THE Ard Lú Riding Club, which is based in Co Armagh but is affiliated to the North East Region of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs, held a jumping and dressage show on Sunday, May 21st at Piperstown Equestrian Centre where there was the added attraction of a handy horse competition open to all grades of riders.

Over tracks from cross-poles to 1m designed and built by Banbridge’s Mickey McCann, who also acted as judge, clear round jumping took place all day with spot prizes donated by Pet Bliss Dundalk. The 10 dressage classes, including two walk/trot classes, were judged by Lucinda Webb-Graham who is holding a clinic, subsidised by the AIRC’s training bursary, at Cloncaw Equestrian, Glaslough, today (Saturday).

Piperstown’s Noel Callaghan kindly acted as scribe for all the classes while, filling the role of scorer, Ard Lú chair Linda Nulty was extremely appreciative of the help she received from Macetown’s Eden Gannon. Nulty later thanked Piperstown’s Brian Smyth for providing the venue, all who competed, sponsored and volunteered at the show and emphasised the importance of support from other clubs.

Cheval’s Orla Clarke won both walk/trot classes with her Irish Draught gelding Bills Sparkling Clover, a seven-year-old by Lisatara Tom, scoring 73.07.% in the Eden Equine Intro A and 73.02 in the Rolling Hills and Blade Sharpening.ie Intro B.

The host club’s Bernadette Bennett was the only competitor in the RC P1 with Castlerea Princess (67.08%) before she and her 12-year-old bay mare finished third (69.07) in the Ponease RC P2 behind Ard Lú treasurer Rosie Hollywood and her 18-year-old bay gelding Blitzens Dream (74.07) and Castle Hill’s Rebecca Matthews riding her skewbald mare Benvarden Dakota (72.5).

Drynam Riding Club was represented by three dressage winners – Carmel Seaver on Laura Snow’s Irish Sport Horse mare Solsboro Silver Pearl (76.5%), a 19-year-old grey by Courage II, in the RC P3, Julie Griffith with her ISH mare Blueberry Hill (66), a 15-year-old daughter of Rineen Clover, in the Pet Bliss Dundalk RC E and Fiona Cox riding her five-year-old skewbald gelding Dellrose Boy (71.04) in the Orl Den Herbal Cream young horse class.

There were wins also for Ashbrook’s Helen Clarke and Mags Brannigan’s Connemara gelding Robe Wonder (84%) in the RC N, for Cheval’s Sandra Hannigan with her home-bred four-year-old ISH gelding Yukon Cristo (69) in the senior riders’ class and for Ard Lú’s Caoimhe McGrane riding the 23-year-old piebald gelding Millgrange Prince (61.06) in the veteran horse class.

Cormac O’Rourke judged the handy horse class which was divided in three to allow people leave shortly after they had completed their tasks. The overall winner was Drynam’s Niamh Delaney who topped Section A on 91 points with her 10-year-old chesnut mare, Bettvyville Lily.

The other winners were Drynam’s Elaine Turner Phillips with her Irish Draught gelding Sir Rivies Rock (Section B) and Ard Lú’s Emma Bell on her 14-year-old skewbald mare Woodside Kiss Me Quick (Section C).