Carne Riding Club won two of the three derby competitions at the Connolly’s Red Mills National Show Jumping Championships at Mullingar Equestrian Centre last Sunday.
Sue Corish claimed the first win of the day for the Wexford club in the advanced intermediate derby where 37 riders took on Robert Fagan’s 16 fence track which contained 19 jumping efforts in the grass arena.
The Rosslare resident was fourth last into the ring and recorded only the fifth clear of the competition on Anne Lambert’s 13-year-old Irish Draught stallion, Killinick Bouncer. Corish was also the only rider to cross the line with a sub 100 seconds time with the display showing 95.32.
Corish’s nearest challenge came from Aisling Mc Grath who took home the blue ribbon on Ti Amo Darcy. The Corrib rider’s time of 101.62 kept her well ahead of third placed Aoife Farrelly on Sorrento Lass from Mo Chara in county Kildare.
Corish said afterwards,
after jumping clear to fence 8, I decided to cut inside fence 13 which I hadn’t seen it been done before and low and behold, Bouncer pulled it out of the bag for me. I gave him a big hug as we crossed the finish line and I couldn’t believe it when we were announced as the leaders.
The championships are a great day out with top class courses and you need that bit of luck on your side to bring home a ribbon. I’ve been so lucky that my good friend Ann Lambert has given me the opportunity to ride this amazing horse this season
Jennifer Kehoe brought home the Wexford clubs second derby win in the intermediate division where just seven of the 39 starters returned with all fences standing but the Bridgetown resident crossed the line in a time of 104.97 on her 11-year-old ISH bay gelding, Westwinds Mr Cool, to claim the spoils.
It was a narrow win for the Wexford rider who had less than a second to spare over second placed Elaine Wilson (Troy) from Benbulben on 105.74.
Last years runner up, Liam Keogh, went one better this time around in the open and advanced open derby.
The Mo Chara rider was fastest of the four faulters on Queen Ruby as no one, out of the 17 starters, managed to jump a clear round. Keogh, who was second in to the ring on his 15-year-old ISH mare, stopped the clock on 104.99 which gave the Enfield resident a narrow win over Amy Connolly (Willows Cool Cat) who crossed the line on 105.44 to take the blue ribbon for Brooke Lodge.
Just three of the 23 starters in the advanced primary accumulator crossed the line with nothing to deduct leaving Vickey Manual the winner after the Friary rider finished closest to the optimum time.
Manual was just 4.10 seconds off the target on Titanic and this was enough to keep her ahead of Oakleaf’s Martin Dunne who claimed the runners-up ribbon on My Secret Choice. Mill Roads Maja Rykala was the only other rider to finish on maximum points to take third place on Park Frodo.
Niamh Macken won the primary accumulator where the Ballinasloe rider was closest to the optimum time on Stan On Patsy ahead of Mary Maslen who followed closely behind in second place on Queenly Woman after both riders amassed maximum points.
(Image: Sagittarian Photography)
