Chris Byrne, team Coilóg and course designer James Tarrant battled inclement weather for the early part of the day but fortunately the torrential rain and howling gales dissipated by late morning.

The indoor arena accommodated both the 128cms warm-up and the Spring Tour, with the latter class attracting over 60 entries. Thirty-one of those riders jumped a clear first round.

Leinster representative Leah Stack and Peppino Il Grande claimed full league points in this division, jumping the fastest clear round in 32.74 seconds. She finished ahead of Rhys Williams, who took second and third place on Little Lord Of The Hills and PARC Epic, both clear in 33.51 and 33.90 respectively.

Jodie Flanagan and Buachaill Baire finished fourth with a clear round in 34.04, while Charlotte Houston and Little Jack Spratt added to their points by taking fifth in 34.83. Ruari Clarke was just behind in sixth with Lenamore Mini Metro, also clear in 34.86.

There were 31 starters in the 138cms Pony Spring Tour and 19 of these were to feature in the jump-off. Second to go in the jump-off was Harry Allen, making his 2014 debut on Fountain Ranger. The pair set an unbeatable record, going clear in 29.55 and claiming their first victory in this tour.

Last week’s runners-up, Jack Ryan and My Little Lady, came closest to Allen to take second place in a time of 30.48. Allen’s other pony, Scarletts Billy The Kid, finished third in 30.70. Fourth place was divided between Robbie Clancy on Drumaclan Flight and Cian Harrison on Lily Clover, who both finished in 31.32. Jason Foley and Kiltormer Hero finished in sixth place in 32.39.

Once again the largest entry was in the 148cms category, where 70 combinations went to post. From this, only 11 got the better of Tarrant’s track.

Ulster rider Olivia Roulston and the recently-purchased Ballygawleys Little Ferro took their first win of the tour by going clear in a time of 33.06. Second place went to Cormac Foley on Another Destiny, who went clear in 35.18.

Michael Pender made his start to the season a very successful one by winning the HSI viewing class earlier on in the day and taking third in the Spring Tour with Myshall Man in 36.04. Fourth place went to Sean Monaghan and Quantum Solace in 36.09, after Monaghan spent most of the previous night helping his father Paul to foal a mare.

Susie Osborne took fifth place with Lisrua Heidi in 36.41 and sixth place went to the new combination of Killian Ryan and Carlow Girl who finished in 37.14.

Coilóg also hosted a HSI viewing class for the first Nations Cup of the year, to be held in Fontainebleau in April. Thirty-one combinations started in this class and seven of these went through to the jump-off. Nicholas Connors from Co Waterford and Michael Pender from Co Carlow were both double-handed against the clock, with Pender claiming first place on Gerald Leonard’s Doon Ladie by going clear in 38.06.

Connors finished second with Mighty Patch as they also went clear in 40.10. Cormac Foley from Wicklow took third place with Another Destiny in 40.25, ahead of Olivia Roulston and Ballygawleys Little Ferro in 40.40. Pender and Connors also took fifth and sixth respectively, with Sandlings Surreal and Ballynoe Fear Bui.

The tour moves to the Molan family’s Maryville Equestrian Centre in Cork today.