EVEN with the various sunshine tours becoming a huge draw for British-based riders, there are enough Irish riders left to provide plenty of opposition on the premier circuit.
Co Down’s Mennell Watson recently hit a purple patch when gaining three major wins at South View and Solihull.
Riding Whisper In The Wind, Watson fired home to take the final £500 To The Winner 1.35m at South View’s development classic show.
Whisper In The Wind was home-bred at Euro Sport Horses by Watson and his partner Helen van Heyningen, and after registering two good places at the start of South View’s three day show, the Cobretti stallion produced a series of turns and gallops to top the nine-strong jump-off in the feature class.
“He’s only just getting back into his stride after a winter break and there were some questions to be answered over this weekend, but he is a fighter and he always tries his best to get his head in front,” said Watson, who angled fences and risked a stunning turn to the penultimate upright where Whisper In The Wind picked up off barely one stride.
Less than a week later, Watson and Whisper In The Wind won both 1.40m competitions at Solihull’s premier event.
On the opening day, Watson used his last draw to best advantage to produce the winning time, but he had it all to do in the second 1.40m where Helen Tredwell had set a tremendous pace.
“There were plenty of shortcuts to take up and we got such a good angle at one fence, we could drop inside to the planks,” said Watson, who also finished third riding another of Euro Sport Horse’s talented stallions Outcast (by Russel).
Watson also claimed a ticket to the Blue Chip Championships, when Cracker T finished fifth in the Blue Chip Karma, while Domino VII took third in a 1.30m.
Also riding a winner at Solihull was Bryan Smith who topped a marathon newcomers riding the nine-year-old Irish-bred mare Cavalleria I.
Preceding Watson’s good run, the Midlands-based rider travelled three horses to Addington where Whisper In The Wind had a good pipe at the opener to finish fourth in a 1.25m, Cracker T earned a Foxhunter fifth and Leonidas Red Rivers Pride took seventh in a second Foxhunter.
O’CONNOR PLACED
Also in the money on several occasions at Addington was Aoife O’Connor, who is based at the Billy Stud with William Funnell. O’Connor had places every day riding Billy Tennessee, Billy Du Montois, Billy Ring and Billy Beijing. Most consistent horse of all was the six-year-old Cevin Z-sired stallion Billy Du Montois, who is out of the prolific show jumping mare Amber Du Montois, and she took three Foxhunter top-three places.
Malvern-based Bryan Smith was also in great form at Addington Manor. Riding Tullagh Rose, who had not been out of the top three in any class during her last four outings, Smith opened with a good second spot in the opening newcomer competition at Addington.
A day later, the pair were not to be denied and a newcomer win came their way courtesy of a brilliant run down the final line. Also placed at Addington was Co Meath showing rider Rory Gilsenan, who gained a British novice third and fifth riding Giolga and Falcon IV, and Keith Doyle who claimed a newcomer third with the Mr Visto eight-year-old Vistos Travichello.
Former pony team rider Tyrone Flanagan is now getting out and about competing after joining the show jumping yard of Nigel Marmont through a recommendation last summer.
The 17-year-old Strabane rider is gaining plenty of training and experience and he enjoyed a good day at South View last weekend riding Duraldo and the impressive seven-year-old Lupicor stallion, Mr Lupicor. “Tyrone rides consistently well. There’s plenty of talent there and he’s doing a very good job producing lots of double clears,” said Nigel Marmont.