DONEGAL rider Rachel Carton was more surprised than anyone else by her win in the intermediate championship at the Connolly’s Red Mills National Hunter Trials Championships at Flowerhill Equestrian Centre, Co. Galway, last Sunday.

The Rathmullen resident broke her arm last November and missed the hunting season but daughter Emma kept Aughavannon Merlin ticking over at her Kilkenny base.

The Association of Irish Riding Clubs championships were run on an optimum time basis rather than against the clock with competitors given a 20-second window to complete. Outside of this, they incurred time penalties.

Some 65 riders took on a 20-fence track at Oliver Walsh’s Flowerhill for the intermediate championship and just three riders came home with a clean sheet.

The Letterkenny rider finished on top with her eight-year-old brown ISH gelding Aughavannon Merlin who crossed the line exactly on the target of 6 mins 30 seconds to claim the spoils. Tir Conaill’s Courtney Green took the blue ribbon on Gortahork Brid who was just a second off the target, while Shaun Brennan took third on Santa Cruz Lady for Donegal Gaeltacht.

Carton said: “I had been waiting for a knee operation which was postponed to Monday, April 11th so to win was a dream come true. I have to say a very special thanks to everyone who wished me well and also to my husband Raymond, who has been hugely supportive.”

Carton also featured in the intermediate pairs where she teamed up with her sister Libby (Fenway) to claim fifth. Slieve Bloom’s Amanda Hehir (Aztlan K) and Arderin’s Andreena Purcell (Greenhall Manuka) won after crossing the line just one second short of the preferred time of 6 mins 54 seconds with nothing to add. Slieve Blooms’ Jan Boons (Arraghbeg Luidam) and Sinead Boyd (Hollpark Lady) took second after they were the only other pair to come home with no added penalties.

Slieve Bloom’s Mary Hogan won the open and advanced open championship with a clear jumping round on Watervalley Hogan. She picked up 50 time penalties but her clear jumping round kept her ahead of last year’s runner-up Laura Schneider (Chloe Lass) for Donegal Gaeltacht who took the blue ribbon again.

Schneider had better luck in the mixed pairs competition where she and her sister, Emily, (My Boy Boysie), claimed the honours. The Donegal Gaeltacht duo were one of three clear jumping rounds of the 31 starters but their time of 6 mins 15 seconds left them with five time penalties. This was enough for them to claim the spoils ahead of Stracomers Karl Dolan (Diamond Lillie) and Tara Fergus Sheridan (Tirconaill River Rose).

Tir Conaill rider Jason Deward picked up the winner’s rosette in the advanced intermediate championship on his 10-year-old chesnut ISH mare Leahs Lady Rose, just eight seconds adrift of the six-minute target with nothing to add.

Rudy Schneider took home the runner-up prize after the Donegal Gaeltacht rider finished next best on My Boy Boysie with only three-time penalties on the scoreboard.

STIFF COMPETITION

Mosstown’s Sue Moles from Ballymahon overcame stiff opposition in the advanced primary championship to claim the title from almost 50 riders. Moles, on her 10-year-old black gelding, Captain James T Hook, finished best of the two riders who completed with nothing to add. Anvil’s Andrea Culbert was a further five seconds adrift on Moyodo Dancer to claim the blue ribbon.

Thomastown and District Riding Club continued its winning streak in the advanced primary pairs division which the Kilkenny-based club won for the fourth successive year.

Aine Nolan (Persian Knight), who last won the title on 2016, and Jade Douglas (Carrigbeg Coco) continued the club’s winning record when they finished best of the six pairs home with no jumping penalties.

The Kilkenny duo, however, picked up 31-time penalties, but it was still good enough for the victory ahead of Dalysgrove’s John Miland (Huntingfield Holly) and South Roscommon’s Wendy Condon in second.

Thomastown and District Club chairperson Margaret Walsh said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this competition for the fourth year in a row. This is a great achievement for both Aine and Jade who never missed a training session with our trainer Louise Lyons.”

Devils Bit rider Donal Kenneally filled the top two places in the young horse competition with his five-year-old chesnut ISH mare Killea Storm in first place after completing the course with nothing to add.

Keneally’s Killea Alannah took the runner-up slot after the four-year-old chesnut ISH filly picked up 13-time penalties across the country.