Emer Bermingham

THE IPS Annual Championship Show is certainly proving to be a memorable occasion for Tipperary rider Katie Wyse who returned to reclaim the hotly contested supreme championship last Saturday with her mother Anna’s chesnut gelding, All That Jazz.

Standing reserve was Sadhbh O’Connor and Aoife O’Connor’s Valentine Dignity.

Wyse and All That Jazz had captured the eye of the judges over the course of the three-day show with numerous wins, which included open cradle stakes and mini working hunter championship.

Similarly O’Connor had a series of good results which included wins in the 143cms show hunter to progress to champion and also the part-bred ridden exceeding 138cms and later took the reserve ticket in the championship.

There was more ribbons for the O’Connor family as Sadhbh’s brother Hugh won the Prime Photography mini mountain and moorland championship with Dykes Diplomead.

Winner of the novice mountain and moorland small breeds ridden, Hannah Dumigan and Laithehill Mercury turned some heads as she later went on to claim overall mountain and moorland ridden championship.

Friday evening saw the first of five championships, commencing with the HSI champions of champions.

This class was hotly contested with nine qualified combinations being put through their paces by judge Ann Fowler.

In the end it was Joanne Harper’s three-year-old filly Ravara Jemina Puddleduck that took the championship.

By Romany River Peter Rabbit and out of Brookvale Sweet Briar, the pony qualified in the northern region. It was a special win for the owners having lost the sire to colic last year.

The filly also stood reserve to show pony youngstock champion, Peter Byrne’s Wyndham Peaches.

The show hunter pony yearling, William and Aidan Williamson’s Cadlan Valley Crusader impressed and later went on to claim the show hunter youngstock champion

With over 100 classes on the schedule, there were many championships to contest.

On Thursday, the Marjorie Hardiman-sponsored mini freestyle first ridden class was won by Finn Madigan and Stinky Dinky, who later went on to win the overall mini freestyle championship.

cHAMPIONSHIPS

The Botanica Elite Show Pony Championship came down to the wire but in the end it was Katie Wyse and Chagford Leon that took the honours. Victoria Burns and Lambay All Inclusive was second, ahead of Amber Marnane and Sharlen Gone With The Wind.

Burns was back in the winner’s enclosure claiming the novice show pony championship with Lambay All Inclusive and later the prestige show hunter with Greendown Jake.

Marnane also claimed two championships when she took the part-bred ridden championship and the Rathbawn open show pony champion with Sharlen Gone With The Wind.

April Merveldt’s Loughwell Bobby, ridden by Shauna Lynch, won the Connemara working hunter (over 16 years) before being crowned Connemara working hunter champions.

The ridden Connemara champion was found in Patrice Byrne’s Glencroft Aruba, ridden by Emma Byrne, and the pair were also awarded the overall Connemara championship.

Chloe Lacey and Tom Thumb 11 won the Top Spec open intermediate show hunter and later went on to claim the open intermediate championship.

The David Marnane Racing open intermediate working hunter winners, Eliza Hancock and Porter Lady had much to show for their efforts as they were crowned intermediate working hunter champions.

Her sister Lucy then took the open working hunter championship with Farran Zephyr Blue.

The Michael O’Neill-sponsored open starter stakes champion was Lady Nesta Fitzgerald’s Parcglas Splendid Rainbow, ridden by Stephanie Cleary. This combination also stood reserve in the ridden coloured pony championship to Marian Judge’s Waterglades Gemini, ridden by Megan Devaney

The young handlers champion was found in the 13-17 years category. Taking the sash was Pippa Durham.

The Bansha House Stud purebred welsh champion was prolific winner Ann Grimes and Brookhall Emma Lilly, who had also won the show hunter pony broodmare. The broodmare champion was Gillian Torren’s Acraglas Caravana Cavalier, while Torrens colt Mystic Mink Of Greenacres claimed the champion foal title.

The overall led champion was Emma Devaney-Kelly’s Goldengrove Socrates.

The novice show hunter champion was the winner of the novice 143cms show hunter, Timahoe Queen Bee ridden by Emily-Jayne McPolin.

The Mark Field novice starter stakes champion went to Ahane Valiant, ridden by Jessica Reid.

Amelia O’Halloran was crowned the Boomerang equitation champion having won the Boomerang equitation lead rein with Fielden Chrys-o-lite. Earlier in the week Maebh Byrne was crowned equitation champion with Chark Night Mist.

TRI Equestrian Tom Robinson Gold Cup overall winner was Ruby Hughes and Twyford Elle, while Shauna Lynch was second with Bob Marley.

Lynch did not go home too disappointed as she took the novice 153cms working hunter with Adrienne Daly’s Clonross Rococco and later the championship.

For all those who took home a major championship, they were also presented with a hamper from Botanica.