THE Area 17 Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival show jumping final was hosted by the Killultagh Branch at the Portmore Equestrian Centre last Friday evening when there were withdrawals at all levels as, disappointingly, weather conditions in some localities prevented people travelling.

Honours across the five classes were well divided in the main but there was an open double for the East Down Branch. Charlotte Nelson and the 17-year-old grey gelding Reggie Spartacus recorded a double clear in the Junior Open (70-75cms) to see off their sole rivals, the Iveaghs’ Jennifer Tate and The Red Fox, who had a pole down in round one.

In the three-runner Open Grand Prix, over the evening’s highest track of 1m, Cara McNabb recorded the only double clear to take the honours on the 21-year-old bay gelding, Killone Leo. The East Down Branch member also finished second on Captain Cruzdown with whom she had a pole down in round one.

Jennifer Tate and the 25-year-old chesnut gelding The Red Fox bounced back from their earlier reversal to record a victory for the Iveaghs in the Debut 80cms class. They jumped a double clear in 31.52 seconds with second place going to fellow Branch members, Taylor McKnight and Asterix, who were also clear in 33.43.

Qualifying slots

As both combinations had already qualified for The Pony Club’s Scotland and Northern Ireland Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival finals at the Morris Equestrian Centre, Kilmarnock in early April, the first of two qualifying spots on Friday went to another Iveagh Branch member, Daisy Douglas, who too went double clear to finish third on The Rock (33.80).

The evening’s action commenced with the Junior 70-75cms class where the fastest of seven double clears was recorded by East Antrims’ Ellie Bingham who stopped the clock on 32.50 with the 14-year-old bay mare, One In The Making. The Iveaghs’ Sarah Pike claimed the runner-up spot in 35.13 on Fudge.

The Mid Antrims’ Christopher Smyth went first and last in the Pony Club Challenge 90cms class and while double clear in 39.66 to finish second with his first mount, Ballylurgan Diamond Prince, he shaved well over three seconds off that time to win on the 18-year-old Ard VDL Douglas mare, What A Lass (36.03).

The Area 17 Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival qualifiers in dressage and arena eventing respectively are scheduled for Sunday, March 6th at Omagh RDA (hosted by the Seskinore Harriers Branch) and seven days later at The Meadows (Tullylagan Branch).

In spite of the inclement weather conditions, the Seskinore Harriers Branch held their winter triathlon (swimming, shooting and running) qualifier last Sunday in Omagh.

Those going forward as winners for The Pony Club final at Grantham next month are the Iveaghs’ Lorne Walsh (Open Boys), Beth Phillips (Junior Girls) and Ted Geary (Minimus Boys), the North Downs’ Lauren Taylor (Open Girls), the East Antrims’ Jack Morrow (Junior Boys) and the Killultaghs’ Annabel McKeown (Minimus Girls).

Sunday’s Tadpoles class was won by the host Branch’s Ellie-Mae McCrory.