A DULL, misty and rainy day saw the penultimate leg of the Jumpinaction.net and City Break Apartments Secondary Schools jumping league get under way last Sunday at Killossery Lodge Stud.

With over 100 competitors, even the continual rain could not dampen the great buzz of excitement and anticipation in the air. As does every week, the competition started with the novice individual, where the top spot went to Kate Teahan riding Classiebawn Pep from Maynooth Education Campus. This places her in fourth place in the league. Second place went to Natalie Healy and Misty, jumping for Enfield Community College. She is currently two points behind Kate in sixth place in the league.

Aine Mullen from Enfield Community College, riding Misty, is currently leading the league, some four points ahead of her closest rival although she did not place this week.

Alice Harten and Mandy, riding for Drogheda Grammar School, is lying second in the league so it will be all to play for in the final on January 25th.

The Jumpinaction.net and City Break Apartments secondary school team class had 10 teams competing for the winning spot. Competition was fierce with six schools making it through to the jump off. The team taking the top slot was Maynooth Education Campus Blue. The riders were Kate Tehan, Ava Russel, Marie Connolly and Sadhbh O’Toole. This team is now in the leading position in the league.

In second place in the league is Mac Dara’s Enfield who took fourth place in the team jump-off on Sunday. They are only one point behind the league leaders. Drogheda Grammar took second place and Dunshaughlin Community College slotted into third. The team from Colaiste de Lacy and the joint team of Ashbourne Community School and Lusk Community College took the final two placings.

Open individual

In the Jumpinaction.net and City Break Apartments 90/95cm open individual show jumping class, it was Mac, ridden by Poppy O’Dwyer, who took the top place. Poppy is competing for Dunshaughlin Community College. This is her first points for the league. Finishing close on her heels, just 0.69 seconds behind and securing second position, was Sadie Lynch and Grantstown Hannah riding for Headfort School.

Third place went to Olivia Duffy riding Princess Peach and competing for Sutton Park School. Maisie Connolly, on Tullymore Silver, was fourth ahead of Ava Russell, on Anniem in fifth and Cian Maguire in sixth, riding Pixie.

The Primary Interschool’s Novice Individuals had 16 competitive riders. There were 10 successful double clears. These included Aoibheann Smith on Casper, Lili-Sue on Flash, Freya Lynch on Ashfield Sapphire, Regan Hewitt on Lucky, Niamh Maguire on Sandy Joy, Sadie Connolly on Mazy May Blaze, Samuel Comerford on Big Jim and finally C.J Greene on Magic. There were a lot of very promising riders in this class and in the overall league, three are riders on a maximum of 30 points each; these are Aoibheann Smith, C.J Greene and Niamh Maguire. Wishing them the very best of luck at the final next year.

Robinson on top

The Primary Interschool’s Open Individual had an amazing number of 27 riders all competing for the top positions. Taking first place on Sunday was Rhys Robinson riding Scarlet representing St Mary’s Boys School. This win takes him into the top position in the league.

Cian Greene, on his pony Magic, is as consistent as ever, coming into second place with Magic and fourth with Casper. He is competing for Rathbeggan National School. Cian is lying second in the league with Magic and also in contention with a third placing with Casper.

In third place in the competition was Ella Sharkey with her pony Flashy Devil, riding for Scoil Colmcille Skryne. Fifth went to Conor Seaver on Rathruyan Girl and Siofra Maguire came in sixth.

The Primary team competition had five teams battling it out. Only three of the teams made it into the jump-off. The jump-off riders for the Kilsaran and St Paul’s team were Elsa McGrane and Conor Seaver. The second team through were for Rathbeggan NS and their jump-off riders were Chloe Mulligan and Holly Williams. Last through were the joint team of Kilcloon, St Mary’s and Kildalkey schools and their jump-off riders were Sadie Connolly and Siofra Maguire.

After an exciting timed round, Sadie Connolly and Siofra Maguire came through as the winners with Rathbeggan taking second place. Taking third was the Kilsaran and St Paul’s team. Fourth went to the joint team from St Patrick’s, St Andrew’s, St Mary’s and Gael Scoil na Cille. Unfortunately, the fifth team from Scoil Chaitriona Naofa in Oristown were eliminated.

Currently in top spot of this league is the joint team of St Patrick’s, St Andrew’s, St Mary’s and Gael Scoil na Cille.