THE amazing Connemara Hilltop Festy defied his 22 years to win the advanced primary competition at the second round of this year’s Equipet league held in Kernan EC last Sunday.

Over a course built by James Kernan, the Ashfield Festy gelding was closest to the optimum time of 53 seconds when clear in 54.34 under Castle Hill’s Cathy Flanagan.

Border Counties’ Eithne O’Halloran filled second place on Kilmurray Admiral (55.54) while Alan Fitzpatrick, of host club Drynam, slotted into third with Drynam Rivie (49.99).

The morning’s action was delayed as the outdoor arena was frozen, forcing those competing in the early classes to warm-up indoors. This had a knock-on effect with the primary riders coming before local judge Gerry Thompson just after 6pm.

The wait was worthwhile for Barbara Harford who brought up a double for Castle Hill with Nadezhda.

Harford and her seven-year-old skewbald mare by Blue Velvet N were home in 61.64, some way off the optimum time of 56 seconds but, importantly, they posted the only double clear. Fastest of those on eight faults to place second were Mullaghmore’s Emma Kingham and Maxamillion (62.26).

Castle Leslie dominated the intermediate section both numerically and competitively, fielding nine of the 20 starters and filling the first three places.

Stephen Martin was fastest of the trio with Butterscotch Major, a seven-year-old palomino mare by Golden Major VII. Amazingly, Enda McKenna and Conor Meehan finished second and third as they had done at Broadmeadow the previous Sunday with Smoke Eye Joe (34.65) and Sonnys Mount (37.04) respectively.

In October, Martin rode in his first Eventing Ireland competition, placing sixth with Butterscotch Major in the EI90 amateur class at Ballyvannon. Second that day was his club mate Francis Duffy who won Sunday’s four-runner Inter B class when recording the only double clear with his six-year-old bay gelding Franko.

There was only a quartet of starters also in the Inter A class where Teresa Ward repeated her Broadmeadow victory with the 11-year-old bay gelding Gold Mine. Just outside the 53 second optimum time in 54.96, Ward held off fellow Cheval member Joanne Hannigan who was clear in 55.65 with Rupert.

The Cheval club had a good start to the day when Hannigan’s husband Philip comfortably won the seven-runner open competition with his Grade B mare Yukon Flush. Bred by the rider’s mother Sandra, the six-year-old is by Clover Flush out of Yukon Granite (by Silver Granite).

Hannigan’s clear, one of three in the class, was recorded in 24.79 while Killossery’s Orla Cassidy was next best in 32.87 with Dunsoughly Nelson.

Killossery came out best in the following advanced intermediate class which proved most competitive with seven of the 12 starters posting double clears. Here, Jacqui Boland followed up her Broadmeadow success with Maverick Na Ri in 31.22.

The Castle Leslie duo of Rebecca Brown (Spirit And Style) and Barbara Johns (Woody Allen) were best of the remainder in 32.04 and 36.61 respectively.

The Castle Hill and Fingal clubs host tomorrow’s third leg of the Equipet league at Castle Hill EC in Julianstown where the usual classes will be complemented by a dog show. All funds raised by the canine competitions will go to Drogheda Animal Rescue.