THE 2026 Baileys Horse Feeds flexi eventing series at The Meadows had its final points-scoring round last Saturday at the McCusker family’s Lurgan venue, after which, having led from the early stages, Isaac McCarthy was crowned this year’s champion with Dawn Carlisle’s Suirvalley Little Monkey.

Commitment on his and his supporters’ part plus ability on his and his mount’s part, played their role in seeing McCarthy and the 19-year-old bay gelding claim the title on 71 points. Fellow Iveagh Pony Club member Sarah Cowan finished eight points adrift in second with Patrick Heskin’s Connemara gelding Gleann Rua Storm.

Helen Sawey-Quinn and Rebecca Millar both completed the series on 53 points but, as she and her eight-year-old traditionally-bred gelding Conor fared the better on finals day, Sawey-Quinn took third ahead of Millar and her nine-year-old Irish Draught gelding Ballygowans Ready Teddy Go, who had to settle for fourth. Prize money goes down to 15th place.

While they were able to run every leg of the series this year, the mainly wet and windy weather made life difficult for all those working or competing at The Meadows. However, it was no surprise to see the sponsor’s Judy Maxwell on site each week, advertising the company’s wares plus dispensing treats and feeding advice to those who dropped by her ‘stand’.

Fifteen-year-old McCarthy, whose grandfather Denis Currie was a multiple flexi champion with Arodstown Aramis and finished seventh this season with Merlot, started riding the 158cm Suirvalley Little Monkey early last summer. At that stage, he had passed the ride on the Connemara mare Hollywood Pippin over to his 13-year-old brother Henry who, in turn, has now been replaced on the grey by their eight-year-old sister Molly.

Series points are amassed through attendance as well as results. En route to claiming the title, McCarthy competed each Saturday and, apart from week one when he didn’t do the cross-country phase, he did contest all three disciplines, winning the Intro dressage for the first four weeks and recording show jumping and cross-country clears.

https://foto.ifj.ie/fotoweb/archives/5006-Irish-Horse-World/Irish%20Horse%20World/2020/KR1_0277.jpg.info#c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5006-Irish-Horse-World%2F%3Fq%3Dthe%2520meadows

Helen Sawey Quinn and Conor finish third in the Flexi eventing league at The Meadows \ Tori O'Connor photography

Busy life

The 2026 champion leads a busy life, as not only does he compete under Eventing Ireland rules and as a member of the Iveagh Branch of The Pony Club, but he also plays rugby for his school, Dromore High. As the rugby and flexi seasons clash, McCarthy has little spare time on his hands at this time of year.

“One Saturday, I was playing medallion rugby for my school up in Belfast then my father (Nigel) had to rush me down to The Meadows to compete. This year, with the weather, a lot of matches were called off, so that made things a little easier! I go rugby training after school except on Wednesdays when my grandfather rushes me home at lunchtime to change, after which I do a session of milking for one of our neighbours. I love the outdoors and farming and have my own sheep.

“I’m very lucky that we now live very close to my grandparents and our horses and ponies are kept in their yard. I’m very grateful to them; my grandfather Denis puts me through my test every Thursday and Friday and helps me with my accuracy. My mother (Judith, who used to event herself) does all the grooming and has the horses tacked up for me when I’m under pressure, so I’d like to thank her and also Laura Moore who comes in to groom.

“I’d also like to thank the sponsors and the Northern Region for running the series and, of course, Dawn and Abi Carlisle for giving me the ride on Monkey. Abi comes to as many competitions as she can to help me. I’ve learned a lot from going to the Iveagh rallies on Wednesday nights with Steven Smith and my riding on the flat has definitely improved. I’d love to get on the Northern Ireland team for the home nations’ dressage at Royal Windsor in May.”

McCarthy won’t be idle waiting for the next Windsor trial, as he is going to do the Balmoral school show jumping qualifiers with the aforementioned Arodstown Aramis - the first is at Hazeldene Farm tomorrow - and then plans to event that 21-year-old Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan gelding again this coming season. They competed hors concours in four EI90 events last summer.

Happily, McCarthy and Currie were finished early on Saturday, so they and their large support team, which included Denis’s wife Sandra, got home in time to watch the second half of the Ireland v Italy Six Nations match.

Baileys flexi eventing league 2026

Champion (71 points), Isaac McCarthy with Dawn Carlisle’s 19-year-old gelding Suirvalley Little Monkey.

Reserve champion (63), Sarah Cowan with Patrick Heskin’s seven-year-old Connemara gelding Gleann Rua Storm (Coosheen Stormboy - Gleann Rua Hazel, by Westside Mirah, bred by Beatrice and Lorna Maxwell-Murphy).

Third (53, 11 points on finals day), Helen Sawey-Quinn with her eight-year-old traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Conor (Lacken Cruise Lad - Lacken Terimp, by Master Imp, bred by Tony Kavanagh).

Fourth (53, seven points on finals day), Rebecca Millar with her nine-year-old Irish Draught gelding Ballygowans Ready Teddy Go (Offaly Clover - Glen Heste Mist, by Ballinrobe Boy, bred by Noel C Hamilton).

Fifth (51 points), Berni Muirhead with her nine-year-old gelding Out Of The Blue; sixth (50), Kaiti McCann with her father Martin’s 17-year-old mare Boyher Cookies N Creme; seventh (46.5), Denis Currie with his 16-year-old ISH gelding Merlot; eighth (42), Cara Collins with her seven-year-old mare Rosa; ninth (38), Katie Donnelly with Michael Flynn’s seven-year-old Connemara stallion Silver Gent; 10th (35), Abbie Cummins with the 16-year-old gelding Renaissance Jubilee.

Ellie Hynds, Erin McClernon, Ella Rose Sands, Ronan Hynds and Erin McCrea completed the final 15.