THE McCusker family celebrated nine years of inter-schools show jumping at The Meadows Equestrian Centre with their first awards night last Saturday in the local Seagoe Hotel, Portadown.

Sponsored by the Centre-based TRI Equestrian NI, the function was attended by close on 260 people, mainly schoolchildren of various ages.

Following dinner at 7pm, awards were presented for the 2018 league for primary and secondary school riders who competed from 70cms up to 1.10m both individually and on teams.

“At the end of the league each year, we found we were just rushing through the prize-giving so we decided an awards night was the way forward,” said Aaron McCusker who persuaded the ever-busy Dora Beacom, who had judged at the Flexi Eventing at The Meadows earlier in the day, to act as MC for the presentations.

Among the adult attendance at the Seagoe Hotel was Shirley Anne Hunter, who represented Gareth McCombe of TRI Equestrian NI, also Judy Maxwell and Aoife Loughran of other inter-schools league sponsors, Baileys Horse Feeds and Lisburn Bowl.