GOLDEN Grove Riding Club hosted the Connolly’s Red Mills West Midlands Team Show Jumping Qualifier for the first time last Sunday. Chairman of Golden Grove, David Maher, kindly gave his permission to host the competition at Roscrea Equestrian Centre.

Roscrea Equestrian Centre is the base for Golden Grove Riding Club which was established in 2021. In ideal weather conditions, seven teams from the West Midlands Region went head-to-head. Mill Road Riding Club and Golden Grove Riding Club had two teams each and Anvil Riding Club returned to the competition after several years absence. Clonshire Riding Club was well represented as always, as was Rock of Cashel Riding Club.

The course was looking fabulous and saw some fantastic rounds with five teams on zero points after the first round. However, the second round proved too much for most.

Mill Road Riding Club with Theresa Squarey, Hanna Bjoremark, Fran Denny and his daughter Jennifer were the first to make it to the jump-off.

Three members of this team had qualified last year but unfortunately Theresa (better know as Topsy), had an accident with a ladder which led to a broken leg and had to be substituted for the RDS. Golden Grove saved their captain Hayley Ryan for the jump-off after Pat Cantwell, Fergus Ryan and Colm O’Meara all jumped clear.

Jennifer Denny is no stranger to a jump-off with Wild Domaine, a 2002 Irish Sport Horse, to jump clear in a time of 35.71 to book their place in Dublin for the second consecutive year. Hayley and Kando (a 2000 Irish Sport Horse) gave it their all to finish in 36.04 having to kick on to the Wild Card at the Riding Club Festival in June.