THE Cavan Crystal Hotel five-year-old final has been a bedrock for young horse competition, dating back 33 years at the Cavan Equestrian September Indoor Championships. The roll of honour has included many horses that have been produced further to compete at international and Nations Cup level and the latest combination to join the list of winners is Luke Campbell and his own Pegase Van’t Ruytershof bay mare, Rilana DL.

A field of 39 combinations took on the 1.20m course in the first round, where 10 made it into the second round and, of those, five combinations made it into the third round against the clock.

Campbell and Rilana showcased their abilities by producing the fastest of two double clears in 34.85 seconds to take the win. Speaking after the class, Campbell told The Irish Field: “I am delighted with the win, Rilana is really careful and a proper fighter of a mare, always giving her best. We bought her from Mark in Bosanko Sport Horses and she jumped very well in the four-year-old class in Cavan last year. We got her approved with the WSI, and took her slowly this year.

Potential

“She did some of the DAFM classes and was very unlucky at the RDS qualifiers, after which we left her off for a break. When we took her back in, we decided to aim her at the Cavan Crystal class. She has been knocking on the door all year and now she has got her win that she has deserved, we couldn’t be happier.

“I was lucky enough to win this class a few years ago, but it means that little bit more when you do it on your own horse. I think Rilana has all the potential to go on in the future and I am very excited to campaign her in the six-year-old classes next year. I just adore her.”

Junior rider Noah Murphy from Leinster showed the talent in the youth ranks coming through at senior level by partnering William Hickey’s Pirana Z to the only other double clear in the class. The Pommeral De Muze chesnut gelding completed the jump-off in 36.90. Seamus Hennessey completed the podium on his father Lorcan’s Ballynoe Diamant For Pleasure. The pair had the time in 31.93, but an unfortunate four faults placed them in third.

Robyn Moran took fourth place with Fortside Farm’s Fortside California with four faults in 32.36, while another junior rider from Leinster, Ella Duignan, took fifth with Vamako Van Den Heuvel on four faults in 34.34. Brendan Murphy took sixth place with the fastest four faults in round two on Hugh Fitzpatrick’s Erne Delux Beauty.