SVEN Hadley was certainly having a good show, as he kicked off Sunday morning with a win in the Oakland Stables 1.20m Two-phase Special. Riding the Bina Ford and Anna Power stallion, Make It Easy, he delivered the winning round of clear in 25.62. Delighted with how the week was going, Hadley said: “Mullingar International Show has always been very lucky for me. Last year, I was leading rider and hopefully I am on track for it again. All the horses are jumping great and we also had a great run up to this show over the last couple of months, winning the TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour. I was also delighted to win the 1.35m Karlswood Leinster League in the national arena. It’s always a very competitive class and well supported.”

Regarding the event, he added: “Mullingar has done an excellent job and every year it just gets better. The weather, of course, always helps. I would like to thank all the sponsors for their generous support.”

Alannah O’Donoghue and Fairy Fort finished a close second, coming home with nothing to add in 26.30. Longford’s Robert Harrison and Novellent followed close behind, keeping all the poles standing in 27 seconds. Zaid Ali Raad was also back in the ribbons, taking fourth with B.E. Flygold with a clear in 27.50. Fifth place belonged to Caitilin Taggart and Palm Springs, when they finished fractions behind with a clear in 27.86. Isabelle Boland and Boleybawn Reverie completed the top six with a clear in 28.20.

1.25m Two-phase Special

Connaught’s Stephen Gibbons secured his second win of the show, when he partnered Cassius Z to top the Castleforbes Stables 1.25m Two-phase Special. The 15-year-old stallion by Canabis Z proved best of the 36 starters, with 13 combinations posting clear rounds. It was a competitive affair, with the first four all inside the 40-second mark. Galway’s Sven Hadley filled the runner-up spot with HSH Harper du Seigneur in 36.44, while Jodie Creighton slotted into third with Smalltown Boy IV on 39.39. Dylan Ward was close behind in fourth with Lagans Candy Boy in 39.44. Britain’s Glain Watkin Jones took fifth with Asca Star Vm Z in 40.93, while Robert Harrison completed the top six with Lagans Cornet Lad in 42.10.

Stewart’s Oil CSI2* 1.35m Jump Off

Following on from a super performance in the Grand Prix at Balmoral CSI2*, Katie Nallon came out on top as she took the win in the Stewart’s Oil CSI2* 1.35m Jump-Off class with Seamus Heverin’s home-bred nine-year-old gelding MVS Celtic Emperor with a clear in 38.64. The combination were the only ones to remain within the 40-second mark.

A field of 44 combinations lined out and, from those, 12 maintained clean sheets to take their place in the jump-off. Little divided the top two placings, as Sameh El Dahan and WKD Comme Je Peut delivered a clear, albeit in a slower in a time of 40.02. Nicola Fitzgibbon and Mufasa Z took third with a clear in 41.79. Jonathan Smyth and Louie Land slotted into fourth with a clear in 42.78. Jill Greene and Indigo Blue were clear in 43.71 for fifth. Rounding off the top six was Aidan Killeen, when all the poles remained in place with Grangebeg DJ in 47.16.