Jack Guinan and Julie Anne Prenderville both retained their respective derby titles at the Connolly’s Red Mills National Show Jumping Championships at Mullingar Equestrian Centre last Sunday.Ballinasloe’s Jack Guinan, who was last to jump in the open and advanced open division, recorded the only clear round on Banagher Coronado, a 12-year-old ISH chestnut mare, to claim the honours for the Galway based club.
The Banagher resident crossed the beam in a time of 122.27 which was also the fastest of the reduced field as only 5 riders took on the challenge of the 13 entered due to the poor weather conditions.
Guinan’s nearest challenge came from Liam Keogh who took the blue ribbon after Queen Ruby was fastest of the chasing pack of three riders on 8 penalties as the Mo Chara rider stopped the clock on 126.07.
Guinan was delighted with the win as the Ballinasloe member said,
the derby track rode really well considering the ground conditions and with one or two tricky combinations and lines, it took riding. Luckily my mare is careful and took me out of trouble coming into the treble and we were lucky enough to go on to win derby for the second year and also the championship title as well. I’m very much looking forward to next year’s event.
The decision was taken the day before to move the derby competitions to one of the large sand arenas after prolonged downpours last Saturday but none the less a very challenging 19 fence track with 22 jumping efforts was provided by Robert Fagan and Michael Keaveney.
Julie Anne Prenderville proved unstoppable in the advanced intermediate derby as the Meath rider retained her title for the second successive year. Just six out of the 37 starters returned with all fences intact but the Summerhill resident crossed the line in a time of 122.27 on Mr Grange Benjamin to claim the spoils.
The Meath rider had a five-second advantage over second placed Thomas Daniels (Barnaboy Jackeen) from Tynagh on 127.69.
Just five riders out of 48 starters returned with clear rounds in the intermediate derby where fourth into the ring, Rachel Burke produced a magical round on Rookery Blue, a 15-year-old ISH gelding to land the spoils.
The Benbulben riders time of 116.03 gave her a four-second winning margin over Ian Quinlan on Its All Clover for Meath. Incidentally, last years winner, Julie Benson, was also fourth in to the ring and this also proved lucky for Burke on this occasion.
A Mosstown rider claimed the spoils in the advanced primary accumulator where Ann Marie Doyle was nearest the optimum time of the 12 riders who racked up the most points. Doyle, riding Fred Flintstone was just 1.69 seconds adrift of the time of 71 seconds keeping her ahead of Sandra Skehan (View Persian Princess) from Barrow Valley.
Last years runner up, Kathleen Quain, won the primary accumulator on this occasion after the Clonshire rider was closest to the optimum time on Garranroe Mac Prince ahead of Monica Hegarty on Lucky’s Girl after both riders amassed maximum points.
