LAST Sunday saw Warrington Riding Club host the final leg of the AIRC South East regional showjumping league which saw the curtain come down on a very successful year for members in the region. The league is growing in popularity and is now in its third year. Approximately 80 horse and rider combinations took part over seven legs of the league with many of the classes coming down to the final fence last weekend.

Visiting members to the Kilkenny club were treated to a fair course with plenty of twists and turns. The open class saw Christine Keymer (Dazzling Star (Carne RC)) take the first two legs of the league but from then on, it was Aisling Miklis (Lassban Miss Congeniality (Annaharvey RC)) who made it a clean sweep of the remainder legs of the league to take the red ribbon home to the midlands.

The advanced intermediate class proved to be a popular class again this year. Following the previous leg hosted by Coole-Lane RC, Ciara Garvey (Ringo Sadat (Ashwood RC)) lay on top of the leader board coming into the final with Sarah Stamp (Horetown RC), Louise O’Neill (Barrow Valley RC) and Leonard Reamsbottom (Oakleaf RC) all hot on the Carne rider’s hooves with equal points.

LIGHTENING QUICK

The final leg of the league however proved that it is never over until the last fence is jumped and at the end of the day, it was lightening quick Reamsbottom riding Lightening Spirit bringing the overall red ribbon back to Laois. Sarah Stamp (Harry’s Supreme) took the overall blue ribbon back to Wexford while neighbour Ciara Garvey settled for third place overall. Barrow Valley member Louise O’Neill (Ado Star) rounded off a consistent league to finish in fourth position, with Niamh Murphy (Kiltulla Cougar (Waterford RC)) taking fifth and Pauline Kirwan (Kilminchy Rodrigo) from neighbouring Three Rocks taking sixth place.

As always, the intermediate and advanced primary classes proved to be the most popular classes throughout the league with members and horses taking part from the four corners of the region. In the end however it was members of Ballycanew RC, Barrow Valley RC, Carne RC, Coole-Lane RC, and Nuenna Farm RC who shared the spoils in the intermediate class.

Once again it came down to the final leg to decide the outright winner of the league. The top of the leader board had been neck and neck between Isabelle Rouviere (Banner Lucky for Carne RC) and Mary Frances Corcoran (Hugo Boss) of Nuenna Farm RC but it was the pocket rocket palomino Hugo Boss who had his sat nav set to turbo to find the quicker route around the Kilkenny track to gain top spot with Banner Lucky just short of the win but bagging the deserved blue ribbon. Zoe Kehoe’s Lux Z grey mare Lux Like a Lady (Coole-Lane RC), couldn’t catch the leaders but flew around the course to bring the yellow ribbon back to Tullow.

Claire Grannell and Une Petite Pomme Francais (Ballycanew RC) were hot on the leader’s heels securing fourth, while not to be outdone, Brian Carroll and Cathal’s Apache (Coole-lane RC) made sure a second rosette, this time a pink one, went up the motorway to Carlow. Sixth place went to neighbouring club member Margaret Byrne and Marshall Curtis (Barrow Valley RC).

WINNER TAKES ALL

The advanced primary was another winner takes all class with Valerie Crean (Kildoon Trix (Barrow Valley RC)), Lisa Rothwell (Thy Will Be Dun (Coole-Lane RC)) and Breda Rowe (Kilminchy Rodrigo (Carne RC)) hoof perfect over the previous six legs.

Kildoon Trix set the pace early in the class being closest to the optimum time and it looked like the former point-to-pointer could not be beaten. That was, of course, until the final horse and rider combination of Lisa Rothwell and the dun gelding by Carraig Thunder, Thy Will Be Dun, crossed the finish line to beatthe Barrow Valley member into second by mere milliseconds.

Kilminchy Rodrigo brought another yellow ribbon home for the Wexford club while not to be outdone, fellow club member Ger Hammell and Cyrus secured fourth place. Ruth Dalton and Icarus Argenteus (Coole-Lane RC) finished off a very successful year in fifth position, while Patricia Fisher and new horse Kildreenagh Sally (Barrow Valley RC) were sixth.

Paul Roche (Cinch (Barrow Valley RC)) and Laura Levington (Kilekisk Emily (Tinahely RC)) enjoyed each week competing in the young horse class and ensured that both horses were ready for the year ahead. Roche narrowly scooped first place and the Tinahely rider will be back to defend the title next year.

Sandra Doody (Test of Courage (Coole-Lane RC)), Deirdre Deegan (Dexter’s Pride (Ballycanew RC)) and Martin Carroll (Ardlea Indian Lady (Coole-Lane RC)) all finished their year in the primary section on a high. While Doody’s courage may have been tested throughout the league, her only worry last Sunday was whether the colour red suited her black cob, piping Deirdre Deegan into second place by a single point. Carroll, not to be outdone by his fellow Cool-Lane members, clinched third place and made sure that the haul of ribbons continued to go north on the M9 motorway.

Regional chairperson Sharon O’Connor noted how popular the event had been, especially the S-Class which allows riders to compete at five centimetres above their designated grade, and allowing riders to judge for themselves whether they might want to upgrade for the following season.

O’Connor reflected on the great year for the region, with members competing and bringing home ribbons at local, regional and national level for their clubs and wished them the very best for the 2018 season.

The South-East region’s AGM will take place in the IFA Centre in Enniscorthy on Monday, November 20th.