THE Association of Irish Riding Clubs held the last of its 2026 national competitions on Saturday at Emerald Equestrian where HSI Level 3 coach Gerald Bloomer was assessor for the grassroots jump training series final.

“I liked the format used,” commented Bloomer who, two days later, flew out to Abu Dhabi to coach for a week. “Every rider did one round of jumping after which there was a debrief where I suggested that they should focus on their lines, pace, quality of canter or whatever was needed to improve their round.

“They then jumped a second round where they were marked for faults, way of going, the rider’s position and turn-out – something similar to an equitation class. I thought the standard was very good across the three heights (of fences) and there were some brilliant combinations and partnerships.”

What was narrowly the day’s highest score, 144 marks, was set in the 14-runner RC90 final by Killcarrick’s Niamh Lawless on her Dutch Warmblood gelding Cyruso H. Lawless and the 19-year-old bay son of AES Atlantic recorded one of 11 clear rounds (100 marks) before earning the top way of going/aids marks (18 out of 20), the joint-top position/style marks (18 out of 20) and eight (out of 10) for turn-out/impression.

Also awarded 18 marks for position/style on her way to finishing second on a total of 143.5 was Tara Hill’s Heather Dean Wright riding her home-bred Irish Sport Horse mare Ard Indianna, an Appaloosa five-year-old by Ard Eyecatcher.

Two riders were awarded nine out of 10 for turnout/impression, Castle Hill’s Rebecca Matthews who placed third (142.5) on Benvarden Dakota and Coole Lane’s Ciara Shannon who finished fourth (141.5) with Browneshill Barney.

Six of the 11 starters in the RC100/RC110 final left all the fences intact. With 17.5 marks for way of going/aids, 17 for position/style and the joint top marks of nine for turn-out/impression, Calliaghstown’s Jenny Byrne ran out the winner on 143.5 with her 12-year-old ISH mare Sligo Miss Candy (Sligo Candy Boy – Seabrae Diamond, by Diamond Lad).

Corrib’s Marie Claire Rogers finished second on 142 with Eris m2s, a 13-year-old Consall B gelding who is registered with the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland, while her clubmate Aisling McGrath, who topped the way of going/aids marks on 18.5, was a place behind although finishing on the same total with her ISH gelding Coober Pedy, an eight-year-old son of Cougar. Byrne and McGrath were two of just three riders who tackled the RC110 track.

Jenny Byrne won the RC 110 with Sligo Miss Candy at the AIRC Grassroots Final held at Emerald Equestrian Centre \ Sagittarian Photography

Kiss Me Quick

Two of the 14 starters in the RC70/RC80 final failed to complete but nine jumped clear including the eventual winner and runner-up who, having recorded the same top way of going/aids score (16.5) plus position/style score (16), were divided by their turn-out/impression marks.

The winner, having been awarded 8.5 in that final phase for a total of 141, was Ard Lú chairperson Laura Bell McKevitt riding the skewbald mare Woodside Kiss Me Quick, a 17-year-old daughter of Woodside Mountain King. No doubt Bell McKevitt celebrated her win the following morning in the Carrickdale Hotel where the club held their awards day breakfast.

The runner-up, on 140.5, was Meath’s Joan Brady on the 14-year-old grey gelding Bobby Dazzler II. Representing Galway West, Alana O’Malley finished third on her Connemara gelding Mochulla Dan (137), a six-year-old grey by Danesfield Prince.

Premier Performance sponsored prizes at each of the qualifiers and did so again on Saturday when, thanks to funding from Sport Ireland and Horse Sport Ireland, the winner of each class received a €250 training bursary and the runner-up a €150 training bursary.

Elaine Dunne, General Manager of the AIRC, expressed her thanks to the sponsors and to Gerald Bloomer who, she commented, paid great attention to detail and gave really helpful advice and encouragement to each competitor. She also thanked course builder Shane Brookes, timing official Michael O’Connor, the regions who staged qualifiers and all those who coached at these.