IN a year which saw each and every sport worldwide affected by the Covid-19 pandemic Irish national show jumping still managed to raise the spirits of many by producing some stand out moments during 2020.

There is no doubt that the loss of show dates and inability to travel prevented riders from following the plan they had set out for each of their horses. Even so, everyone in the industry mounted a huge effort and got the sport up and running. It was behind closed doors and came with a new set of rules but, being a sport which, by its nature, is already socially distanced, helped.

Equestrian sports were lucky to still have some special moments here and, for show jumping, it was an added bonus that a National Champion was crowned from the 1.50m series, as well as National Grand Prix Champion and an Autumn League winner. The strange year also brought some more benefits; Horse Sport Ireland introduced a lucrative Autumn Development Series for young horses and some Grand Prix classes. And the young horses were given their chance to complete the Irish Sport Horse Studbook series.

Army on top

The summer’s 1.50m series is normally held over multiple rounds but it was one casualty of the pandemic that riders based at home were glad to see resurrected, albeit only held over four rounds. Horse Sport Ireland came on board as the main sponsors for 2020 and it was rebranded the HSI 1.50m Premier Series, with a total prize fund of €53,000. Each leg boosted a fund of €12,000 with additional breeders, young rider and grooms prizes.

After an exciting battle to be crowned the National Champion from the league, it was eventually Captain Geoff Curran who claimed the title aboard the Minister for Defence’s Glengarra Wood. The pair earned points at all four rounds; taking fourth in Barnadown, seventh in Mullingar, third in Balmoral and fifth in Portmore on the final day, just edging out Kevin Gallagher by a single point.

Gallagher won that final leg with Greg Broderick’s Ballypatrick Flamenco, as well as finishing third in Mullingar and seventh at Barnadown. Their Portmore victory was the beginning of a good winter campaign as they then went on to win a two-star Grand Prix in Spain.

Ger O’Neill finished third in the league on 19 points with Sinead Brennan’s MHS High Hopes. They were third in Barnadown before winning the leg at Mullingar and were among the strong favourites heading in the final, where they finished eighth.

McConnell takes champion crown

DEREK McConnell and Dothraki Warlord were named the Underwriting Exchange National Grand Prix Champions of 2020. The pair’s consistent placings at JAG, Cavan, Killossery, his win in Balmoral and subsequent placings in The Meadows, Portmore, Coílog and Wexford gave him a points total of 47, nine ahead of his closest rival Jonathan Smyth on 38, and the title of National Grand Prix champion 2020.

The league, which was held over 14 rounds, began in July in Galway where Susan Fitzpatrick and Verdict De Kezeg took the win. Next it went North to Kernan’s Equestrian Centre and Canadian Rebecca McGoldrick and Horatio Van Erpekom were victorious.

Fitzpatrick was once again the winner at the next round in JAG, while Elizabeth Power and Doonaveeragh Oh One earned the red ribbon in Barnadown.

Jonathan Smyth and Crystal Tom then took the first of their trio of wins when finishing first in Cavan, they then repeated the feat in Mullingar a week later. Joan Greene was awarded her only win of the league when she steered the aptly named Vivendi Tipperary to the top spot in Tipperary in the first week of August.

All Action lived up to his name for Mark Finnerty when they won the round in Killossery. Capt. Geoff Curran and Tempo Manor were the winners at the inaugural HHS show in Kilkenny, and it was the next round in Balmoral where McConnell and Tom and Sorcha Hennessy’s Dothraki Warlord cruised to their first victory.

Jonathan Smyth completed his trio with his third league round win in The Meadows, while it was Mikey Pender and Javas Gucci that dominated in the 12th round in Portmore. Liam O’Meara and Mr Coolcaum collected their first national Grand Prix win of 2020 at the penultimate round in Coílóg and it was Paul Beecher and Ikona V’T Recht Eind that won the final round in Wexford at the start of October.

While with just 14 legs, it was a more compressed league than in previous years, it was an important competition for national riders in 2020.

McEntee’s easy transition rewarded

JUNIOR rider John McEntee certainly made his mark in the 2020 SJI Autumn Grand Prix league this year, making a seamless transition from the pony ranks to horses.

The 2019 European pony team Gold medallist started by winning the third round in Cavan at the end of September, and then went on to finish second in the fourth round the next day. In mid-October he scored another second place in the sixth round and followed it up with another in the seventh,

Then one month later, once again at Cavan Equestrian Centre, McEntee won the 10th round, and one week after that finished second in the 12th round in Killossery Lodge. He headed into the final two rounds at Cavan 20 points ahead and although he didn’t feature, his lead wasn’t tampered with and he secured the top league prize of €2,500, as well as the young rider’s bursary to the value of €500, sponsored by the SJI Young Riders Committee.

All the wins and placings were achieved riding Stephex Stables Hip Girl, an 11-year-old Swedish-bred mare by Hip Hop, out of Mysterious Girl by Carthago. McEntee has partnered the mount since the start of the year and, judging by the results, they make a formidable pair.

Another young rider that has impressed is Wicklow native Brendan Murphy. Based with Duffy Sport Horses in Co Mayo, he and Alan Robertson’s 10-year-old Numero Uno gelding Immun Ocean Ogara recorded three wins and eventually finished third overall.

The first came at the opening leg in Mullingar in early September, the next at the sixth round at Cavan in October. This was followed by a fourth place in Portmore at the end of October and then a win in Killossery at the start of December.

Spring Tour

Sadly, the Showjumpers Club Spring Tour was the worst affected of the show jumping leagues and wasn’t completed when the country was put into the first lockdown. It began at the end of January and was halted after eight rounds just before it was due to be held in Killossery on March 15th.

At that time young rider Brendan Murphy was leading the league on 18 points having won in Cavan 1 (Feb 9th) and then finishing second in Cavan 2 (Feb 23).

Three riders were tied for second place on 15 points apiece: they were Anthony O’Regan (Holmoak Koln), Adam Carey (Quinn Z) and Johanna Sixt (Fini).