Emer Bermingham

THE 2015 HSI/Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour was a very productive league for Liam O’Meara as he not only took home the €2,000 as the league winner but he also collected an additional prize of €1,000 as his mount Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight finished top of the leaderboard in the Castlefield Sport Horses seven/eight-year-old league.

Heading the league on 43 points, the seven-year-old by Jacomar is out of Curraghgraigue Errigal and the gelding is owned by O’Meara’s father Martin.

In the final standings, John Floody’s second place added 12 points to his tally, which was enough for him to claim the €750 runner-up prize in the league.

With Catherine Thornton failing to close the gap, having faulted towards the end of the jump-off course with Derryinver Luxury Cruise, she took third place in the league and she collected the €250 for her efforts.

John Floody’s mount, eight-year-old Mise Le Meas was was runner-up on 35 points in the Castlefield Sport Horses seven/eight-year-old league. His owner Mathew Birch took home €700, while Kristopher Marshall’s eight-year-old stallion Chirokko M, campaigned by Edward Doyle finished third on 30 points and took home €300.

Delighted about winning the titles, O’Meara said: “It’s a great start to the year winning the HSI/Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour and hopefully it will set me up for the National and Premier leagues.

“All the horses have been performing very well on the tour and more recently at Millstreet. I was particularly pleased with Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight. The plan is to take him to Lanaken this year.” In the young rider division, with both Anna Carway (Winner) and Roisin (IKan) failing to record points at the final round, Carway and Winner took the leading young rider prize of a bursary on 37 points, while Rosin Fagan and IKAN took the runner-up spot on 30 points.

Just 17 years old, Carway is no stranger to the top level, having competed successfully in the pony ranks. Riding Crown Jewel she was winner of the Pony Premier in 2013 and was part of the Irish Squad at Chevenez. Moving on to horses, Carway has demonstrated similar form, clocking up a series of impressive results with Winner in Vidauban, Chevenez, Millstreet and Le Mans, to name but a few.

Following a strong performance throughout the tour, Conor McEneaney and Moonlite Cavalier took the Pro Am title.

HSI/CONNOLLY’S

RED MILLS SPRING

TOUR SERIES

1, Liam O’Meara 77.5 points

2, John Floody 43 points

3, Catherine Thornton 37points

YOUNG RIDER

LEAGUE WINNER

1, Anna Carway 37 points

2, Roisin Fagan 30 points

CASTLEFIELD

7/8-YEAR OLD LEAGUE

1, Curraghcraigue Jack Take Flight 43 points

2, Mise Le Meas 35 points

3, Chirokko M 30 points

PRO AM LEAGUE

1, Conor McEneaney

2, Gerry Campbell

3, Emma Malone