TWO weeks of international jumping came to an exciting close on the Bank Holiday Monday at Mullingar where a sharp wind cut through the venue and at times was strong enough to cause the course builder hassle by knocking down fences.

Despite the cold June conditions, there was a positive buoyancy at the venue and show organiser Robert Fagan was thrilled with the success of his first ever two-week tour. He heaped praise on his team and thanked the athletes who supported the show, adding that he would seek feedback on the tour and begin making plans for next year.

Monday afternoon belonged that exceptionally talented young rider Niamh McEvoy who claimed victory in the feature CSI2* Grand Prix which doubled up at the second leg of the Plusvital Premier Series with Keith Ennis’ Olympic ‘Gl’ ‘Fvd’. This was a second consecutive win in the series for the Tyrone rider who is based at Greg Broderick’s Ballypatrick Stables in Thurles.

After winning in Barnadown with Rock Warrior where she finished third with Olympic ‘Gl’ Fvd, she now occupies first and second place on the Premier Series table on 17 and 10 points. The top two athlete and horse combinations in five of the six rounds of the series (decided after Tattersalls on July on July 27th) will be invited to compete in the five-star classes at the Dublin Horse Show.

‘Lucky’

Regarding her win, McEvoy said: “It was great to have another win in the Premier Series. Olympic jumped great over both rounds. He is a big horse and doesn’t look fast but he covers the ground well. I planned to take one stride out from fence one to two and he turned well to the next vertical.

“I took the long way around to the final Plusvital vertical as he is so big and met that right. The plan for him now will the next Premier series in Cavan.

“It was a really well-built course. The first round was catchy; it was easy to find a fence but my guy is careful and really wants to please.”

McEvoy added: “At the moment we are very busy with the young horses and it’s great to have these shows in Ireland as we can campaign at home for these months. Mullingar did a great job and we thoroughly enjoyed the show.”

The winner has her sights firmly set on Dublin, adding: “I am lucky with a great bunch of horses. I’d love to get into the internationals in Dublin so hopefully we can keep up the good form.”

Big class

A total of 56 qualified combinations lined out for the class, which offered Longines world ranking points, in a bid to claim their share of the €28,200 on offer. From the original starters, eight combinations booked their place in the second round and just three double clears were delivered.

First to take it on was Molly Hughes Bravo aboard HHS Orchidee (Le Roi x Luidam), bred by her father Miguel Bravo. It’s never an easy call being first to go but she set off at pace and clocked the fastest time of the class (44.92) but hopes of a win faded when they knocked the first part of the double to eventually finish fourth.

Double handed in the jump-off, Susan Fitzpatrick had her first look at the course with her own and Rosemary Farm’s Lovely Stassi PS (London x Stakkotol). The Kilkenny rider took the inside line back to the water tray at fence eight but then faulted at the third last to finish with four faults in the time of 45.75 for fifth place.

Full of confidence after her win in Barnadown with Rock Warrior, McEvoy took to the course with Olympic ‘Gl’ Fvd. A big striding horse matched with a series of excellently executed turns saw her clock the winning time of 46.49. Owned by Keith Ennis, the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding is by Galisco Van Paemel out of the Bengale-sired Glammer- Girl ‘h’Fvd. She had a nervy wait as the next few tried to beat her time.

Former winners Eoin Brennan and the 16-year-old gelding Eskola M proved out of luck and opted to retired when they had problems at the mid-way point of the course.

James Brennan saw his hopes of a win dashed as he hit the back rail of the first oxer aboard Sinead Brennan’s MHS Everthing (Quidam Junior I x Cavalier Royale) and their time of 49.15 saw them slot into sixth place.

Nicholas Butler knew what was required to take the win and he wasted no time with the Ladycastle Syndicate’s Ladycastle Paco (Pacino x Nabab de Reve). Despite a strong pace, a clear in 46.82 was not enough to demote McEvoy from the top spot and he had to settle for second place and put eight valuable points on the leaderboard which sees him joint-third with Mikey Pender.

Susan Fitzpatrick returned with her own 10-year-old Vivant gelding Valisco PS and this time answered all the questions in 46.93 which saw her take third place.

Last to go, young Kilkenny rider Emily Moloney took it in her stride with Eddie Moloney and TSI Equestrian’s Temple Alice (Foxglen Cruise Control x Rantis Diamond), but nine faults in 54.26 saw her take seventh place.

EIS 1.35m Jump-off

Earlier in the day, the 1.35m jump-off class saw 84 combinations go to post and the class went down to the wire with 21 proceeding to the second round. Britain’s Rachel Proudley delivered another win as she partnered the nine-year-old stallion Cancoon to a clear in 35.08 and took home €1250 for her efforts.

Molly Hughes Bravo came closest to catching Proudley when she delivered a clear with HHS Mercedes in 35.49. Another impressive performance from Katie Nallon saw her take third place with Cw Luiboutain when clear in 35.53. Nallon was awarded the leading international young rider of the show award.