THE Connaught Amateur Spring Show at Duffy’s Equestrian Centre on April 26th will be the first Amateur Spring Show in the region and will comprise of three classes catering for all Amateur and Sportsmember levels with a total prize fund worth over €2,500 and plenty of voucher prizes.

The first class is a Welcome Stakes, which is kindly sponsored by the Friends of Connaught Amateurs. This sponsorship group comprises a number of local businesses, who have generously donated to support this class. The Welcome Stakes is for Amateurs as well as Sportsmembers and it will be a Sportsmember All-Ireland Qualifier. There will be prizes for first to sixth for both Amateurs and Sportsmembers to the value of €300, and winners in both categories will receive a presentation rug. The Sportsmember All-Ireland Qualifier is supported by Showjumping Ireland. Treo Eile have also kindly sponsored prizes for the highest placed TB in the Welcome Stakes.

Special prizes

The second class is a Power and Speed kindly sponsored by Kilkenny-based O’Brien Cement. There will be prizes for first to eighth in this class with a value of €450. Prizes will be vouchers for the Attymass Country Store, who will also have their mobile shop on site at Duffy’s Equestrian on the day. In addition to the prizes for first to eighth for the Power and Speed, there will also be some special prizes on the day valued at over €150. This class is also a Farmers Journal A qualifier.

The third class is a Grand Prix, kindly sponsored by Jim Derwin Equestrian and Niall Earls EasyFix. The Grand Prix will be an ideal warm up class for Amateurs preparing for the start of the Amateur Connaught League and RDS Amateur Qualifiers in the coming weeks. The value of prizes is approximately €1,000. There will be prizes for first to sixth worth almost €800 in vouchers for this class.

Gratitude has been extended to all sponsors, Connaught Showjumping, Showjumping Ireland, and Duffy’s Equestrian Centre and, in particular, local Amateur Liam Hennessy, who initiated the idea and gathered support from the sponsors to make the event happen.