By Margie McLoone

IT’S difficult qualifying for any class in Dublin and especially so for the junior equitation section as there are only four qualifiers where the result, as it is at the final, is down to one person’s assessment of one round of jumping.

Team GB’s equine pathway manager, Corinne Bracken, who judged the combined training classes last week, had to endure some bad weather and soft underfoot conditions as 32 combinations appeared before her in Ring 2 from early on Sunday morning.

Her champion, Caoimhe Bogue, came from the 153cms where she achieved a score of 98 points riding her father Sean’s 13-year-old gelding Red Hill Lad. This was three more than the runner-up, Lucy Hancock, who was on board Ann Marshall’s working hunter Porter Lady, a 13-year-old piebald mare by Porter Rhodes.

Bogue, who was 14 in January, lives in Killycannon, Co Cavan where this year her parents opened an equestrian centre. She competes in all disciplines bar registered show jumping with Red Hill Lad, who was previously campaigned by her cousin, Aine McLoughlin. Bogue is trained by Thomasina O’Reily.

Red Hill Lad, who was bred in Co Meath by Emma McDonnell, is by the Dutch Warmblood Hercorose out of a riding pony mare.

The scores had to be closely scrutinised after the up to 138cms class as both Jennifer Torrens and Jennifer Kuehnle were on 95 points.

The latter, who also took part in the show jumping classes at Dublin, had to settle for second place. The Co Laois rider partnered her father Hans-Juergen’s Eskers Amy, a six-year-old skewbald mare.

Torrens, who was reserve champion, rode her mother Anne’s Ardfry Baileys on whom she also won the working hunter starter stakes on Saturday. The 11-year-old Co Tyrone rider is enjoying a good season’s show jumping particularly with Lisa Hannaway’s Princess Vicky.

Ardfry Baileys, an 11-year-old palomino mare by Rolston Riverdance, was bred in Tuam by Claire Crawford out of Ardfry Rivendell who was by Ardfry Cedar.

“I thought these were two fantastic classes,” said Bracken as she left the sodden ring. “They really should produce some very good riders. The champion showed great balance, feel and understanding of how her pony should go.”