CASTLE Hill Riding Club held their summer show on Sunday, June 28th at the Jordanstown grounds of their North East Region neighbours, Cheval RC.

Showing classes were dropped from this year’s programme to be replaced by show jumping and by handy horse classes, which were sponsored by Deeside Country Store and judged by Linda Nulty.

The hosts won two of those handy horse classes, thanks to the efforts of Caitriona Grifferty on her 20-year-old grey mare Little May (RC70) and David Kelly and his nine-year-old bay gelding Flying Henry (RC100). The RC80 was won by Meath’s Joan Brady on the 14-year-old grey gelding Bobby Dazzler II, with Cheval’s Lauren Cronin claiming the honours in the RC90 on Aengus Og, a 13-year-old grey gelding by Dunbeggan Grey Mist.

Cheval chairperson Maria Carrick judged the show jumping classes, over tracks built by Shane Brooks. Here, Brady also recorded a win for Meath on Bobby Dazzler II at RC80 open level, with Castle Hill striking in the RC70 open through Sinead Hogan on Dramatic Dawn.

Fingal RC was represented by two winners viz Mandy McLeod on Sage in the newcomers’ class and Moya Teeling, whose victory on Shanbo Myles in the RC100 open was just one win for the pair on a very successful day. Cheval’s Sandra Hannigan landed the RC90 open on her home-bred Irish Sport Horse mare Yukon Clover, a nine-year-old bay by Namelus R.

Hannigan was also on the mark in the DH Timber Ltd dressage section, where the judging duties were divided between Lindsey Ilona Brady and Nathalie O’Hanrahan. Here, on a score of 69.47%, she won the RCP3 on her Irish Draught mare Dowdstown Janes Legacy, a five-year-old roan draughter of Moylough Legacy. Fellow Cheval member Geraldine Gaul recorded the highest score of the day (70.21), when winning the RCP2 on her 13-year-old piebald gelding Shotgun George.

Copperfield secretary Jane Whitaker, a List 1 judge with Dressage Ireland, is often sequestered away at these riding club shows as scorer. However, she appeared ‘front of house’ here to win the RCP open on her 17-year-old skewbald mare Coppermine Maggie (67.32).

On an even 70%, Mullaghmore’s Leonie O’Gorman won the walk/trot test on her ISH gelding GH Little Emperor, a 10-year-old bay by Emperor Augustus. Rathangan’s Caroline Graham claimed the honours on 66.88 in the RCP1 with Pollardstown James, a 13-year-old piebald ISH gelding by Ballysax Shakespeare.

Moving up the grades, Castle Hill’s Niamh Murphy won the three-runner RCN on her 14-year-old dun mare Railings Hopeful Score (68.65), while there were uncontested victories for Thornton’s Zara Bolger on Enoville Jade (61.72 in the RCE) and Moyglare’s Ger McNulty with Dionysus II (62.58 in the RCM).

ARKequine sponsored the performance hunter section. This was judged by Kevin McGuinness, who found his champion, Shanbo Myles, in the RC100 open class, which the Connemara gelding won in the hands of Fingal’s Moya Teeling. The 10-year-old grey, who was bred in Co Meath by Noel Farrell, is by Shanbo Jimmy out of the Monaghanstown Fionn mare Morning Mist Star. Cheval’s Sarah Maxwell stood reserve on the RC80 open class winner, her 15-year-old grey gelding Selto.

Fingal doubled up when Sophie Dejong won the RC90 open on the 17-year-old piebald gelding Kilcogy Knight. Rathfarnham’s Orlagh Palmer landed the newcomers’ class with her 12-year-old skewbald gelding Knockane Boy and the day’s hosts Castle Hill also struck in this section, thanks to the efforts of Isla Doran and her Connemara mare Highland Flame I, a six-year-old dun by Knockdomney Boy, in the RC70 open.

During the show, where everyone was ‘fed and watered’ by The Snug Mug, tickets were drawn for the club’s raffle in aid of My Lovely Horse Rescue. This was supported by local enterprises also Botanica International, ARKequine and Naas racecourse. A donation from every entry at the show was added to the funds raised.

Entries are now open for the North East Region’s Festival, which this year is being held at Killossery Lodge Stud on Sunday, August 2nd. There is a large range of dressage, performance hunter and showing classes with something to suit every rider.