THE inaugural running of the Junior/Young Rider event horse championship proved very popular during the qualification stages and last week’s final in Dublin proved an excellent competition.

Fourteen of the 16 starters completed the fifth stage in the Main Arena with the final points ranging from 81.6 marks (out of 100) down to 56.5. Just one rider amassed over 80 marks and that was Ireland’s Junior European show jumping champion, Kate Derwin, who finished first and second on two horses owned by Kilkenny’s Carol Gee.