FOLLOWING eight qualifying rounds, the final of the Association of Irish Riding Club grassroots jumping training series takes place next Saturday, November 7th, at Emerald Equestrian where competitors will be assessed by Gerald Bloomer.

At the qualifiers, the first of which was held on September 23rd in Barnadown and the last on October 17th at Boswell, the first two in each of the three classes (70/80cm, 90cm and 100/110cm) booked a ticket for the final of this fifth grassroots series. Premier Performance sponsored prizes at each of the qualifiers and will do so again next Saturday when, thanks to funding from Sport Ireland and Horse Sport Ireland, the winner of each class will receive a €250 training bursary and the runner-up will receive a €150 training bursary.

Second last year, Golden Grove’s Pamela Jackman will be hoping to improve a place when she lines up for the 100/110cm final with her 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Sir Lance, a bay son of Lancelot.

There’s no Shannon Pratt among the qualified riders this year, but Coole Lane will be hoping to hold on to the 90cm title through club secretary Ciara Shannon on another 16-year-old gelding, Browneshill Barney.

Among those who have qualified for the 70/80cm final is Meath’s Joy Murray with her well-known 14-year-old lightweight cob Bee Smooth, on whom she has recorded many wins this year outside the riding club movement including, most recently, at the Ballymacad performance hunter show.