YOUNG riders are certainly proving to be a dominant force in the 2022 Gain Equine Nutrition/Alltech National Grand Prix as they put another win on the board last Saturday. This time, 15-year-old James Brennan from Kilkenny led the victory lap in the seventh round of the series at Wexford Equestrian aboard MHS Jersey Girl.

Owned by and bred by Sinead Brennan, MHS Jersey Girl is an 11-year-old mare by Cardento out of the Quidam Junior I-sired MHS Prime Time. MHS Jersey Girl is no stranger to this level of competition having won the HSI Premier Series Final in the Breeders Classic at Barnadown last year with Jason Foley. James, who is also riding ponies, has qualified for Dublin in the pony arena with the home-bred MHS Glow. James was jumping ponies earlier in the morning at Raheen Na Gun in Kilkenny and last week was chosen to go to Hagen with the Irish squad with MHS Glow.

Speaking after the win, James said: “We have been lucky to have her all her life. My older brother Jack won a Premier on her and my brother Conor qualified her for the Children on Horses in Dublin.”

Regarding the first round, he added: “My Dad told me to keep up my canter. In the grass arena she can move up. In the jump-off the plan was to keep her going forward and to see what turns you can get when you are in there, thankfully she went well.”

He finished by thanking his parents for their support and Gain/Alltech for their sponsorship. He also thanked Wexford Equestrian for the top-class facilities including the super grass arena.

A total of 31 combinations lined out to take on the John Doyle-designed course and from those, four proceeded to the timed round where they all maintained clean sheets second time out. In the first round, riders had to be mindful of the clock and as a result, four missed out on a place in the jump-off due to incurring a single time fault.

In the jump-off, riders could make up time in the turn back to fence two, a vertical, and then back to the double (vertical-oxer). To be in contention, they had to take a turn back to the penultimate vertical and maintain a strong pace to the last.

First to go against the clock, Edward Doyle Jnr put it up to the rest as he delivered the first double clear with Quick Bill. The Kildare rider took a longer line back to fence two but maintained a good pace throughout the rest of the course. This along with a tight turn back to the penultimate vertical saw him cross the line in a time of 47.81 seconds. Owned and bred by Edward Doyle, the nine-year-old is by Flexible out of the Quick Star-sired Nalmund De La Tourette.

Capt. Charlene Kehoe opted to play it safe with MHS Gabhran and delivered a clear in 48.32, which saw her finish just behind Doyle in the line-up. Owned by the Minister of Defence, this 11-year-old gelding is by Cardento out of the Diamant De Semilly-sired French Ballerina.

Next in, James Brennan knew what he needed to do as he took to the course with MHS Jersey Girl. He set off in a determined pace and got a good turn back from fence one to two. The big striding MHS Jersey Girl made up the pace across the ground, and a good turn back from the third last oxer to the penultimate, saw him make up valuable time. A strong pace to the last fence saw him post the winning clear in 41.47 seconds.

Last to go, Comdt. Geoff Curran wasted no time with Kilrue and although he kept it tight, he wasn’t as fast across the ground and stopped the clock clear in 44.01 to take the runner-up place and in the process demoted Doyle into third place. Owned by the Minister of Defence and bred by Stacey Babes, the nine-year-old gelding is by Balou Du Rouet and out of SVS Springball.

Samantha McIntosh proved out of luck when she was denied her place in the second round after incurring a single time fault with the Ronnoco Jump-owned Crack 41, however their first-round time of 86.52 saw them take fifth place. Bred by Witt Pferdezucht GBR, the nine-year-old gelding is by Christian out of the Conway II-sired Apia.

Also incurring a time fault and failing to proceed to the jump-off was Annabel Francis and Ivan, crossing the line in 87.21 for sixth place. Another nine-year-old, this gelding is by Namelus R out of the Damiro-sired Karla.

Local riders Abigail Boland (Quenkin K) and Patrick Byrne (Ballyorney Storm Boy) also fell victim to the time allowed in the first round.