Katy Saunders

TRUCKS rolled across the border and roll into The Meadows Equestrian Centre on Sunday, February 15th, where the McCusker family welcomed visitors from all over Ireland to their leg of the CWD Pony Spring Tour.

Rafael Suarez and Aaron McCusker were the designated course designers for the day and the children on horses class began at 8.30am sharp with 11 starters. Seven of those partnerships went on to share first place and collect valuable league points.

Isabel Fitzpatrick and Ulster, Katie Conlon and Tullymore, Daniel Fitzgerald and Gucci Lady, Theo Van Cauwenberghe and Quantum Quest, Emma McEntee and Miss Tonic, Jennifer Kuehnle and Delta De La Bouverie and Jack Ryan and Cavalier Teaca shared first place.

This was followed by the first of the 148cms 1.30m Fontainebleau qualification classes. There were two clear first rounds out of 34 starters. The fastest of these in the jump-off was Michael J. Pender and Zirina who recorded a clear round to take victory. Abbie Sweetnam picked up four faults in a time of 56.47 seconds to take second place with Spartacus Reape.

Eleven combinations picked up just four faults in the first round, showing once again that Tom Slattery, chef d’equipe and team coach for Team Ireland Equestrian will have a strong hand going towards the pony European Championships this year.

Fifty-seven combinations started in the 148cms 1.20m class, which provided 15 clear first rounds and nine double clears.

The fastest of these was Hannah O’Shea and Cinderella Girl, who made the long trek from Cork worthwhile as they stopped the clock in 38.96 to take maximum points in the second leg of the league.

Only marginally slower was local girl Charlotte Houston on Blessington Grange Mist (39.64) in second place, followed by Michael J. Pender and Culban Mistress in third place.

Fourth, fifth and sixth places were occupied by Ulster combinations; Michael Roche and Shravagh Boy (41.31), Abby Morton and Tynan Bo Bo Bear (41.60) and Carl Webb with Future Lady (42.26) completing the line-up.

REMARKABLE

Arena two hosted the smaller ponies and the 128cms CWD Pony Spring Tour started with 41 competitors. A remarkable 26 of these young athletes went through to the jump-off where 15 completed on a zero score, leaving the clock to decide the placings.

Max Foley was the winner, earning maximum league points on Sparkel by stopping the clock in 32.28. Just behind him was Ashley Dunne and Wingland Heloise (32.43) in second place, followed by Caoimhe Walsh and Dooneens Mystical Star (33.55) in third.

Fourth place went to Natasha Kerr and The Nutcracker (34.22) as they added more points to their score, fifth went to Alex Finney and Some Journey (34.53) and sixth to Tom Wachman and PARC Epic, who were also adding to their points earned at Ravensdale the previous day.

Thirty-five combinations went to post in the 138cms CWD Pony Spring Tour, with 15 going into the jump-off.

Jack Ryan and My Little Lady broke the beam in 35.79 to take the win ahead of Max Foley and Bear Me In Mind (37.22).

Foley, who finished as the under-10 national champion in 2014, filled in admirably for his older brother Jason, who is still recovering from a broken knee, picked up after he was kicked out hunting. Max is keeping the pony going for Jason, who will be another six weeks in recovery.

Third place went to Sean Foley and KC Lady in a time of 37.83, fourth to Aidan Kavanagh Ballinamurra Lightening Fire (38.65) and fifth and sixth to Leah Stack as she moved into the 138cms ranks with ease. Her mounts were Amber Leaf (38.84) and Shaman Sundance (39.05).

As the light fell the organisers were delighted to see that everything had run so smoothly with as many having jumped within the daylight restrictions.

Reece St John of sponsor CWD was on hand throughout the weekend to present rugs, rosettes and sweatshirts to the victorious athletes. He was delighted with the standard of jumping, the professionalism of the riders and the CWD Spring Tour in general and is looking forward to a great working relationship with Showjumping Ireland through this sponsorship.

The CWD Spring Tour action next moves to Maryville EC in Co Cork on February 28th.