GILBY Monaghan won the Tredstep Ireland CCIJ2*-L with his aunt Rolline O’Callaghan’s A Touch of Frost, after he was the only rider in the 12-competitor class to add nothing to his first phase score, finishing on 34.8. “I was so delighted to win last weekend with ‘Silver’,” said Monaghan, who is currently in fifth year in St Columba’s College. “He’s been a wonderful horse, teaching me so much in the last two years, and he really loves his jumping. He’s jumped clear in his last 17 runs. I’ve been trained and mentored by Jane O’Flynn for the past five years, and her help and guidance has been invaluable.”

Last weekend’s win wasn’t the first international victory for the junior rider, as he previously won the CCIP2* at Alnwick Ford with the Connemara Longwood Laura, who went on to win the CCIP2* at Ballindenisk’s spring international last year, with Maya Byrne in the saddle on that occasion.

The Ground Jury of Sukhdev Rathore (IND) and Wendy Schaeffer-McDonald (AUS) awarded David Nyhan and Coolafancy the leading dressage score of 33.7, and Nyhan remained in the lead after the cross-country phase. The combination incurred 9.2 penalties in the show jumping, however, to drop them to eventual fifth. Izzy Barrett left all the poles intact on board Oakfield Cooley, finishing just three seconds over the time allowed to take second place, while David Keatley knocked one with The Kings Ransom to take third.

Alice Curley rose from eighth after dressage to eventual fourth with EE Parlanti Cruise, and the weekend’s U21 Leading Rider, Phonsie Wardell, rounded out the top six with Teresa O’Neill’s Connemara gelding Oxview Jasper.