THE busy and multi-talented Kate Derwin is in Germany this weekend as a member of a large contingent of young Irish riders competing at the underage show jumping fixture in Hagen.

The 17-year-old, who is currently based with Carol Gee in Kilkenny, left Ireland on the back of a win and a fifth-place finish in the Dublin Horse Show Junior/Young Rider event horse qualifier at Forth Mountain on Tuesday which followed two placings at the Clyda one-day event on Sunday.

Derwin had already booked her tickets for the RDS with the two Forth Mountain horses following their performances at Scarteen but had to compete at the Wexford venue as part of the qualification process.

Her impressive winner was Gee’s Fernhill Candy Crush who claimed the ridden display by eight points from his nearest rivals, jumped a clear round within the time and topped the suitability and potential phase marks of Alain Storme who judged in the Derby Arena throughout the day.

A six-year-old bay gelding by Sligo Candy Boy, Fernhill Candy Crush completed on a total of 316.50 points with the Ella Geary-partnered Cullinagh Mor Pepper, a seven-year-old gelding by Lancelot out of a thoroughbred mare by Mister Lord, taking Tuesday’s first Dublin Horse Show ticket when second on 299.50.

The winner, who has 15 Showjumping Ireland points and has dominated the Irish Sport Horse Studbook classes for his age group over the past two seasons, was bred in Co Sligo by Padraig Howley. His stable-companion, the five-year-old Cobra mare Fernhill Cruiseaway, finished fifth with 296.5 points.

Others who secured a qualifying ticket on Tuesday for the new Dublin championship were local rider Joanne Corish with her five-year-old Harlequin du Carel mare Lates Caralier (298.5),; Ciara Dennigan with Paula Cullen’s home-bred Paulank Pepper Pot (298), a six-year-old Pointilliste half-sister to the Badminton winner Paulank Brockagh (by Touchdown); and Co Meath’s Nadine Dunne riding the seven-year-old Ricardo Royale gelding, Rico Zippy Sparrow (289), who finished seventh.

Derwin recorded two of the four clear rounds inside the time in this class while six of the 23 starters were eliminated. There were eliminations in all sections on Tuesday, some riders losing their way around the twisting track while one failed to go through the finish.