BRITISH SHOW JUMPING

THE ever-popular Welsh Masters fixture held over Easter weekend attracted huge entries to the David Broome Event Centre in Crick where several British-based Irish riders produced an abundance of double clears and were frequently in the money.

Aoife O’Connor, who has recently been “flat out” at William and Pippa Funnell’s Billy Stud had aimed three promising young rides specifically at the Welsh Masters and she earned an enviable ribbon haul.

In the six-year-old final, O’Connor rode Billy Du Montois and Billy Tennessee to fourth and seventh place respectively. Both horses, by Cevin Z, had registered recent good results at Cherwell and they also jumped triple clear on the second day to qualify for the six-year-old championship to be held at the Scope Festival in August.

O’Connor has also been going well with the talented mare Animinute. The Winningmood-sired seven-year-old, who is out of an Animo mare, finished fourth in the seven and eight-year-old qualifier and jumped clear in the final.

Stepping up a level, O’Connor finished fourth in the ladies & gents’ championship qualifying round riding Billy Salsa and they produced a good first round clear in the championship.

On the back of his busy week at the recent Blue Chip Championships, Bryan Smith travelled on to the Welsh Masters, where his early effort in the 10- strong jump-off of the Graham Heath gents’ final with Dungimmon Sunrise just failed to hold on to the top spot. The pair were overtaken by a fast-finishing Matt Sampson riding Billy Tortilla to place second.

Smith hit early form at this fixture as the nine-year-old Corkhill Lad finished second in the first Naf 1.20m qualifier. In the final itself, maximum effort by Smith saw them finish second to Chloe Winchester, riding the Irish-bred daughter of Newmarket Venture, Sportsfield Our Clare.

Keith Doyle also found the Welsh Masters a happy hunting ground, the Hampshire-based rider gaining an early victory in the seven and eight-year-old qualifier riding the Dutch-bred seven-year-old Elmo Brown, who ultimately finished fifth in the final.

In the 1.40m Grand Prix qualifier, Doyle produced a good first round clear with the Irish-bred Ard VDL Douglas-sired 11-year-old Harlequin Dunraven, but a rail down in the jump-off pushed them down the line.

SOUTH VIEW

Aoife Dooley decided to stay closer to home over Easter, the Shropshire-based rider having a busy three days at South View Equestrian Centre in Cheshire. With new ride Poynstown Dreams, Dooley gained a newcomer second place with the Irish-bred six-year-old.

Dooley also went well with Quinito IV and Chase Me Charlie IV, an Irish-bred five-year-old by Cobra out of a Cruising mare.

Tyrone Flanagan also had a productive outing to South View where his mounts Mr Lupicore and Gyraldo maintained their recent good form.

Further South, Crofton Manor continues to attract good numbers. With a new ride, the seven-year-old Visto De Baussy, Ken Ashe gained a British novice second and he was in the money again in the Discovery competition, when Follie De Lassus finished seventh.

Keith Doyle and Hip Hop have notched up an enviable list of double clears and places over the past few weeks and they again maintained a zero score to earn fourth and fifth places at Crofton Manor in the Discovery and Newcomer classes.

In the same classes, Mark Dorgan also produced two pleasing double clears from the six-year-old Groovy Lady to earn fourth (Newcomer) and seventh (Discovery) places. Dorgan clinched another place riding Wizardlea HFS who finished fifth in the 1.20m open.