Avonmore Summer Classic to run unaffiliated

THE Avonmore Summer Classic Final at River Lodge Equestrian in Co Wexford will go ahead next weekend, September 19th and 20th, but will run unaffiliated as SJI has not sanctioned the dates due to a clash with a National Grand Prix show in Coilóg, Co Kildare.

The original final of the Avonmore Summer Classic Final was due to be held on August 21st and 22nd but was postponed due to bad weather. Organisers Michelle Kenny and Rafael Sanctuary confirmed that despite the SJI not granting the dates, the show will go ahead unaffiliated with live scoring through Equipe.

SJI released a statement yesterday (Friday) explaining the decision. It said: “At a meeting of the SJI Executive on September 10th, which had been convened solely to consider a proposed date change requested by River Lodge Equestrian. It was a unanimous decision of the Executive not to sanction these proposed dates to run against a standalone show which has a National Grand Prix and Irish Sport Horse Classes. Therefore River Lodge Equestrian has been offered alternative dates which will allow them to reschedule the final of their league.”

RLE’s Rafael Sanctuary said: “We spent the last month trying to work with SJI for a new date. All we asked for was the final to run for a weekend. Amateurs and pony riders have fought all summer to qualify for the finals and we deserved a weekend.”

Kenny added that SJI “are not listening to the riders”.

The new schedule for the two-day grand finale has been published, with a €5,000 1.45m Grand Prix on the sand on Saturday and the feature €10,000 1.50m Grand Prix, both sponsored by Hive Insurance, set to take place at 12.30pm on Sunday in the main grass arena.