THERE were close results in the championship classes throughout the day at last Sunday’s Connolly’s Red Mills/Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ national hunter trials championships at Nuenna Farm, with just a second separating the top two in the 17-runner RC100, where there was an optimum time of 5min 35sec.

Claiming the title in 5.36 was Coole Lane’s Leonard Reamsbottom on his 19-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Lightening Spirit, while Donegal Gaeltacht’s Jenny Bonner narrowly lost out on victory when home in 5.37 with her similarly-aged bay mare Autumncannon. Kate O’Driscoll, a member of Earl’s Wells, was a good bit off the target in third (5.26) riding her Traditional ISH mare Ardkilly Lukes Charmer (5.26), a six-year-old daughter of Luke Skywalker.

A delighted Reamsbottom told us all about Lightening Spirit (Crannagh Hero - Allezs Flight, by Ard Allez Cat), with whom he represented Coole Lane in the AIRC team show jumping championships at this year’s Gallagher Dublin Horse Show, where the squad finished third.

“I bought her as an unbroken four-year-old and, with the help of Rockafoyle Stables in Kilkenny, both Spirit and I learned to ride together. We started with pleasure rides and quickly discovered a love for jumping and the adrenaline that came with it. We then joined both the Kilkenny and Laois Hunts, where Spirit excelled and proved herself to be exceptionally brave in the hunting field. From there, we progressed to hunter trials, where she combined her bravery with her natural love of speed, once again excelling in competition.

“In 2015, we joined the Riding Club and began eventing. Spirit won her first national hunter trial title on her very first attempt. She has been an absolutely incredible mare, going on to win numerous national titles over the years. Now, at 19 years of age, she still loves her jumping and made me immensely proud by adding another national title at Nuenna Farm. Spirit continues to enjoy her jumping and, at the moment, has absolutely no intention of retiring.

“The course at Nuenna Farm was a credit to everyone involved. Jill (Maher) and her team created a challenging yet enjoyable and technical course that tested both horse and rider. The organisation by the AIRC was excellent throughout, and the sponsorship from Red Mills was fantastic. It was genuinely one of the best events I have competed at all year.”

None of the five duos who competed in the RC100 open pairs got home close to the optimum time of 5min 35sec, with the win in 5.58 going to the Donegal Gaeltacht pair of secretary Emily Schneider riding her ISH gelding My Boy Boysie, a 19-year-old bay by Mountain Triumph, and John McDaid with his Irish Draught gelding Tyrone, a seven-year-old chesnut by Cappa Aristocrat.

There was a very disappointing entry of just two for the RC110/RC120 championships and a worse result as both were eliminated.