ISH Studbook Series 7yo final

SEAVIEW Demonstration and Alan O’Regan won the fourth round of the HSI Studbook Series seven-year-old final in Mullingar Equestrian Centre last Friday.

Speaking after the win, O’Regan said: “It’s been a great couple of weeks. He (Seaview Demonstration) has been great, just super consistent. He won in Cavan a few weeks ago, was second here yesterday in the qualifier and won today.

“He jumped super in the first round. It was quite a tricky course, but it was a lovely track, not too testing, no one got any frights or anything like that. It jumped very well, time was a little bit tight, a couple of people had a single time fault so I knew I had to stay a little bit quick in the first round and then in the second, the guys before me were fast and Derek McConnell was coming after me and I knew I had to go for it.

“In the middle of these two wins in Cavan and Mullingar, we also qualified for the Dublin Horse Show at The Meadows. It worked out well; I think there were nine to qualify and there were nine double clears and he was one of them.

“He’s a great horse to have in the yard and a pleasure to campaign. I’ll be doing the Irish Horse Board classes in Maryville, my home show and definitely the final in Tattersalls.

“For now we’ll have a couple of weeks off and then make a complete plan after that. I’ve a couple of young horses for the 1.10m classes tomorrow and then we’ll head home.

“The show here is amazing. Everytime you come they have improved something. The new canteen area is fantastic and the new footing in the international arena is great.

“The Fagan family do a superb job and deserve credit for putting on a fantastic show,” he added.

Competitive

Twenty five combinations lined out for the 1.35m Gueorgui Gueorguiev-designed track. Of these just four managed to keep a clean sheet over both rounds.

Jason Higgins and Meabh Bolger’s Heritage MBF (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve) were pathfinders crossing the finish line clear in a time of 39.79 for eventual fourth place.

Second to go, Paddy O’Donnell riding Pat Peare’s WEC Mermus Rua (Mermus R x Abalou Verte) left all the fences intact and managed to improve on the target time in 38.54 for third place.

Next up was Foley and his second mount, Castlefield Breeding Farm’s Balia Silvia (Balou Du Rouet x Sivio I). They had the fourth fence down to collect four faults in 38 seconds which put them in fifth place.

O’Regan and Emma Horgan’s Seaview Demonstration (FSS Corelli Bravo - Castlelawn Galloway) were fourth in and posted the winning round, clear in 37.18 to secure the top spot.

The final combination, Derek McConnell riding Sorcha Hennessy’s Inlaws Manolo (Corland - Lord Z) made a great attempt leaving all the fences up but stopping the clock at 37.31, just 0.13 off the target time to leave them in second place.