THE six-day Winter Horse Festival at Cavan Equestrian marks, for many, the end of the competition year and always attracts a large number of entries.

This year was no exception with hundreds of horses lining out over the 45-strong schedule of classes at the venue.

With over €30,000 on offer over the six days, including a €6,000 Grand Prix, most of Ireland’s top show jumpers were there. The Irish Equitation School had a clean sweep in Sunday’s Gain/Alltech 1.45m Grand Prix with the top three places going to army riders.

Commandant Geoff Curran took first place and the Hazel O’Callaghan Trophy aboard Jessica Stallard and The Minister For Defence’s DHF Alliance, a 10-year-old mare by Ard Vdl Douglas out of Rosie Bee, by Lux Z and bred by Paul Douglas.

Cavan once again proved to be a happy hunting ground for the duo - they won the 1.35m WKD speed class on the Friday of the show and had previously captured the 1.50m Plusvital Grand Prix there in September.

Comdt Curran took the runner-up spot with his other mount, the Minister For Defence’s 13-year-old gelding Hawthorn Hill (Cardento x Limmerick), bred by Jerry Quinn, while third place went to 2/Lt. Ruari Clarke riding the Minister’s Bonmahon Beach (Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Temple Clover), which was bred by Richard Fitzgerald.

Experience shows

Speaking after the win, Comdt Curran told The Irish Field: “I think I made up a bit of time on the turn to the fourth fence, the yellow vertical. The experience of my horse showed. I turned back really tight, I’m not sure anyone turned as tight there as I did.

“I didn’t get to see many go because I had two in the jump-off, but I think that was where I won it. Ruari (Clarke) had a great round. He had a couple of good wins away on that horse in Oliva, so it’s not a surprise that he was quick and fast.

“I was due to go away but she (DHF Alliance) had an infection in her foot, which took a while to heal up, so I didn’t go anywhere, this was actually her first show back.

“She is finished up now for the season, so she’ll get a bit of a break. Looking ahead to next year, Hawthorn Hill is jumping great, so the Spring plan would probably be Arezzo or something like that. He likes big grass rings so the obvious choice is Arezzo or the Sunshine Tours for the Grand Prix there.

“I haven’t made a full plan yet but he was really good in the Derbys last year, so all roads lead to Hamburg for the Derby with him.

“The speed class on Friday was a very fast class and she won it easily. She was on top form that night. She felt great so I was looking forward to Sunday; a different challenge with bigger fences but I was filled with confidence seeing she felt so good on Friday.

“The icing on the cake was Hawthorn Hill jumping so well. He was very good against the clock, which is not something you may have thought he could do; to be quick and neat, because he is a big horse.

“It was an amazing show. Great classes with a large audience and a great atmosphere. To get that amount of people coming in and watching is great for the show.”

The year 2026 will be important for the Equitation School, as Curran explained: “We have big plans next year with the 100th anniversary of the Equitation School, so it will be a busy time for everyone. Tom (Freyne, Commanding Officer of the school) is retiring in February, so there will be a bit of moving around. Nothing has been finalised but we have exciting plans for 2026.

Big field

A start list of 58 was reduced to 17 after the first round of the €6,000 class, which saw 19 combinations have a single fence down for four faults.

One pair, Richard Kerins and Malachy Marron’s Scs Masterpiece (Ublesco x Van Gogh), bred by Deirdre Power, collected a single time fault.

Seven of the 17 kept a clean sheet in the timed decider, with Curran and DHF Alliance the fastest of these in a time of 38.55. He also left all the poles in place aboard Hawthorn Hill in 38.78 for second place. 2/Lt Ruari Clarke and Bonmahon Beach stayed just inside the sub-39 second mark when they stopped the clock at 38.92 for third. Fourth place went to Sandra Duffy’s Annaghmore Beach Cruise (Beach Ball x Cruising) with Lee Carey in the saddle in 41.70.

Darragh Ryan and his own eight-year-old Belgian-bred mare Lady Blue Du Letot (Chacoon Blue x Qoby De Saint Aubert) slotted into fifth in 42.30.

Cian McMunn and another Belgian-bred, Breda McMunn’s stallion Oberon Van’t Lohof (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Winningmood Van De Arenberg) completed the top six in 42.53.

The next, and final, round of the SJI Autumn Grand Prix Series takes place on November 30th at Emerald Equestrian in Enfield.