MAYO’S Katie Nallon enjoyed a superbly successful show at the Northern Region Indoor Championships in Eglinton last weekend.

Winner of the Eglinton Grand Prix for the award of the Kelly Trophy, which carried a prize fund of £6,000, aboard her mother’s Javas True Colours (Luidam x Courage 2), the 16-year-old transition year student added this victory to the two others she won on Saturday, the 1.35m Irish Masters and the 1.30m speed.

Speaking to The Irish Field Katie’s mother Sandra said: “It was an unbelievable weekend. The show was just fantastic. The atmosphere was incredible.

“She eats, sleeps and drinks horses. She works very hard, and does it all herself, so she deserves it.

“She puts in the time and effort and when you get results like that it justifies it. We are neighbours of the Duffys and she rides Ecklands Helado (Cobra x HHS BR Charlton) for Vinny and she has ridden ponies for him, so it’s great to have that support.

“Her Dad, Richie, and her brother, Ciaran, have been her main trainers all along so it’s a real team effort.

“We have had Javas True Colours for many years. Katie’s brother, Ciaran, rode him first and produced him, but it was Katie that has competed him more in the bigger Grand Prix level classes. They competed at the European Children on Horses championships back in 2021 where the team just missed out on a medal finishing fourth.”

Cool customer

Describing where she thinks she made up the time in the jump-off, Katie added; “I just kept up my canter throughout, and managed to take the tightest lines and didn’t panic.

“We had won the Irish Masters the previous evening so that helped with our confidence. We had put in a lot of work before the show.

“We have a couple more shows before the end of the season. We’ll do the international show in Cavan in November with the Grand Prix horses, and will head up there this weekend for the four-day show with the youngsters to give them a bit more experience.

“I have a nice seven-year-old mare, Ann Igoe’s Claire’s Delight (OBOS Quality 004 x Clover Hill), bred by Eamon Gleeson, that we have high hopes for.

“We also have a five-year-old, Pat Ruane’s Carras Candy Girl (Sligo Candy Boy x Carra Lady), bred by Martin O’Brien, who is turning into a very nice horse, as well as the Mikey Pender-owned and bred six-year-old Madgeslane Lisbon (Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet x OBOS Quality). So we’re looking forward to watching them progress.”

Jump-off

A total of 15 starters lined out for the 1.40m John Doyle-designed course. Just two managed to keep a clean sheet in the first round to progress to the jump-off.

Katie produced the only double clear of the class as last to go, and just for good measure also posted the fastest time of the day in 36.58.

The runner-up prize went to Andrew Farren riding his own Dutch-bred mare Holga.

Third went to Nallon riding her other mount, Sandra Duffy’s Ecklands Helado, while fourth was Fergus Curran and Frank Curran’s Border Patrol.