THE final of Area 5’s arena eventing league was staged by the United Hunt Branch on Easter Monday at Ballindenisk where three riders dominated proceedings.

The hosts’ Emily Mulcahy won the 90cms final and league on the 10-year-old Irish Sport Pony gelding Bramblebrough Angus, a grey son of Glann’s Owen. On Monday, when nine of the 17 starters recorded clear rounds, Mulcahy stopped the clock on 56.97secs with West Carbery’s Orla Keane finishing second and third on Mealagh Flapjack (58.06) and Caherdaniel Lucky (58.22).

Mulcahy won three of the four legs of the league on the grey to top the final leaderboard on 37 points ahead of Carbery’s Lillie Brind on Gloun Cross Queen (26) with Keane placing third and fourth respectively on Mealagh Flapjack (23) and Caherdaniel Lucky (17).

The judges’ choice for horsemanship each week in the 90cms class was Ruben Hall riding the six-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding RHF Rebus (VDL Glasgow vant Merelsnest – Brocka Girl, by Harlequin du Carel)

At 80cms level, Mulcahy won the league on Moet & Chandon (27 points) and, for good measure, finished second with Bramblebrough Angus (23). Carbery’s Millie Furney slotted into third here with Silver Selena (23), the 13-year-old Connemara mare by Newbridge Bosco on whom she won Monday’s final with a clear in 63.25.

Here, Ava McCarthy made it a one-two for the Carbery Branch when home in 67.37 on Lexi Belle with Mulcahy having to settle for third on Moel & Chandon (68.31) and fourth on Bramblebrough Angus (68.84).

Furney secured the 70cms league on 24 points with a win in the final on Silver Selena, breaking the beam in much the fastest time of 63.72. One of the few non Area 5 members who contested the series, Co Limerick’s Emily Bennett placed second on Miltown Golden Moment (75.50) with West Carbery’s Sasha Schep taking third on PJ (75.69). Bennett was also second in the league (19), faring better in the final than Chloe Egan of the Avondhu Branch who also finished with 19 points on Loughnavatta.

Mentioned earlier, Lillie Brind recorded a final and league double at 1m level on the five-year-old ISH mare Gloun Cross Queen (Killountain Cross – Oldtown Queen, by Bob’s Return).

The Carbery representatives recorded the faster (63.40) of just two clear rounds in the final to beat the Duhallows’ Siún Fleming and Alfie IX into second (65.60). Brind and Gloun Cross Queen topped the league table on 32 points, Muskerry’s Emily Macken finished second on 27, one point ahead of Fleming and Alfie IX.

The four league winners were presented with rugs which were sponsored by O’Briens Saddlery while other sponsors donated vouchers worth between €40 and €80 for the finals. O’Briens also sponsored prizes for those competing in the Intro arenas.