THE final of the 2025 Jumps Ahead League, run by Area 5 of the Irish Pony Club, was held last Sunday at the Fell family’s popular Ballindenisk Equestrian where the last round of the 1.10m competition was just completed before darkness fell.

To qualify for the final, competitors had to jump in two of the earlier three rounds but the league standings were based on results at all three qualifying rounds and at the final itself. Great supporters of all equestrian sports in the area, O’Brien’s Saddlery sponsored the rosettes at the final and for the league with the best turned out prizes on finals’ day being sponsored by The Happy Hound Pet Grooming.

Area 5 paid tribute to the help they received from the Muskerry Branch families in running the competition, to Peter Fell and his team who provided a different challenge each week, to St John’s Ambulance and their volunteers for looking after any fallers and to judges Anne-Marie O’Riordan and Ella Buttimer who made sure each child left the arena with a smile no matter what the result.

Also thanked for their participation were the young riders plus, of course, their families and Diarmuid O’Halloran for being in attendance on Sunday to present the Dr Anne Crowley Perpetual Cup to the overall league winner, Grace Wycherley.

Caheragh Lad

A member of the West Carbery Branch, Wycherley won the 1.10m and the 1m leagues with the Connemara gelding Caheragh Lad, the 17-year-old Woodfield Sammy bay she jumped in the 138cm classes at this year’s Dublin Horse Show. She also finished second in the 1.10m league with another Connemara gelding, the 12-year-old Robe Thunder grey Dromleigh Lad.

Dividing the Wycherley mounts when finishing second in the 1m league was Duhallow’s Roisin Walsh riding the 19-year-old bay gelding Woodfield Clover Joker.

Duhallow members filled the top two places in the 90cm league with Orla Flynn claiming the overall honours on the 16-year-old bay gelding Kilbeg Tom while Aoife Walsh finished second on Something Blue.

The 2024 Jumps Ahead champion, Duhallow’s Olivia Roche, won this year’s 90cm league with Clonmoyle Tiger on whom she was a member of the Duhallow Dashers who finished runner-up in the team competition at the IPC Minimus championships back in June. West Carbery’s Anna Hurley finished second in the league with Gortahork Solvig.

The West Carbery Branch had earlier secured league honours at 80cm level through the efforts of Maria Sadleir and Millie. Duhallow’s Aidan Quish finished second in this league with Tableybrook Henry, the 15-year-old chesnut gelding on whom he won the 60cm league ahead of his brother Sean riding Neverlands Party Piece.