IT was a home county win on St Patrick’s Day when local young rider Luke Garrigan and MHS La Scala claimed the fifth leg of The Showjumpers Club Spring Tour Series at Killossery Lodge Stud last Sunday.
A large field of 61 lined out for the Larkin Brothers-sponsored class worth €2,000. Some 23 keeping a clean sheet over the 1.35m Frank Glynn-designed track to progress to the timed decider.
First to go was Sven Hadley riding Sumas Taloubet. A fault at the first fence, and then the second, saw Hadley decide to call it a day and retire.
Next in was Sean Monaghan and Linda Courtney’s Lissbane Aladdin (Cassall – Gelvin Clover), a fault at the fourth and the final fence saw the pair out of the running on a score of eight faults.
Third in was Gerard Clarke with Jockeyhall Midas Touch (Baloubet de Rouet – Coevers Diamond Boy). They too collected faults at the fourth fence and then added eight more at both parts of the double to finish on a total of 12.
John Floody and HTS Blackrock produced the first clear round in a time of 36.51 which would be good enough for eventual seventh place.
Shannon Mackenzie added her name to the list of retirees when she and Dyolita finished up having had the second and fourth fences down.
The second clear round came from Tholm Keane aboard Diarmuid Hurley’s Future Storm. The pair stopped the clock in a fast time of 34.95 for third place in the final line-up.
The next two riders in, Anthony O’Regan (Holmoak Koln) and Paul Carberry (Cranny West), collected four faults apiece with one fence down each, Carberry’s time of 35.05 would see him slot into ninth place as the fastest four-faulter.
Cathal Daniels and Dartans Quality Brigade didn’t touch a pole and came closest to catching the winning time in 34.18, and had to settle for the runner-up spot on this occasion.
Next in young rider Aoife McCabe and Mona Lisa Quality also left all the fences intact buit in a slower time of 35.36 for eventual fifth place.
The four riders that followed; Jennifer Kuehnle (Tullibards Miss Optimistic), Shannon MacKenzie (Bens Lady Lux), Jamie Landers (Castleforbes Violette) and Damien Griffin (Pembroke Milenia), all had eight faults each which put them out of the running.
The next trio of riders John Floody (Donevan Erkindale), Stephen Murphy (Chantelle) and Jamie Garland (Zedleppin) produced a slightly better result with just one fence down apiece but the only one that would claim a top-10 finish was Murphy, whose time of 38.23 would slot her into 10th place.
Paul Carberry and his second ride of the day Brandonview First Edition provided the next clear round as 18th to go. The pair broke the finish beam in 34.98 which would see them claim fourth place.
Daniel McAlinder and KMS Earl were disappointed to have the first part of the double down and the final fence to finish on eight faults.
FOOT-PERFECT
Luke Garrigan was next in and having had plenty of time to plan his attack he steered MHS La Scala (Verdi – Cavalier Royale) to a foot-perfect clear in the fastest time of the day of 33.70 to secure the win as well as the Leading Young Rider prize from Botanica International.
Harry Marshall and his mount First Verdi, also by the same sire Verdi, faulted at both parts of the double for eight faults.
Meanwhile Harry’s daughter-in-law Savannah Barry rode her own Flambeau to a clear round in 41.65 for eighth place.
Jamie Garland and Moira Forbes Valtor de Balgny also produced a clear round as last to go but were off the mark in a time of 35.68, they had to settle for sixth place but were named Equijump Leading Pro/Am Rider of the day.
The next round of the series takes place today (Saturday) in Ballinamona, with the seventh round taking place tomorrow in Cavan.