KILDARE's JAG Equestrian recently held their inaugural two-day Amateur Show. The weekend started off with the Welcome Stakes Class. This class also held a separate competition kindly sponsored by Showjumping Ireland for non SJI affiliate members where the top prize on offer was a membership for both horse and rider to the SJI.

A large number of entries were seen in this class, but it was the ever-consistent Catherine Egan and Atlas R who were declared the winners with Joanna Penfold and King Cruise finishing second. A welcomed return to the amateur circuit was Grainne Alexander and Knockenpower Ginger who held the lead for most of the class but finished in a respectable third overall, followed by Brian Cassidy and Looks Easy, Liz Bloomer and Ardrums Pride and Sinead Dahill and Crafty Copper in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

In the unaffiliated section of the class, the top honours went to Emma Keogh and her own CB Dark Knight. In second place on his new stead was Karl White and Intro Link Larry with Imelda Donnellan and Winterdown Star slotting into third place.

The JAG Indoor Derby featured an impressive track built by Gueorgui Gueorguiev which proved challenging for both horses and riders with only three clears in the first round but it was Aileen McDermot and her home-bred Amber Balou who claimed the victory with Joanna Penfold this time with Playtime Cruise slotting into second and Brian Cassidy with Looks Easy into third place. Fastest of the four-faulters was Val Joy and MB Daddy’s Dollars which put them into fourth place, Catherine Egan and Meara Lad into fifth and Gaby Hernandez and Rosandro finishing in sixth place.

The last class of the evening was the JAG Equestrian Amateur Puissance which drew a good crowd of both spectators and riders, but it was local man John Meade and his new mount Sixmilewater Sunrise who took the spoils ahead of Dermot Murphy and Balmar Kokopelli K who finished as runner-up.

The first class the following morning saw a few sleepy heads in the Power and Speed Class but that didn’t stop the 2018 Speed Champion horse Take a Gamble this time with Michael O'Neill take and early lead and retain it ahead of Patrick Murphy and You Two Babe. Close on their heels and into the line-up once again was Sinead Dahill and Crafty Copper who slotted into third.

The excitement then moved onto the penultimate class of the weekend; The JAG Equestrian Six Bar Challenge. A total of 12 riders took on the challenge, but it was Edmond Kearney and his impressive Ballydarton Chipson who were the only combination to jump clear in the last round at 1.60m.

The final class of the weekend was the CWD-sponsored Grand Prix, which was also an Autumn Series Qualifier. This drew a huge entry with over 20 into the jump-off but it was Sara Gorman and Take a Gamble who were victorious in the end, evading Catherine Dunphy and Eden’s efforts early in the jump-off who finished in second place with Pauline Twaddell and KMR Clover Rocket finishing in third. Finishing in fourth, fifth and sixth place were Avalon Everett riding Reve De Guidam, Sharon McConnell and ESI Global Impact and Gary Graham and his own Kilfane Inspirition.

The Leinster Amateur Committee would like to thank Julieann Gaffney and all her team at JAG Equestrian for putting together a fantastic weekend that is already being looked forward to for next year.