Paddy Barry claimed two TRI Equestrian sponsored jumping classes at the AIRC Riding Clubs Festival at Mullingar Equestrian last weekend.
The Tara Hill rider, who jumped one of two double clear rounds in the TRI Equestrian RC 110 and RC 120 section over the weekend, went on to claim the top spot on Maximum Vivendi in a time of 37.07.
The Navan-based rider had over a second to spare over Lorraine Trenier on Castletara Trendsetter who clocked 38.35.
Barry picked up his second win of the show in the TRI Equestrian RC 110 and RC 120 Table A class where he jumped the only clear in a time of 88.10 ahead of Marita Byrne (Don Brook), who was fastest of the four faulters.
The wins were all the more memorable after Barry had to settle for the runners-up spot in both of them last year.
Barry also featured in the ribbons in the TRI Equestrian RC 110 and RC 120 Top Score where he picked up fourth place with 700 points. Patricia Woods claimed the spoils on Crissaun Just Joey who racked up 830 points in 64.28. Woods continued her winning streak at the Festival after she had the power and speed competition last year.
Paddy Barry, who was delighted with his run at the Festival said,
Two wins and a fourth place is a nice results and I’m delighted with how my horse jumped all weekend. I was one of the last to jump in the 2 phase and I knew the rider before me had a clear round with a really good time to beat so I took an inside line between fences 10 and 11 which saved me 2 strides and made up good time which I think gave me the win because there was less than 1 second between us.
“In the table A, I wasn’t aware that there were no clear rounds until the judges announced it so it put the pressure on to deliver and luckily for me my horse was jumping out of his skin,” he added.
RC 90 Top Score
Melanie Behan led from start to finish to win the hugely entertaining TRI Equestrian RC 90 Top Score after the Coole Lane rider accumulated 990 points in 67.51 on Alora Dannan. The Coole Lane rider had 40 points to spare over Annaharvey’s Sam Norris on Essenar Omella.
Behan said afterwards, “I thoroughly enjoyed this competition and my round went as I had planned. I accumulated 990 points in 67 seconds, so it was a superb outcome from my little mare as we were first in and held first place throughout the class. I’d love to see more in this competition in the future.”
Ciara Shannon was fastest of the 4 riders who kept clean sheets in the TRI Equestrian RC 90 competition. The Coole Lane rider crossed the line in a time of 28.52 on Browneshill Barney to claim the win where 13 riders made it through to the jump-off. Shannon had less than a second to spare over second-placed Laura Haughhay (Hill Rose) for Border Counties on 29.49.
10 of the 17 riders through to the jump-off in the newly introduced TRI Equestrian RC 90 Open class jumped double clear rounds where Jill Brown claimed the honours on Darcystown Girl. The Drynam rider’s time of 32.18 gave her a narrow won over Meabh Reid on Corleone from Calliaghstown on 32.61.
Hugely popular
Grace McCarthy was one of just two riders over the weekend to exceed 1,000 points in the hugely popular TRI Equestrian top score competitions when she won the RC 100 division. The Tynagh rider, who moved up a grade from last year, amassed 1020 points on Take Flight, a 21-year-old black gelding, in a time of 69.88. The Loughrea resident had 20 points to spare over second placed Patricia Newman on Cry of the Dreamer (IRE) for Mosstown.
Sorcha Hennessy jumped one of four double clears from the field of 20 starters in the TRI Equestrian RC 100 class. The Thomastown and District rider was fastest on Crehelp Charm, a 15-year-old Connemara grey gelding in a time of 31.17.
It was a narrow victory for Hennessy as Suzann McLoughlin (Tara Emerald) stopped the clock on 31.40 with all fences standing for Mo Chara.
Elsewhere, in the Table A division, just three riders jumped a clear round from the 22 starters where Arderin’s Alanna Williams claimed the spoils on AOC Quality Sarah. Williams had a 5-second advantage over her nearest rival on her 10-year-old bay ISH mare who registered a time of 74.13
Hayley Ryan was next best on Kando for Golden Grove in a time of 79.19.
RC 80 Show Jumping
A Lakelands rider won the TRI Equestrian RC 80 Show Jumping competition at the second time of asking after Caroline O’Reilly was just 0.01 seconds off the target of the 31 riders through to the jump-off to secure the win on Lus Na Meala Ruby Tuesday in time of 44.01.
It was a narrow win for the Milltown resident as the less than a second separated the top 5 riders. Colleen Moffett on Paw Prince was next best for Border Counties on 44.45 for Border Counties ahead of Clonlara’s Clodagh Stapleton (Jay Bee).
Tara Hill was in the ribbons again in the TRI Equestrian RC 70 class where Bronwyn Muckenschnabel jumped one of 10 double clear rounds to take the red ribbon back to Meath. The Navan resident, on a 6-year-old grey ID gelding, Hurricane Harvey, was the closest to the optimum time of 46, just 2.86 seconds over. It was a narrow win, however, as Macetown’s Eden Gannon (Diamond Ricardo) was followed closely behind in second place, just 0.32 seconds adrift.
Anne Granahan won the newly introduced TRI Equestrian RC 70 open class from a large field of 45 starters on Clarina Princess. The 20-year-old bay ISH mare jumped one of 21 double clears in the competition but was just 0.21 seconds off the optimum time of 44 to win the division.
Mary Danagher improved on her fourth place last year to win the TRI Equestrian seniors show jumping class on a 19-year-old piebald ISH gelding after the Clonshire rider was clear and just 0.82 seconds off target. Elsewhere in the young horse class, Laura Kyne jumped one of just two double clear rounds to claim the spoils on Barnaboy Flashy, a 5-year-old bay gelding.
