David Abbott
GALWAY riders notched up three out of five wins in the Derby and accumulator competitions at the Connolly’s Red Mills National Show Jumping Championships at Mullingar EC.
Jack Guinan claimed the first win of the day for Ballinasloe RC in the open and advanced open derby. Guinan jumped one of just two clear rounds on Banagher Coronado, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse chesnut mare to land the spoils for the Galway club.
His time of 103.11 seconds gave the Banagher resident a comfortable margin over Donegal Gaeltacht’s Sally Mahon (Graf Landlord) who crossed the line in a time of 123.55 to finish second.
A Ballinasloe member also claimed the spoils in the primary accumulator competition, where Niamh Macken was the only competitor to rack up maximum points. Macken’s total of 65 points on Captain Smirnoff kept the Athlone resident ahead of second placed Kathleen Quain on Garranroe Mac Prince on 55 points for Clonshire.
Severine Ray won the third title of the day for the county in the advanced primary accumulator on Ziva Galway. The Galway member was among 10 riders who amassed maximum points in the division, with Ray’s time of 83.31 gaving the Attymon resident the spoils ahead of Kilrainy’s Aisling Dargan on Ballivor Duke who crossed the line in a time of 85.43.
The advanced intermediate derby attracted the largest field of the day, with 32 riders undertaking Robert Fagan’s challenge and seven riders returning with all fences intact.
Julie Anne Prenderville produced the quickest time of 108.07 on Mr Grange Benjamin, giving the Meath rider a 10-second winning margin over second-placed Raynal Cunningham on Killahara Boy, the Mill Road rider’s time of 118.83 saw them take the runners-up rosette.
Just four riders out of 29 starters returned with clear rounds in the intermediate derby. Julie Benson was fourth into the ring producing a magnificent round on Naoise B and the Abbeylands riders time of 101.65 on her 10-year-old ISH mare, could not be caught.
Only Fionnuala Lennon came anywhere near the time on Carrenrush Hero, crossing the finish beam in a time of 109.36 to take the runners-up slot for Winterdown.