“HUGELY successful,” was how organiser Aiden Fogarty described the Tipperary Foxhounds’ combined gate-jumping and cross-country ride fundraiser at Cashel last Sunday.

With the magnificent iconic backdrop of the local castle high up on the Rock, the gate jumping competitions took place in a field owned by hunt member Nick Meagher and proved a whitewash for local riders.

Ten-year-old Rosie Mae O’Grady, daughter of Ballynonty racehorse trainer Edward and his side-saddle hunting wife Maria, won the Under 18’s class with the 13hh Grade A/eventing/working hunter pony Doonkinane Splash. Having cleared the timber gate at 1.25m, Rose stood up in her stirrups with her whip held high in the air with delight.

The senior competition went to Killenaule’s Alan Bourke, who cleared 1.55m with a horse on whom he sat for the first time just minutes before the competition got underway.

As soon as the gate jumping was over, Aiden Fogarty, mounted on a four-year-old who had hunted half a dozen times, led off 103 participants on the cross-country ride. Horses and ponies came in every shape and size while riders, of all ages from 10 upwards, came from throughout Co Tipperary and also from Galway, Kildare, Cork, Carlow and Waterford.

Unfortunately, having enjoyed great weather in the lead-up to Sunday, which helped the organisers work out the track, the rain came in overnight, but almost everyone had a good time on the three-hour ride. Two whose day was great until they took falls were Harry Swan, who fractured his collarbone, and Tom Fogarty, who broke his wrist.

After the early action, many spectators headed off to watch those on the ride tackle the famous Hyde’s Bank. Regular Irish Horse World contributor Radka Preislerova captured the thrills and spills on camera and even those whose efforts may not have been as good as they would have liked, appreciated her work.

One such was Graiguenamanagh veterinary surgeon and young horse producer Diarmuid Ryan who, displaying discretion over valour, got off his mount when it looked like the grey was going to go down sideways into the ditch. However, the horse quickly straightened himself out and jumped across riderless.

“Oh it was a great photo alright and some jump,” said Diarmuid, “but it would have looked a lot better if I was still on the horse! He’s a very green four-year-old by the Connemara Abbeyfield Comet out of a Tara Flight mare that I’m bringing on for Jane Hancock. He had done three or four quiet days with the Fingal Harriers but would never have come across a bank like that! We jumped the gate up to 1.35m and he should now be ready for the Stepping Stones league to which he’s headed.”