EOGHAN Fahy won his first TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour Grand Prix last Sunday in Cavan. Riding Chedington Equestrian’s Origi Van de Bandam, the Galway native saw off stiff competition in the 17-strong jump-off to claim the top spot in the second round of the league.

Speaking after the win, Fahy told The Irish Field: “We’re delighted with the result. This is my first Spring Tour Grand Prix win. I ride for Ger O’Neill and the horse, a 12-year-old Belgian-bred gelding, is owned by Chedington Equestrian.

“I’ve been with Ger for almost two years now, and have just moved up to this level recently.

“I’m 22 years old, and am lucky to have been trained by Ger and Jason Foley. We have 50 to 60 horses in work here in Castlefield in Co Kilkenny and I’ve been given the opportunity to ride some of the Cheddington-owned horses.

“I rode my own ponies when I was younger, I did some Premier classes but didn’t have much luck with them. I grew up in Loughrea in Galway and I’m full-time with Ger now. I had eight in Cavan last weekend. It’s very busy, but I feel I’m fortunate to have the chance to compete with some really nice horses.

“I think I made up the time in the jump-off from fence two to three back onto the double. I was lucky that the horse was brave enough to turn back to the second last and take a bit of a longer shot to it.

“He’s a very quick horse and I’m only just getting used to him. This was our first proper show on him. He’s a very good horse for these classes.

“We have horses for all the age classes from three upwards. Ger breeds a lot of them. He selects some to break himself, and sends some out to be broken. We produce them and send them forward for the age classes.

“I compete with several five and six-year-olds, so hopefully we can have a good season and maybe get a few into Dublin in August.

“I will try to follow the Spring Tour as much as possible, we just have to see what suits us.”

Clean sheet

A total of 44 combinations lined out for the class, which offered €2,500 in prize money. Some 18 managed to post a clear first round over Stuart Clarke’s 1.35m track.

Just 10 kept a clean sheet through the decider, with Fahy the quickest of these in a time of 30.96 for the win.

Another from the Castlefield stable, Jack Kent and O’Neill’s Dutch-bred stallion Ikannan V G (Kannan x Indoctro) came closest to catching the leader with their jump-off time of 32.21 for the runner-up spot.

Young rider Daisy McNamara and her mother Martha’s German gelding Caspetito Z (Cassio Vh Sonnishof x Hors La Loi Ii) finished in third in 32.83.

Third-place finishers in the first round in JAG the week before, Sven Hadley and his own eight-year-old Maximum Numero Too HSH (Aganix Du Seigneur x Numero Uno), bred by Eamon McArdle, slotted into fourth on this occasion in 33.75.

Another eight-year-old, Michelle Kenny’s mare HSC Renee (Andiamo Semilly x Conquistador), bred by Mrs S H Crawford, took fifth place win 35.21, while Nicola Fitzgibbon and her own Gracefield Apollo (Luidam x Coriall), bred by Barry McCann, completed the line-up in sixth.

The next, and third round of the Spring Tour takes place today in Wexford Equestrian.