THE Showjumping Ireland Summer Series qualifiers continued in two venues last weekend at Ard Chuain in Co Sligo and The Meadows in Lurgan, Co Armagh.

It was tight at the top in the 1.30m in The Meadows on Saturday afternoon where Lisa Rosbotham’s mare Miss Valent (Valent x John Henry), ridden by Nicole Kershaw, took the win in a time of 37.59.

The pair were closely followed by junior rider Katie McEntee riding Samantha Dale’s Roundthorn Hercules (Colestus x Manhattan) in 37.81.Third place went to amateur rider Micheala Murphy riding her own McKinley (Luidam x Carnaby). They stopped the clock at 39.26.

The Diane Harron Eakin bred Ringfort Rua (Luidam x Ringfort Rara Ruby) slotted into fourth with Ellie Humphries in the saddle in a time of 41.32.

Humphries also accounted for fifth place aboard her other mount, Alison Mercer’s CV Santender (Womanizer x Coevers Diamond Boy), while sixth was Kershaw and her second mount, another mare by Valent owned by Lisa Rosbotham, Novellent.

The duo of Rosbotham and Kershaw also dominated in the 1.20m class, taking the top-spot with the 11-year-old Novellent. They posted a very fast second round time of 35.63 in the two-phase class which saw 40 combinations line-out, of which 14 managed to produce a double clear round.

Second place went to Lynne Russell riding her own Akasha (Tabasco Van Erpecon x White Clover) in 40.50. Hannah Blakney rode Jane Allen Collins seven-year-old mare Lougherne Kingfisher (Colestus x Limmerick) into third in 41.13. Fourth was Katie McEntee riding another seven-year-old, Patrick Hughes’ Carlingsford’s Guilty Pleasure; they broke the finish beam in 41.15.

Dermott Lennnon and his six-year-old Beach Pleasure (Beach Ball x Aganix du Seigneur) were fifth, and Lynne Russell riding Cafre Olympic Dream (Mermus R x Concorde) completed the line up in sixth.

Owner/rider Jayne Clarke aboard Emby proved best in the 1.10m class when they crossed the finish line in a time of 28.70 for the win. Emma Jackson and her German-bred stallion Kylestone Cashel were runners-up in 24.56, while another German-bred, Jane Allen Collins’ mare Lougherne Contessa ridden by Hannah Blakely took third.

Danielle Logan and Demero (Womanizer x Touchdown) were fourth, while Siobhan Doyle and the five-year-old mare Balief Capri (Capri Van Overis Z x Aldato) finished in fifth, while Lynne Russell and Cafre Olympic Dream then collected their second sixth place of the day.

Some 33 combinations started in the 90cms at the venue, of which 11 managed to produce a double clear round to divide first place. In the 1m, 50 lined out and 32 stayed fault-free through both phases.

Ard Chuain

The Summer Series qualifiers in Ard Chuain on Saturday attracted smaller numbers. The 1.10m saw just 14 go to post, of which seven managed a first round clear, and just two produced a double clear over both phases.

Taylor Sweeney, riding Brian Tuffy’s five-year-old mare Bita Guinness (Guinness x Darrara Texas), won in a time of 45.65. Junior Gary Dooley and Stephen Moore’s five-year-old Belgian-bred gelding Cynar de Ponthaul Z were second in 48.47.

Cathal McMunn took both third and fourth places after one fence down a piece aboard his two five-year-olds, Killaloan Elvis (Elvis ter Putte x Harlequin du Carel) and KNH Milo (Eldorado van de Zeshoek x Lux Z) respectively.

A total of 27 starters lined out for the 90cms class, with 18 double clears dividing the win.

In the 1m, 32 started and 20 left all the fences intact over two phases.