THE TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour marks the start of national show jumping and next year there will be approximately €60,000 in prize money up for grabs over the course of the tour.

The date for the first round has been set for February 11th at Jag Equestrian in Kildare.

The Spring Tour is used by the majority of top national riders, young riders as well as the aspiring team riders for European squads. This year the tour will begin as a 1.35m and in April the height will increase to 1.40m.

As in previous years, the winning combination of the Tour will take home €3,000, while the runner-up combination will collect €1,500 and third place €500. For the third year in the row, the top young rider will once again be crowned the TRM Young Rider 2024 Ambassador to join the European medallist Brennan brothers who have been with TRM since the end of the 2023 Spring Tour.

Preparation

TRM has continued as a loyal supporter of the series, and this will be its fifth year to sponsor the popular tour. Speaking after the launch TRM Managing Director Raoul Masterson said: “TRM believe in the principle that ‘preparation is everything’ and the Spring Tour is not only a very competitive series in its own right, it also prepares horses and riders for great success in the future.

“From building riders to represent their country in Championship events to developing young horses who have gone on to win at the biggest events globally, it all starts here, at the Grassroots, in Ireland.

“TRM wish all competitors the very best of look in the 2024 TRM/ SJC Spring Tour league.”

Major title

Chairman of the Showjumpers Club, Ronan Corrigan, said; “The Showjumpers Club and the greater industry are delighted that TRM have once again agreed to support this most important Tour which continues to be one of the major tours and titles of the show jumping calendar. 2024 will again see an increase in the prize funds as the Tour goes on and an increase in fence height for the April rounds.

“We once again thank TRM for their continued support of the sport and industry where they are firmly established as being one of the largest sponsors and supporters in the Sport Horse and show jumping sectors”.

The Spring Tour has established itself as a mainstay of the National Show jumping calendar and as the production ground for so many of Irelands top riders and horses. The last number of years under the TRM banner has seen more top young female riders coming through with Aimee Barry, Emma McEntee and Robyn Moran lifting the titles and the TRM Ambassador packages, both now competing at international level successfully.

The Chairperson of Showjumping Ireland’s National Competitions Committee, Marguerite Ryan, commented: “The TRM /Showjumpers Club Spring Tour is the main start off tour to the show jumping year in Ireland, it gives a fantastic opportunity to all the Irish-based riders to get up and going at classes and shows that are competitive and well organised and fun.

Riders such as current European Young Rider Gold Medallist Seamus Hughes Kennedy along with riders such as Eoin and Tim Brennan, Rhys and Coen Williams, Sven Hadley, Conor Swail, Jack Ryan, Daniel Coyle, Mikey Pender, Emma McEntee, Robyn Moran, Jason Foley, Conor Drain, Francis and Kate Derwin, Matt and Luke Garrigan have all started their Grand Prix careers in the Spring Tour.

All these riders are now jumping successful at international level and some even in Nations Cups.

Tour dates and venues can be found on The Showjumpers Club and TRM social media pages and on the Showjumping Ireland website www.sji.ie. All the rounds, start-lists and series leaderboards will be available on SJIlive throughout the series.