CO TYRONE’S Jonathan Smyth made the long trip from Strabane to Ballinasloe worthwhile when winning his first New Heights Champions Series aboard Mulvin Lui last Sunday.
Owned by Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig, the chesnut gelding is by Luidam and out of the Baron de Chantepie mare Castleconnor Baron.
Speaking after the win Smyth said: “We are delighted with the win. He (Mulvin Lui) is just nine years old and we have just stepped him up to this level this year. I’ve never actually had anything capable of competing at this level before so I am very lucky to have this horse and I think he has the potential to be a very special horse.
“Myself and my Dad bought him as a three-year-old in Goresbridge sales and produced him at home. We have a busy yard at home with 30 or so horses in work. Myself, my Dad and my girlfriend Sarah ride full-time and my two sisters have a horse each so it’s all go.
“Our plan now is to do a few more of the New Heights classes with him. Omagh show is just 15 minutes away from me at home so that’s our local show. We will also do the Mullingar International show and the plan is to head over to Hickstead in mid-June.”
Jump-off
A start list of 23 was reduced to 10 for the timed decider over Paul Duffy’s 1.50m track. Mikey Pender was pathfinder riding his own 12-year-old Belgian-bred gelding Hearton du Bois Halleux (Nonstop x Toulon). Faults collected at the second and third-last fences saw the pair finish on eight faults in a time of 40.35 for eventual seventh place.
Second to go, Tholm Keane and BMH Big Time, owned by Caroline Teltsch and James Buckley, had the fifth fence down for four faults in 46.67 which would see then take sixth place.
Jessica Kuehnle and her father Hans Jurgen’s mare Cornetta 10 (Cornet Obolensky x Corrado) were next into the arena. Eight jumping faults earned at the second and final fence, plus two time penalties, saw the pair out of the placings with a total of 10 faults.
Jessica Burke riding Liam Nicholas’ Express Trend was next. They too faulted at the second and fifth fences for eight faults and eighth place.
Aoife McCabe’s eight-year-old Pacino-sired Irish Sport Horse gelding Paciro, ridden by Thomas O’Brien, had three fences down for 12 faults coming towards the end of the track which saw them out of the final line-up.
Mikey Pender and his second mount, Miguel Bravo’s Casanova Van Overis Z, an 11-year-old Belgian-bred gelding by Casper Van Erpekom Z had the penultimate fence down for four faults in the fastest time of the day 38.52 for third place.
Seventh to go in the jump-off was young rider Seamus Hughes Kennedy riding his mother Clare’s German-bred Louis D’Or (Landcapitol x Grannus). A foot-perfect round in 45.58 saw the pair secure the runner-up spot as the only other double clear round of the class.
Winners of the National Grand Prix the day before, Elizabeth Power and her own gelding Doonaveeragh O One had just the fifth fence down to finish on four faults in a time of 41.21 for fourth place.
The fifth fence proved the downfall of the penultimate pair in Francis Connors and Hugh Fitzpatrick’s Erne Goldilocks and they finished on four in 42.94 for fifth place.
Jonathan Smyth and Mulvin Lui were the final combination in. Their clear round in 41.37, over four seconds faster than Hughes Kennedy saw them claim the victory.