Horse Feeds who attended each round of the series on behalf of the sponsors and even persuaded her brother Jeremy to travel over from England to judge one Saturday.

“Baileys were very happy to sponsor the flexi-eventing series again this season,” commented Maxwell. “Every year sees an increased interest in improving dressage skills which is only correct as, to win medals, we have to produce competitive dressage scores. And the more riders practise, the closer they get to perfection!”

The placings at the top of the leaderboard were very tight going into the final day when competitors faced a mixture of cool weather with some light showers. However, the elements never faze Emma Jackson who is certainly no stranger to practice and hard work. The Ballygowan-based eventer, show jumper and young horse producer won the League with her 12-year-old Creevagh Ferro stallion Creevagh For Sure, on whom she rounded off the 2016 eventing season by winning the O/CNC* class at Loughanmore, and placed second with Amy B whose eventing start last year also came at the Co Antrim event where she won the A/CNC** division.

Both horses will concentrate on show jumping for the first half of the year at least with Amy B, a 17-year-old chesnut mare by Amiro M, heading for the national Grand Prix circuit. For good measure, Jackson finished fifth in the series on her nine-year-old dark brown mare Silken Allure, another by Creevagh Ferro, who will also go jumping but may be aimed at Tattersalls International Horse Trials.

Third place in the League went to the readily-identifiable Carlingford Sebastian, the 16-year-old skewbald gelding owned and ridden by Pauline Faloon, while Nicky Nesbitt, joint-chairman of Eventing Ireland’s amateur committee, finished fourth with the 10-year-old C-Indoctro II mare Ringfort India. Becky Cullen, high performance manager of the pony eventing squad, placed sixth on her husband Declan’s intermediate eventer Seavaghan Ash, an eight-year-old skewbald gelding by Glenhill Gold.

Jackson recorded just one dressage win on Saturday, topping Vanda Robinson’s scores in the Novice class with Silken Allure, ahead of Justine Harding and the lovely chesnut mare Charissma. Robinson also judged the Intermediate section where Jackson and Amy B had to settle for third place behind Leah Jackson and the nine-year-old Cyrano mare Gemily, who scored nearly 72%, and Hannah Blakely with her seven-year-old Newmarket Jewel mare Sportsfield Ruby.

Faloon and Carlingford Sebastian just failed to capture the pre-novice class where judge Stephen Murphy had them in second place behind the busy Jonny Mulligan and Mervyn Gibson’s Randalstown Commando.

The latter, a 2012 gelding by Ricardo Z was the supreme working hunter champion at last year’s Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan, was third in his young event horse class at Balmoral and fourth in Dublin. He will again bid to qualify for those young horse championships as well as continuing his eventing career which he completed last year with a third place finish at Knockany, one of three venues where he recorded a double clear.

Saturday’s intro class, judged by David Patterson, was won by Denise Kelly on her five-year-old mare Moorhills CC Clover with whom, on just their second start, she finished a point clear of Helen Cunningham riding Willow. The Newry owner is extremely proud of Moorhills CC Clover, having broken and produced the bay daughter of Clover Flush herself.