FOR the third time in seven years, the Horse Sport Ireland-sponsored Clifden High Performance Final was won last Friday, on the final day of the three-day festival, by the now legendary 20-year-old Blackwood Fernando, ridden as usual by Alicia Devlin Byrne.

Fifteen ponies qualified, at shows around the country, to take on the Charles Hanley-built track at the rain soaked show grounds. Despite torrential rain throughout the morning, Hanley moved the fences for the final and although no combination jumped a clear round, the show committee did well to keep proceeding running.

The majority of riders were caught out at the double of verticals on a dog leg after jumping down off the bank. Without a conformation phase, George O’Malley took over judging proceedings and it was the 20-year-old Ferdia-sired gelding that scored the most points over the track.

The normally flawless jumper, who qualified at the Midland Connemara Pony Show last month, knocked the cottage at fence two but cleared the imposing joker, a double of tall skinny verticals at the last. He had earlier won the over 16 working hunter class and was crowned working hunter champion for the second year in a row.

Speaking after the class, Devlin Byrne quashed any talk of retirement for ‘Fred’. “He is bolder than ever. He loves it and we will keep him going as long as he says he is happy doing it.”

Winner of the Connemara Performance Hunter Championship at the Dublin Horse Show two weeks ago, Edwina O’Connor finished second with Agharanny Minstrel, a 10-year-old stallion by Castleside JJ. The pair were unlucky to knock fence 10 but impressed the judge with all other jumping efforts.

Hannah Gordon took third place with Sive Ryan’s Tagunnan Sparrow, by Cheeky Bobby Sparrow, ahead of the most local rider in the line-up, Renvyle’s Talitha Diamond and Sea Storm in fourth.

Earlier in the day, Pataire Crawford and Ardfry Remy were called forward as reserve champions. The six-year-old stallion by Cashelbay Prince was the impressive winner of the stallion working hunter.

PUISSANCE

There were doubts throughout the day whether the popular Puissance competition would go ahead due to the heavy rain which continued to fall until late afternoon. However, with a strong entry and an ease in the weather, the Enda Morley General Merchants-sponsored class went ahead with a generous prize fund of €1,000.

Four went through to the third round, but with the wall standing at 1.42m, all four faulted to share the fund. Winner two years ago, Alicia Devlin Byrne and Blackwood Fernando were joint first with Padraig Geoghegan (Glencarrig Joey), Talitha Diamond (Sea Storm) and Justine O’Hara (Lettermuckoo Lad), also a past winner.