AS years go, it’s been a good one for Waterford international show jumper Anthony Condon.

Having registered fabulous results in Nations Cup appearances and welcomed his son Hector into the world, the Waterford rider remains on flying form and is looking forward to a busy and hopefully rewarding end of year performances at London Olympia and the Liverpool International Shows.

Just recently, Condon maintained good form at South View and Arena UK. Riding Neil and Christine Fiddes’ Azteca VDL six-year-old Friso, Condon won the Foxhunter competition at South View with a particularly sharp round.

“He jumped lots of double clears in Spain at the end of October and this is his first proper show back in England. He’s a horse with a super technique and we have great plans for him next year,” said Condon, who was equally delighted with John Hales’ Arko III five-year-old Gerko III who jumped his first Foxhunter at South View.

“He’s been ticking over nicely all summer and he’s ready to step up now,” added Condon.

From South View, Condon travelled on to Arena UK where Balzac topped a hotly contested 12-strong 1.40m jump-off from mid-draw.

“It was a tough class to win over a strong course, but we got a tight turn back to the (penultimate) double and then a stride out to the last clinched it for us. This has been a great warm up for Olympia,” concluded Condon, who was also placed in a strong 1.30m riding Chinook II.

WINNING FORM

Also in winning form at Arena UK was Sligo’s Richard Howley who claimed his ticket to the new London Excel Show (April 2017) when Nick and Krista Brown’s Calandro produced a flying round to win the winter grade C qualifier.

The Silverstone nine-year-old had previously evented, but made a switch to show jumping in the summer.

“We were early to go so I just had to go as fast as I could. It was a flowing jump-off course which suited us as he’s a big horse with a massive stride so I took the inside lines and just let him swing along in a good rhythm,” said Howley, who has just moved into the top 250 world rankings and heads to the Liverpool International Show over the new year holiday.

One of the hottest classes to win at Arena UK was the 1.35m where a blistering pace set by Thomas Whitaker and Diola denied Eoin Gallagher and Lord Luidam victory following a spirited late challenge.

“I watched Tom go and he was fast, so we did the best we could and I thought we had done enough, but we ended up a second off the pace,” said Gallagher, who has recently returned from teaching in Greece.

“I went to find some sun but when it was 14 degrees here, I had lots of rain and frost,” concluded Gallagher, who heads back to Ireland for Christmas.

BREEN RUNNER-UP

Tipperary’s Trevor Breen was in the money at the recent Keysoe CSI** International show.

Having his first show with Kim Barzalay’s Kimba Classic, Breen finished fourth in opening leg of the small tour and went on to claim second with Bombay II in the big tour.

“For our first outing, I was delighted with Classic and Bombay was solid all the way through; I think there’s big things to come from her next year,” said Breen.

After producing some nice double clears and being placed eighth in Keysoe’s two-star riding Cavas Toftegard, Dean Wilson has since concentrated on yard duties at home in Humberside.

Also in the money at Keysoe was Keith Doyle who finished ninth in the first leg of the small tour riding Elmo Brown.

With over 60 horses to ride shared between around 10 riders at the Billy Stud, Aoife O’Connor has been kept “pretty busy” and the Kildare rider recently claimed a Foxhunter fifth with Billy Ring at Parwood, where Billy Du Montois and Billy Up Hill produced pleasing newcomer double clears.

Sussex-based Derek McCoppin is currently enjoying some hunting and will have his show jumpers up and running again in the new year.