THE ShowJumping Ireland Summer Series came to a close at the Mullingar Autumn Championships, held at Mullingar Equestrian Centre, with the grand finals taking place in the Aloga international arena on the Sunday, with all combinations taking risks to be crowned champions.

Anna Smith from ShowJumping Ireland spoke to The Irish Field about the summer series: “The summer series continues to be as popular as ever with our riders and it’s fantastic to see it gathering an even bigger following each year. The continued support and enthusiasm from the riders is a great reflection on the success of the series. We hope it continues to go from strength to strength and look forward to seeing it return in 2027.”

There are four height categories in the summer series - 90cm, 1m, 1.10m and 1.20m - with leading rider prizes awarded in each category and it was Munster amateur Vicky Curran and her prolific partner RNH Coco Chanel who took the leading rider prize in both the 1.10m and 1.20m categories. Leinster woman Christina Kavanagh and Russelstown Nightshade came out on top of the rankings in the 90cm and 1m categories.

Kavanagh told The Irish Field: “I’m delighted to have won leading riding rider in both categories. We had a great summer travelling all over the country following the league and had great battles in both categories throughout. We are already excited to do it all over again in 2027 and, hopefully, we can defend our titles.”

90cm Grand Final

The 90cm grand final ensured that finals day started off with a pulsating jump-off, which set a tone that was maintained throughout all classes. John Murray took all the risks with Laura Carrick’s Calero de Muze to take the win in 28.58. Carrick spoke to The Irish Field after the win: “Calero is an eight-year-old home-bred gelding by Triomphe de Muze. John originally broke him and took him last year for a few weeks and competed him in the workers at the RDS. When I broke my leg earlier in the year, I needed someone to keep Calero ticking over, so I was thrilled when John took him and his half-sibling Amura R, who was placed in the summer series last year, to have some fun. The summer series is a brilliant series and I can’t wait to be back out competing myself next year.”

Junior rider from the Ulster region, Alannah Smith, partnered her mother Carmel’s New Dawn to a fantastic double clear, taking all the turns to finish just behind Murray in second in 29.20. Val Ward with the ever-reliable and evergreen 24-year-old Venture proved once again that age is just a number. The pair qualified for the amateur championships at the RDS in 2025 and, on this occasion, completed the podium in third, delivering a trademark very fast double clear in 29.94.

Fellow amateur riders filled the next three spots, with Richie Hayes taking fourth with Away Again, clear in 30.77. Leinster amateur interprovincial team member Eleanor Kirwan and LM Yeats took fifth in 31.04 and Munster amateur Mary O’Meara sixth in 31.53.

Marie Hartley and Nikita Van Het Heidenhof, winners of the 1m SJI Summer Series Final at Mullingar \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net

1m Grand Final

The 1m grand final picked up the momentum from the previous final and ran with it. Another thrilling jump-off ensued, with Kilkenny woman Marie Hartley coming out on top aboard her successful mare Nikita Van Het Heidenhof, clear in 27.59. Hartley spoke to The Irish Field after the win, saying: “I’m delighted with the win and to have Nikita back to her best. She loved the weekend and only got better and better as it progressed. I knew she was in top form after the first round and, with the quality of combinations in the jump-off, I knew I had to give everything. I feel very fortunate to have Nikita - and her pulling off a great win was just the icing on the cake.”

Hartley’s blistering round pushed Jody Townsend, who had a great day with her three horses, into second place, this time with her own seven-year-old JT Harveys Adventure. After the class, Jody told The Irish Field: “Harvey is really starting to step up this year, after gaining great experience in the summer series and in the Aloga international arena on finals day. I am very excited to see where we end up together.”

Patrick Murphy was the early pacesetter with his daughter Aoife’s West Coast Charisma setting a very fast time of 29.88, and the pair ended up completing the podium in third place. Their great form over the weekend continued after winning the qualifier on the Saturday. Amateur rider Kate Murray with her own Crynolisk Feisty Blue backed up their form of second place in Friday’s qualifier by taking fourth in the final with a time of 29.92. Tommy M Parr took fifth with his own Irresistible in 30.69 and Shauna Furlong took sixth in 31.66 with her own LHE Bella Mon Ami.

1.10m Grand Final

The 1.10m summer series grand final had it all - nine combinations making it into the jump-off, seven double clears, the top six all amateurs with the top four all competing in the amateur championship at the RDS this year. Just over one second separated the podium places, with all three taking on all the turns possible and galloping the long run to the last fence.

Coming out on top and showing why she is the new champion was Vicky Curran and RNH Coco Chanel. The pair crossed the finishing line in 32.98 to complete the hat-trick of wins, after also winning both qualifiers on Friday and Saturday.

Curran told The Irish Field after her win: “I am absolutely delighted to have been crowned the summer series leading rider in both 1.10m and 1.20m classes, and to top it off winning the 1.10m grand final is just amazing. A huge thank you has to go to my family and friends, who have helped me along the way, without whom it wouldn’t be possible to be as successful. I can’t forget Coco, who has given me everything and is so special. A big thank you also to everyone organising the summer series, it’s a fantastic series and can’t wait for the 2027 edition.”

Munster woman Lorraine Younge on Adieu Flight gave it a great go, jumping clear when last to go in a time of 33.82 to finish second.

Lorraine told The Irish Field: “I was delighted with Adieu Flight, she is 10 years old and came into the weekend in great form, having won the ladies’ 1.10m final at Millstreet and she continued her great form here. In 2025, she was second in the summer series final, so I am very happy to be able to repeat the feat.”

Completing the podium was Jody Townsend, this time on One Lucky Strike, coming home in 34.02. Afterwards, Townsend told The Irish Field: “I am delighted with Junior, he is as consistent as ever at 19 years old and coming third in a very fast 1.10m is fantastic.”

Sarah Connolly produced another fast double clear with her RDS mount, MP Cosmina, to slot into fourth in 37.56, with Olwyn Alexander and her own Faline taking fifth in 38.63. Shauna Furlong continued her impressive showing when taking sixth with LHE Bella Mon Ami in 42.32.

1.20m Grand Final

Jody Townsend and Lorraine Younge proved their quality again when locking horns once more in the 1.20m jump-off. They were the only clears from the first round, with Jody setting a very fast double clear in 32.62 on JT Calover Junior to put the pressure on. Lorraine responded with a quicker time of 31.91, but unfortunately four faults on Belfieldflight slotted them into second place.

Townsend spoke to The Irish Field afterwards, saying: “Calover Junior jumped fantastic and picked up two wins over the weekend, with him being the only double clear in the 1.20m final. Thanks to all at Mullingar Equestrian for a super weekend’s jumping.”

Younge also spoke to The Irish Field after the class: “Belfieldflight is an 18-year-old TIH and it was great to have him jump so well, with the Traditional Irish Horse Performance Championships also held on the same day. We won the leading rider in the 1.20m last year and to come back to finish second in the grand final was brilliant.

“Belfieldflight is the uncle of my other horse competing here also, Adieu Flight, so to have both of them in the same line-up is really rewarding. The summer series is something I look forward to every year and I will return to it once again next year.”

Ailsa Sexton completed the podium in third on her own Sparky Lad, when they left all the fences up in the first round, but unfortunately picked up one time fault to keep them out of the jump-off.

Lisa Doyle was in the line-up with Ballinaguilkey Dignified taking fourth, being the fastest four-faulter in the first round, just ahead of fifth-placed Lorraine Younge on her second mount Adieu Flight, featuring in her second line-up of the day. Emma Walsh on Carrow Cornet completed the line-up in sixth.