THE Showjumpers Club Spring Tour got off to a flying start last Sunday, with 41 going to post at JAG Equestrian. It was a very competitive class, with the top seven coming home within 37 seconds.
Course designer Tom Holden set a fair track and, as a result, 20 combinations contested the jump-off and from those, the top 10 all delivered double clears. The jump-off posed no particular difficulties and Holden allowed riders to make up time early in the course from one to two and then with a series of turns. To be in with a chance, riders needed to get seven strides between the first two fences and then take a tight back to the double at fence nine.
Taking the first win of 2019 was Jamie Landers riding Castleforbes Violette. Owned by Lady Georgina Forbes, Castleforbes Violette is a 10-year-old gelding by Vivaldo Vh Costersveld out of the Pamphile-sired dam Quaylin Castleforbes. Under the command of Michael Duffy in 2017, the gelding moved up to Grand Prix level and competed up to CSI2* in Europe. Landers took over the ride in 2018 and they have clocked up placings in up to 1.35m and have also taken in some international shows at CSI2* level.
The first double clear was delivered Edward Doyle Jnr and Gina Prescott’s Billy Guilder, when they crossed the line in 39.92. This time held only temporarily as Stephen Murphy delivered a clear with his father Brian’s Chantelle in 36.01, to take the lead and then eventual sixth.
Bred by Gerry Traynor, the 10-year-old mare is by Lux Z out of the Errigal Flight-sired dam Texaco’s Delphine. Traynor has had much success with this mare, breeding eight foals from her. The mare’s full-sister Luxs Curios, who is owned by Brian Murphy was campaigned by Michael and Stephen Murphy successfully.
Another full-sister, Birchwood Holly, has also been a big success for the Murphy family with a series of good results with his owner Patrick Murphy and Eoghan Murphy.
Just one horse later, the lead changed hands when Jamie Landers lowered the target with Moira Forbes’ Valtor De Blagny, to clear in 35.68. A French-bred, the 10-year-old skewbald gelding is by Limbo out of the Fetiche Du Pas-sired dam Opale De Blagny. Landers has been campaigning this horse for over four years with consistent results on the national circuit up to 1.35m level. They ended last year’s season on a positive note when claiming the 1.35m mini Grand Prix at Portmore.
Landers was demoted, when next in Thomas O’Brien shaved fractions off the target with Paciro, clear in 35.07. A gelding by Pacino (BWP) out of Ramiro View (ISH) by Ramiro B (BWP), he was bred by Patrick Flanagan from Leitrim. Last year this combination really impressed, winning the seven-year-old ISH Studbook showjumping series league and taking the runner-up spot in the Grand Prix in Galway. In the first round of the young horse classes in Dublin, they finished in sixth place.
Keen to retake the lead, Landers returned with Castleforbes Violette and a series of impressive turns saw him set the winning time of 34.75 and in the process, demote O’Brien into second.
Dublin rider Luke Garrigan didn’t hang around with MHS La Scala and despite a quick pace, a clear in 34.94 saw him slot into eventual fifth. Along with this placing, he also took Botanica Ireland young rider prize of the round. In the past, JAG has proved to be happy hunting ground for the Garrigans, his brother Matt took the honours in the National Grand Prix with MHS La Scala last summer.
The penultimate rider to take it on, Olive Clarke put in an impressive round aboard Lauren Kardel’s Aimoise Valiere when they delivered a clear in 35.52 which would prove good enough for third place, ahead of Landers and Valtor De Blagny. Bred by Michel Verbeeck, this French mare is nine-year-old, by Quaprice Boimargot Quincy out of the Veneur Du Montois-sired dam Gerboise Du Montoi. Although a relatively new partnership, they have featured in the international line-ups in CSI1* in Cavan and Millstreet. The mare was previously campaigned by Jake Hunter and Belgian rider Michael Joly.
Vickie Anderson and her mount Zack failed to make the line-up, after finishing on eight faults in 53.32, but their performance saw her take the Equijump Ltd Leading Pro/Am prize of the round.
CLASS WINNERS
Winner of the 1.30m was Oisin Aylward riding Barry O’Connor’s Syhoejegaards Hurricanes Dice, clear in 42.24, ahead of Edward Doyle Junior, who delivered a clear with Peadar Byrne’s Cruise More, in 45.28. Derek McConnell accounted for third aboard Sorcha Hennessy’s Izzy (KWPN), when he proved fastest of the four faulters in 51.47.
Earlier in the day, it was a win for Mark Finnerty when he delivered a clear aboard Emma in 21.23. Sven Hadley made his mark in the class when he took second with Ganord, clear in 24.11 and third with Quanbell, clear in 25.32.
Hadley was back in the ribbons when he emerged victorious in the 1.20m with Morningside Stud’s Ballistic M2S, clear in 35.57. Not content with the win, he also took the runner-up place with Uidam, clear in 36.39. Claiming third place were Conor Cassidy and Lima Fortuna, clear in 36.25.
Hadley finished off his weekend when taking seventh in the Spring tour with Uidam, clear in 36.16.
It was a well worthwhile journey for Hadley as he took the win in the 1.15m with the Purple Spade Ltd-owned Ter Notelaere, clear in 29.98, ahead of Harriet Penfold and Playtime Cruise, clear in 26.95. In third place was Olga Barry Murphy riding Marcella Gaffney’s Kuda, clear in 27.48.
Result
1. Lady Georgina Forbes’ Castleforbes Violette (Jamie Landers) (0/0 34.75)
2. Aoife McCabe’s Paciro (Thomas O’Brien) (0/0 35.07)
3. Lauren Kardel’s Aimoise Valiere (Olive Clarke) (0/0 35.52)
4. Moira Forbes’ Valtor De Blagny (Jamie Landers) (0/0 35.68)
5. Luke Garrigan’s MHS La Scala (Luke Garrigan) (0/0 35.94)
6. Brian Murphy’s Chantelle (Stephen Murphy) (0/0 36.01)