Judith Faherty

SHOWING no signs of his 18 years, Bob Marley was crowned the winner of the prestigious Clifden High Performance final last Thursday, jumping a clear round to see off some 20 ponies and claim the class for the first time.

Claremorris course builder Charles Hanley built a fair track of rustic fences, which included two banks, a skinny, a maximum height joker and a treble combination of three 1.10m verticals as the final fence, catching many competitors on their way home.

However, six ponies managed a clear round in the jumping phase.

The ninth pony into the main arena at the Clifden showgrounds, Bob Marley, ridden by Shona Lynch, gave an exhibition of jumping to claim the Horse Sport Ireland-sponsored class and take home a rich prize fund of €1,200 and the Westside Mirah Perpetual cup.

The 18-year-old gelding by Ashfield Bobby Sparrow has been a super servant to his owner, Anne Stanley from Julianstown in Co Meath, winning more championships this year than ever before.

The delighted owner told The Irish Field: “He has just been a fantastic pony. I bought him as a three-year-old from Mary McCann at Hartwell Stud and he was called Bob Marley because he had dreadlocks when I got him.

“He has had many riders through the years but this has been one of his best with Shona on board, they just gelled. He won the 15hh open class at Dublin last month and was reserve champion in Balmoral.”

Quashing any rumours that the gelding may be retired after this big win, Stanley said: “Shona will ride him next year” and the pair may well be back to defend their high performance title next August.

Runner-up spot went to Clifden veteran Blackwood Fernando, who also produced a clear round. Alicia Devlin-Byrne’s mount is now 19 years of age and won this class in 2014.

The Ferdia-sired gelding earlier won the over 16 working hunter class and was awarded the championship, going one better than 2015 when he stood reserve.

In third place was Noreen O’Connor’s Aghranny Minstrel, a nine-year-old stallion by Castleside JJ, ridden by her daughter Edwina.

That combination later took second in the stallion class.

WORKING HUNTER

Susan Cleary rode the five-year-old mare Nire Valley Beth to victory in the potential working hunter class for ponies aged four to six. The Templebready Fear Bui mare is owned and bred by Carmel Melody from Co Waterford. Last year’s winner, Susan Gageby’s six-year-old Bertraghboy Beau Geste stood second under Alicia Devlin-Byrne, ahead of another six-year-old Coltstown Diamond, ridden by Sadhbh O’Connor.

Phoebe Beaumont had double Clifden joy as her ridden winner from the previous day struck again in the under 16 working hunter class. Edie, an 11-year-old mare by Castleside JJ, jumped a textbook clear to win by 0.5 of a mark from Susan Fanning’s Cregduff Barney and Tara Fanning Murphy.

Some 22 ponies lined out for the biggest class of the day, the working hunter for riders over 16.

Blackwood Fernando impressed judges Christina Fletcher and Gerard McPolin with a huge jumping round to take the red rosette. Wicklow’s Avril Hobson was overjoyed to place second with her home-bred Lon Mac Líomhtha, a seven-year-old by the European medal winning jumping stallion Silver Shadow, ahead of Mary Connolly’s Melody’s Moment, ridden by her daughter Ciara, in third place.

Bobby Sparrow Blue returned to Clifden for another win, this time in the stallion working hunter class. An incredible 21 years old, the Ashfield Bobby Sparrow-sired stallion won the High Performance final in 2015. Turned out exceptionally, the crowd favourite jumped a clear round to win the Cashelbay Stud-sponsored class.

Gain Horse Feeds, sponsors of the working hunter championship, presented the Mirah Hector Memorial trophy to Alicia Devlin Byrne and Blackwood Fernando and the judges awarded reserve to Nire Valley Beth, ridden by Susan Cleary.

PUISSANCE

The rain began to fall heavy on the Connemara showgrounds, but that didn’t deter the spectators as a huge crowd gathered ringside to watch the puissance competition. This year’s renewal of the popular class saw nine ponies take on the wall.

After four jumping rounds, only Pataire Crawford, riding Claire Crawford’s big jumping mare Ardfry Skye, could clear the wall at 1.47m to scoop the large prize fund of €1,000, kindly sponsored by TG4. Jay Naughton (Mount Ross Sprinter), Alicia Devlin-Byrne (Blackwood Fernando) and Talitha Diamond (Sea Storm) all tied for second, just faulting in the fourth round.