KILDARE’s Maya Byrne recorded an all-the-way victory in the seven-runner CCIP2-L at last weekend’s Ballindenisk International Horse Trials on the Connemara mare Longwood Laura whose total of 34 included 0.8 of a cross-country time penalty.

The 11-year-old I Love You Melody grey is owned by Rolline O’Callaghan whose nephew, Gilby Monaghan, campaigned the mare until July last year. Byrne, a 15-year-old Junior Cert student at Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen, takes up the story.