THE 2026 TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour kicked off last Sunday at Jag Equestrian with 24 combinations battling it out over the 1.35m course. Claiming victory and the winner’s share of the €2,500 on offer was 2025 Premier Performance National Champion, Francis Connors and Carrigshawn Vendi Royal. The pairing lodged the winning round of clear in 36.02 seconds.

Speaking after the win, Connors said: “It was a good start to the season, and I am delighted to bring home the win. We had a lot of horses with us on the day and they all went well, so it’s a positive start to the year. Regarding the class, John Doyle built a good course and it was a competitive class, but going last gave me that advantage.”

Carrigshawn Vendi Royal is owned by Francis, Jenny and Kate Connors, and the 11-year-old mare was bred by John Warner and is by Dondoctro Ryal K and is out of Carrigshawn Vendi. The mare was purchased by her current owners as a six-year-old and she has progressed through the ranks with wins at Grand Prix level, which include Charleville, Hollypark and a runner-up placing in the round at CoilÓg. The combination also took sixth place in the 1.50m Premier Grand Prix at Barnadown in May.

There was a good mixture of young and more experienced horses and young riders in the first round. From the original starters, eight proceeded to the timed round and six produced double clears.

Taking the runner-up place was Jason Foley and Cute Face, when they were fractions off Connors with a clear in a time of 37.38. Owned by Chedington Equestrian, the 12-year-old gelding was bred by Herman Holscher and is by Christian and is out of the Argentinus-sired dam, Almeeda. This gelding was previously campaigned by British rider Ellie Guy and, prior to this, Pieter Clemens up to CSI3* 1.50m. Foley took over the ride in May at Balmoral International and went on to take eighth place in the International Accumulator class.

A past winner of the opening round, Sven Hadley also featured in the line-up, taking third with the eight-year-old Maximum Numero Too Hsh. The Galway rider was just over a second slower than Foley, clocking 38.28 for third. Bred by Eamonn McArdle, this gelding is by Aganix Du Seigneur and is out of the Numero Uno-sired dam, Couple of Diamonds.

Little separated the next placing as local rider Nicola Fitzgibbon and Gracefield Apollo came home clear in 38.67 for eventual fourth place. Owned by Langara Ventures and bred by Barry McCann, the nine-year-old gelding is by Luidam and is out of the Coriall-sired dam, Rebecca. This combination has jumped successfully up to 1.40m level on the national circuit, taking a win in the Autumn Grand Prix Series in Mullingar last September.

Fifth place belonged to Damien Griffin and Kilnamac Louis, when they delivered a clear in 39.09. Owned by Griffin, the nine-year-old gelding was bred by James Ryan and is by OBOS Quality 004 and is out of the Lux Z-sired dam, Kilnamac Stiletto. This pairing has been placed at Grand Prix level, taking fifth place last year in the round at Galway Equestrian.

Munster young rider Jack Kent accounted for the next two placings, taking sixth with the Castlefield Breeding-owned seven-year-old Olivier, when clear in 41.31. This gelding is by Arezzo VDL and is out of the Amadeus-sired dam, Elektra.

Kent opted to withdraw his second mount, Ikannan V G, but a fast time in the first round of 75.47 put them in seventh. This stallion is by Kannan and is out of the Indoctro-sired dam, Duzella.

The last clear of the first round, Jason Foley opted to also withdraw his second mount in the jump-off, Chedington Hazy Toulana and, as a result, settled for eighth place. The 14-year-old mare is by Toulon and out of Mariska.