JUDGES Mary Ann Casey and Julie Donaghy Simpson found their Equipeople novice showing champion and reserve at last weekend’s Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ annual Festival in Sunday’s Preliminary 1 class.

Here there was a repeat success for Mullingar’s Hannah Martin and her 11-year-old grey gelding Prince Darcy who claimed the red rosette ahead of Mullaghmore’s Lisa O’Gorman riding her sister Leonie’s Irish Sport Horse mare Emmas Blue Ruby, a nine-year-old grey by KEC Bluejay Diamond.

Also through to the championship as winners of their respective classes were Drynam’s Susan Murray with her nine-year-old skewbald gelding Dunsandle Multi (introduction to showing) and Castledermot’s Rebecca Doyle Hughes with the novice class winner, her 15-year-old bay gelding Jet Black Eddie.

Following the final go-around in Ring 2 at the Mullingar Equestrian Centre, the Frank Mangan trophy was presented for the second year running to Martin on Prince Darcy. O’Gorman filled the reserve slot on the traditionally-bred Emmas Blue Ruby with whom she won the day’s Equitation showing RCP1 class.

The other two winners in this Equipeople-sponsored section, which was judged by Kevin McGuinness and Jennifer Haverty, were Cheval’s Sarah Maxwell with her 14-year-old grey gelding Selto (RCP2) and the very much in-form Westport combination of Lauren Kerins and her Connemara gelding Lankill Lad (RCP3), a 13-year-old Dunally Lad grey.