FOLLOWING a very competitive series, the 1.10m and the 1.20m sections of the Mervue Equine Leinster Summer Tour came to a conclusion at the Leinster Summer Championships.

A consistent combination in the 1.10m, Marie Hartley led the final victory lap and with it, landed the leading amateur prize. Riding Kilpatrick Fred, she clocked the winning time of 33.19. Hartley has had a great season and among her good results was a fifth place in the National Amateur Dingo Final. She qualified for Dublin Horse Show in the amateur ranks with Scarthill Vendi. In this league, she took the win at Coilog with Scarthill Vendi and was third in Barnadown, finishing up as the leading Pro Am and runner-up of the league.

Taking the overall title was Sara Gorman and Take a Gamble. This combination clocked up a series of good results in this league which included a win at the Flavours of Fingal Show, second in Bannow and Rathangan and Adamstown. Gorman took home the winner’s prize fund of €750. The leading young rider of the league was Jess Widger.

Kilkenny’s Jack Ryan took the runner-up spot with Marie Moloney’s Amigo Flight, in 33.38. Accounting for third was Johnnie Fitzpatrick and Saunders Beach Ball Cruise, clear in 33.99. A clear from Laura Walshe and Ballinaguilkey Heritage in 34.50 saw them take fourth, ahead of Fiona Mullins and Blaencwm Jester, clear in 35.80. Following a successful show in the Amateur Championships, Gemma Drennan was back in the line-up, taking sixth with God’s Gift, clocking 36.82.

Jack Ryan upped the ante as he clinched victory in the 1.20m. Riding Marie Moloney’s Amigo Flight, he galloped home in 33.83. Ryan added another title to his record as he took home the overall leading rider title.

Taking part in the Pat Smullen Champions Race at the Curragh last Sunday, Paul Carberry was missing from the line-up. However, consistent results meant that he took home first and second place in the overall league. The leading amateur rider title went to Andrew Byrne, no stranger to success having claimed both sections of the 1.10m and 1.20m in 2018. Slotting into second was James Dunne and Blurred Lines, clear in 35.98, while in third was Jennifer French with Dignita, clear in 39.54.

Ryan was back in the ribbons, claiming the next two placings. He delivered the last of the double clears in 40.35 aboard David Cullen’s Filouandra for eventual fourth. He then proved fastest of the four-faulters with Zavatar in 35.14 for fifth. John Halley also had a pole on the floor with Newtown City Lights in 45.50 for sixth place.

Speaking after the final, Taylor Vard of the SJI said: “It was a very competitive final and it was great to see a mixture of the senior and amateur riders in the final line-ups. Our intention was to extend this league to all riders and this has proved very successful as the numbers in each round has increased.

“I would like to thank Mervue for their continued support and for their generosity in helping national showjumping. I would also like to thank the Leinster Region of the SJI for supporting this great initiative which has proved to be a huge success.”