Regional Round Up!

Western Region A.I.R.C May 2012

Unfortuneately Donegal Gaeltacht’s on the 13 May show was cancelled due to bad weather.

Bridge Show Results 20 May 2012.

The Primary Show jumping 1st Mairead Barry on Flash, 2^nd Jacqueline Feeleyon on Brogue Boy, 3^rd Severine Ray on Ziva, 4^th Deirdre Hunt on Othello, 5^th Joan O’Brien on Casper and 6^th Christine Rohan on Ramsy.

The Advanced Primary Show Jumping 1^st Caroline Sammon on Ballinruan Boy, 2^nd Laurence Smyth on Jenny's Jigsaw, 3^rd Zara McGovern on Pedro, 4^th Liam Stapleton on Lady Tessa, 5^th Deirdre O'Shea On Coille and 6^th Dermot GoodeElvis

The Intermediate Show jumping 1^st Rachael Burke on Rockey Blue, 2^nd Finola Murphy on Jessie's Kildalton Delight, 3^rd Imelda Mullins on Take a cheque, 4^th Michael O'Boyle on Dunkillon Boy, 5^th Alan Hynes on Diamond, 6^th Glyn Morgan on Tell which Trump.

The Advanced Intermediate show jumping competition 1st Maura Doherty on Dawn Adventure, 2^nd Donie Fullard on Been There, 3^rd Thomas Daniels on Barnaboy Jackeen, 4^th Elaine McGowan on Jekyll and Hyde, 5^th Martin McBreen on Sunshone Diamond, 6^th Cathal Keane on Gordonfield Diamond.

The open show jumping competition 1st David Glynn on Freya De Baussy, 2^nd Brendan Dolan on Glenamaddy Lux, 3^rd Deirdre McDonald on Nisqually De May, 4^th Patricia Warren on Colorado Kid, 5^th Danielle Tuohy on Pappin.

The Primary dressage results 1^st Madga Maleta on Peanut, 2^nd Jacqueline Feeley on Brogue Boy, 3^rd Fiona Fenton on Dandy, 3^rd Maria Fox on Earl of Clonburn, 4^th Christine Rohan on Ramsy, 5^th Joan O'Brien on Casper, 5^th Dawn Porter on My Handsome Chap, 6^th Annette Donohue on Lucky Cozmo.

 

The Advance Primary dressage results are 1^st Donna Murray on Temple Troy, 2^nd Iris Coleman on The Colemans Daughter, 3^rd Tara Brennan on Raven Lad, 4^th Jane Conway on Glentaun Tilly, 5^th Finola Murphy on Jessie's Kildalton Delight, 6^th Sinead Fenton on Cottertown Levi, 6^th Rachael Burke on Rockery Blue and 6^th Anna Burke on Rockery Sparkle.

The Intermediate dressage results are 1^st Niamh Macken on, Captain Smirnoff, 2^nd Richard Clarke on High Commissioner, 3^rd Tommy Ryan on Mr Silver Darcy

The advanced intermediate dressage was won by Agata Leonard on Eurocent Caletto.

The open dressage won by Patricia Warren on Colorado Kid.

Well done to all riders and what a lovely place Athlone Equestrian Centre is, great facilities and a very sociable day it was!

North West League Final, Templemore Equestrian Centre, Sunday 25 March

The North West League, run jointly by the three AIRC riding clubs in Donegal, traditionally spans the gap from the tail end of a long winter to the green shoots and light of the new spring season. Last Sunday’s league final at Templemore Equestrian Centre on the Donegal/Derry border provided a fitting end to the journey as the sun beat down on the first of summertime’s luxuriously long days.

Rivalry was fierce between the clubs and amongst club members. Letterkenny’s fine novice brigade swept the boards in the lower divisions with Louise Edward’s and Denis Kelly’s wins in the cross poles and welcome stakes classes respectively. Liz Cuffe had a much tougher task in the Primary division but held off Donegal Gaeltacht’s up-and-coming star, Rudi Schneider, for the competition on the day and her own equally promising club mate, Christopher Pyper, for league honors.

Donegal Gaeltacht dominated the Advanced Primary division but this didn’t make the competition any less fierce for top honors on the league table. Rosaleen Harkin, who started the day one point adrift of septuagenarian Lawrence Smyth, rode three horses in the class to ensure the victory was hers. She won the class on the day and secured the Primary & Advanced Primary Leading Rider Award with her win on Hillbilly Rocky.

All three clubs fought it out for the highly competitive Intermediate competition. On the day it was Ruth McCrossan of Donegal Gaeltacht who nailed a fine victory in a 6-way jump off but it was Ruth’s sister, Rachael, who took league honors after a tenacious 2-horse campaign with her own Batteries Not Included and Ruth’s Sioux Indian.

The Advanced Intermediate class, with just four competitors over the course of the League, provided the most compelling conclusion of the afternoon. With only the two contenders for the title turning out on the day, Damien Gallagher led Stephen Greene by one slender point. Stephen, jumping first on his own Indian Puzzle, took two fences out. Damien popped a superb clear on Armstrong and must have thought the class and the title was his. But with the equine reserves of the Gaeltacht at his disposal, Stephen gave it everything. When Moonlight Crystal also incurred penalties he turned to a wonderful club servant, Lawrence Smyth’s Jenny’s Jigsaw, who duly delivered a clear round to give the crowd what they hoped for: a thrilling jump off.  First to go, Stephen jumped a beautiful clear in a cracking time but Damien and Armstrong took up the challenge and nonchalantly delivered a masterful clear in a yet faster time to win the title for Letterkenny.

The Gaeltacht’s strong Open contingent contested a wonderful class. Sally Mahon won the competition with a dashing round on Kerrykeel Lad while Laura Schneider, who jumped so consistently throughout the league, took top league honors.

Damien Gallagher with Letterkenny’s 2011 Club Horse of the Year, Armstrong, took the Intermediate & above Leading Rider Award to bring the curtain down on another memorable North West League.

Well done all riders and competitors, it’s good to see so many out riding in these difficult times!

Next month sees shows being held at Donegal Gaeltacht jump cross and Dalysgrove RC on the bank holiday weekend, The riding club festival on the 9^th and 10^th Springmount on the 16^th and Barnacarrol on the 29^th.  Good luck to all going to the festival, have fun and remember your sun cream and your thermals!

Any further information can be emailed to me at melindamorgan2000@hotmail.com or you can check out the blog on http://aircwesternregion.blogspot.com