THERE was action aplenty at Kernan’s Equestrian Centre as riders flocked to contest a qualifier for RUAS Balmoral Show 2018 at the Co Armagh venue.

Last Saturday’s first competition was the amateur division where a field of 49 competitors kicked off in good time with the As going first. From the 28 combinations through to the jump-off, 16 came from the A category and 12 from the AAs. The eventual winner AA rider Sheikh Samir Mirdad on Mirdads Maaa Shaaa Allah whose fast time of 40.79 seconds set a pace that couldn’t be bettered, even by his second horse Mirdads Nayyyarat Alrahmaaan who finished on a close time of 41.84 seconds, giving him the runner-up slot.

Well-known amateur rider Grace Carlisle on Flagmount Heir gave the As a third place in a time of 42.17. Fourth place went to Jennifer Gregg on Lynnwin Lady (43.46); fifth to Tanya McClurkin on Innocense (43.46), sixth to Fiona Thompson on Eavan White’s O’Harabrook (43.87), and the last qualifying place went to Ruth O’Brien on Fancy Diamond (45.03).

The second competition for five-year-old horses produced four winners dividing first place: Kerry Taggart on Iwan, Olivia Roulstan on Keonan Beach, Natasha Carolan on Inpulss and Ausra Valuckyte on Check Me Z. The jump-off for fifth and sixth places went to Tom Hearne on Gold Queen and Ausra Valuckyte on It’s A Men GR respectively.

BALMORAL BOUND

In the six and seven-year-old event, only seven combinations went through to the jump-off. The seventh of these and last to jump clear in a fast time of 37.57 was John Mulligan on Mohill Spring. Mulligan was also second on Lough Seur Sarlady in a slower time of 39.54 and fifth on Sliabh Papillon Breaker in 40.51 which meant John was successful in qualifying his three mounts for Balmoral. Third place went to Jonathan Smyth on Mulvin Lights Out (40.77), fourth to Olivia Roulston on Mis Valent (38.04) and sixth to Ryan O’Neill on Last Minute Van Overis.(41.76).

The last competition of the day was the 1.35m class. With only five combinations jumping clear, there was no need to go to a jump-off. The five who successfully qualified were Barry McCormack on Armani Velvet, Rebecca Kieran on Echo Ireland, Kelda Morgan on Orbiting, John Mulligan on Cornetta 10 and John Floody on HTS Blackrock.

A good day’s sport was enjoyed by all despite awful weather. Kernans thanked all contributors especially RUAS Balmoral’s representative Vickie White, commentator and course designer John Chambers and SJI judge Janet Currie.