CAVAN certainly proved to be happy hunting ground for Kenneth Graham as he completed a double on Saturday when taking the honours in Cavan County Council International jump-off class aboard George.

Speaking after the win, Graham said: “It was a good day for me as I had also won the earlier class with Lyrical. I have been riding George for over a year and last year this class was our first victory together.

“John (Floody) had set the bar high but I knew if we stayed clear I could make up some time. I suppose where that happened was in the turn to the third oxer.”

After packing up in Cavan, Graham headed to Scotland where he is competing at the four-day show.

In total, 47 combinations battled it out for the €4,000 prize fund on offer. Spectators didn’t have to wait long for the first clear as John Floody and Ballyknock Diamond answered all the questions when first into the ring.

FOOT-PERFECT

Following this foot-perfect performance, a further eight joined Floody in the timed round. First to go against the clock, he put it up to the rest when putting in a very fast clear in 38.44 to take the lead and then eventual fourth.

That lead held only temporarily as next in, Graham and George, shaved over a second off the target and clocked the winning time of 37.47 seconds. Graham, knew that every tight turn back was necessary and in particular he negotiated a great turn to the vertical at fence three and from the double back to the oxer at five.

The Donegal rider made up time throughout the remainder of the course and as a result was jumping the penultimate fence at 29 seconds, a second faster than Floody. Owned by Graham’s father, William Lapsley, George is a 14 year-old gelding by Touchdown out of the Cloverhill-sired mare Solas Dubh.

Fifth to go with Charlton Clio, Jonathan Smyth, didn’t hang about and a daring gallop to the last saw him clock 37.87 which proved good enough for second place. Next in, Damien Griffin and Tabby were on target at the penultimate fence, but lost some pace to the last and broke the beam in 38.22 for third place.

Young rider Luke Garrigan was next to take up the challenge but was out of luck when faulting at the third fence for eventual sixth. Second last to go, young rider Jack Ryan gave it a good try with Cavalier Teaca. Always quick against the clock, he posted the fastest time of the day in 35.87 but, heartbreakingly, the last fence fell to leave them in fifth place.