THE highlight of Saturday’s TRI Equestrian show jumping programme at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ annual Festival at the Mullingar Equestrian Centre was the RDS team championship wildcard qualifier sponsored by Premier Performance and won, following a jump-off, by Carrickmines.

The south Dublin-based club progressed to the Festival out of the South Leinster Region qualifier at Boswell in early May when they were beaten by Greenvalley. In 2023, Carrickmines also won the wildcard qualifier at the Festival after which they recorded their first-ever victory in the RDS finale. They didn’t need a second attempt at qualifying last season when they finished fourth at the Ballsbridge showgrounds.