David Abbott

RIVERSIDE Riding Club won the TRI Equestrian intermediate team event for the first time at the Riding Clubs Festival last weekend.

It was a highly competitive affair as 23 teams contested the event.

However Riverside, runners up in 2011, was the only team to finish on a clean sheet after two rounds of jumping.

Caroline Wall (Rioga Ri), Paula O’Brien (Lenamore Queenie) and Rebecca Surman (PLS Indian Rose) provided double clear rounds while Triona Burbage (Frisky Whisky), who didn’t have to jump in the second round, ensured the Laois club claimed the top spot on this occasion.

Club chairperson Rebecca Surman summed up their win afterwards, saying: “We’re a small club and have been trying for many years to win this competition.

“We kept the faith and finally achieved it this year with a patchwork team including a 23-year-old mare and a young horse at his very first show! We all jumped out of our skins to achieve this and we’re all just thrilled with this win.”

Abbeylands finished best of the four-faulters with an accumulated time of 193.98 ahead of Meath in third.

The top five teams in the advanced primary team event finished on a clean sheet leaving the clock to decide.

Thomastown and District, who were fourth last year, were just 6.45 seconds off the optimum time giving them the spoils.

Double clear rounds from Aine Nolan (Sock Monster) and Margaret Walsh (Dollar Boy) while clear rounds from Margaret Wallace (Monaveen Bill) and Fiona Dalton (Bel Lad) ensured the Kilkenny club took home the red ribbons.

It was much closer affair between Mill Road and Cheval, who finished 10.56 and 10.92 off the target respectively to fill remaining top three places.

Meanwhile a mixed team representing three clubs won the TRI Equestrian primary team event after they tied with Kerry Riding Club on 4 penalties.

Killcarrick’s Anouska Rickard (Stunning Sasha) and Castledermot’s Penny Miles (Whiterock Copper Alley) provided double clear rounds while a clear round from Cheval’s Anna Szezepanska on Desperados Diamond secured the red ribbons for the mixed team.