A FIRM favourite on the schedule, the Children on Horses Team Championship took centre stage on Saturday morning in the EOS IT Solutions Arena at the RDS. The competition, which is run in Nations Cup format, saw four teams go head-to-head in a bid to take the 2026 title.

In the end, it was the Johnny O’Connell Purple Team that took home the championship on zero faults. In the first round, Darragh Donovan (Bazilika), Ellie Sheane (Monbeg Henricks) and Pippa Moore (GSS Mircino) produced faultless rounds. Lucia Keane and Elia were unlucky to incur a single time penalty. In the second round. Donovan had two on the ground with Bazilika, but all other combinations kept the poles in place.

Michael Blake’s Blue Team took the runner-up spot when finishing on five faults. Edward Walsh Jnr (Diamante) and Tosh Widger O’Riordan (Grantstown Charmer) both delivered clears in the first round, while Ben O’Connor (Katy Perry Therma Wm) incurred a single time fault. Things didn’t go to plan for Eloise Trainor as she provided the discard score. In the second round, clear rounds were produced by Walsh and O’Connor, while Widger O’Riordan had one down and Trainor finished on 16 faults, leaving them on a second-round score of four faults.

The Green Team, managed by Tommy Gibbons, took third with eight faults. They put in a great first round performance, finishing on zero faults. Clear rounds were delivered by Taylor-Grace Nolan Gee (Taxi Van Stestavi), Colm Widger (Jerenice D Ysenbeeck Z), Blathnaid Murphy (Godiva Quality) and Charlotte Foley (Cillbhrid Excel). In the second round, things went against the quartet, with both Blathnaid Murphy and Charlotte Foley having two on the ground and Nolan Gee being eliminated.

Nicola FitzGibbon’s team of three of Kitty O’Dea (Ikoni Pb), Gracie Kelly (Hermies Vh Bergerhof Z) and Zahara Kirby Casola (Dofina Z) put in a great first round performance, with only O’Dea picking up a single time fault to finish on a first round score of one. However, for the second round, with Kelly and Kirby Casola faulting twice and with no discard score, they finished on nine faults.

Blathnaid Murphy and Godiva Quality, winners of the Children on Horses Individual Championship \ Claire Nolan jumpinaction.net

Individual Championship

On Sunday afternoon, show jumping came to an exciting conclusion with the individual Children on Horses championship taking centre stage. Claiming the title in a spectacular fashion was Blathnaid Murphy on Godiva Quality. This pairing was part of the Tommy Gibbons team that took third in the team championship. They were clearly on form as they produced two clear rounds for the team effort. The 14-year-old mare was bred by Quality Stud, is owned by Midland Premier Farms and is by Lansing (HOLST).

Some 14 combinations came forward for the class and, with the standard of competition exceptionally high, an impressive 11 produced first-round clears. That set the scene for a thrilling and fiercely-contested jump-off. Colm Widger had the difficult task of going first against the clock with Jerenice D Ysenbeeck Z. Widger didn’t hang about and was quick from one to two and got a good shot back to the vertical off the corner. He then negotiated a good turn back to the double and came home clear in 37.76, to take the lead and eventual third. Ben O’Connor and Katy Perry Therma Wm also delivered a clear round and their time of 41.25 saw them take fifth place.

Lucia Keane was up on target with Elia, but four faults at fence five and crossing the line in 34.99 would mean a sixth-place finish for them.

Gracie Kelly meant business as she took it on with Hermies Vh Bergerhof Z. Kelly was very tight from the double right-handed to the last line and reduced the time to beat to 37.26.

Kitty O’Dea followed a similar route with Ikonic Pb and a clear in 41.08 would see her take fourth place.

Just when it seemed that no time could be shaved off the target, Blathnaid Murphy took every tight turn possible with Godiva Quality and took over a second off, coming home in 36.22 to take the win and, as a result, Kelly took the reserve title.