SUNDAY’S 1.30M championship title at the four-day Cavan Autumn Championships went to junior rider Dylan Ward and Quality Sport Horses’ 11-year-old gelding Hard Times. By Darco out of Ejou B (Hornet Rose), the pair stopped the clock at 29.08 to secure the win.

Ward’s win came just ahead of runner-up Katie Nallon and her father Richard’s 13-year-old mare Bally Fair Deal who broke the beam in 29.15. Sven Hadley, riding Alan Briscoe’s Neat Midnight Magic, a 12-year-old gelding by Cancun VDL slotted into third in a fast time of 29.41.

Paul Carberry and his own six-year-old gelding Calcord finished in fourth place when they were just over the 30-second mark in 30.18. Junior rider Seamus Hennessy and Lorcan Hennessy’s eight-year-old gelding King Louis (Locarno 62 x Baloubet du Rouet) were fifth with their time of 30.91, while Robin Carey and another eight-year-old gelding, Francois Mathy’s French-bred Carlo Des Forets, took sixth.

Nallon’s win

Katie Nallon and Bally Fair Deal made up for finishing second earlier when winning Sunday’s other championship final, the 1.20m event. The duo posted a jump-off time of 25.58 which secured them the win in what proved to be a very fast decider where all of the top-six finishers posted sub-30 second times.

Fellow children on horses rider Matthew Conlon, riding Marble Arch Equine Ltd’s gelding Interpreter (Cruising x Diamond Rock) recorded a time of 25.71 to finish in second place.

Sven Hadley matched his 1.30m result when he finished in third place, this time riding Adrian Hewson’s eight-year-old Danish-bred gelding Calanthe Slot, the pair crossed the finish in 27.10. Emma McEntee and the Sheikh Samir Mirdad owned 10-year-old mare Mirdads Zamzaaam (Mermus R x Cruising) took fourth in 27.85.

Ballywalter Stables Quarzo Della Caccia was fifth with Daren Hopkins in 29.72, while Martina Carey and Hannah Whelan’s eight-year-old gelding Croghan Hill Ace finished in sixth place.

Lorraine Younge and her own Belfieldflight (Errigal Flight x Ballinvella) dominated in the 1.10m championship securing the win in a time of 24.29. Runner-up was Junior rider Charlotte Harding with Crossmaglen Bandt in 24.88.

Third went to Nadine Carey and MT Criuise in 26.38 and fourth was Eileen Duggan with Kilronan Chin in 27.12. Fifth place was Kyle McLaughlin and Carrenroe Limited Edition, while sixth was Aisling Donoghue riding Walmore Sport.