Glistening display at Flexi Eventing grand finale
A thrilling day as popular league concludes for 2024
Saturday was a thrilling day at the Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, as the curtain came down on the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing for 2024. This was, certainly, the most successful Series to date, with 601 combinations completing 2177 activities over the seven weeks!
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As ‘D’ Day arrived, so did the bright sunshine. The presentation table was impressively laid out, with trophies, rosettes, sashes and prizes, all glistening in the golden rays. Master of Ceremonies for the occasion was Georgia Stubington, who certainly added a very professional touch to the occasion, as she called the Title Sponsor, Judy Maxwell of Baileys Horse Feeds, forward to take her place at the side of the podium, which was beautifully bedecked with the Baileys Horse Feeds wings and merchandise.
It was very impressive to see that all those required for the presentations were beautifully turned out.
The top 15 in the League were presented with their prizes in reverse order, which culminated in the League Championship Trophy, sash and prize envelope being presented to Denis Currie, the four times Champion. Denis is a most fitting Champion, as he prides his horse’s performance on the Baileys Ease and Excel Cubes, which is a great endorsement for the product. Taking their places alongside him on the podium were Carys Black in second place and Claire Ireland in third, each of whom received sashes and prize envelopes.
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Judy also presented the award for the highest placed Riding Club member to Claire Ireland of Gransha Riding Club, who placed third overall with ‘Goin’ For Gold’. The highest placed Pony Club member was Carys Black and ‘Glencairns Little Monkey’ of North Down Pony Club, who finished in the runner up spot overall. North Down Branch of the Pony Club has been particularly supportive of the League and, indeed, has fielded a high proportion of prize winners.
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The highest placed Cob prize went to Lisa Mitchell-Talbot and the five-year-old ‘Liadan Gal’, owned by Elaine Buller. She is by ‘Rajah Clover’, back to ‘Blue Rajah’ and out of ‘Supreme Cochise’. Elaine bought this very striking cob last August with Working Hunter in mind, so both owner and rider were determined that her early training was going to concentrate on dressage. They have already qualified for Working Hunter at Cavan and, hopefully, will make the Cob and Working Hunter classes at Balmoral and other County Shows before Dublin.
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Georgia Stubington presented the Treo Eile prize of €150 to Holly Rice and ‘Supreme Dream’, who completed in 15th place overall, which was a remarkable achievement for an ex-racehorse who came off the track in 2020 after 19 runs.
Fran Rowlatt-McCormick, Area Representative of Area 17 of the Pony Club, was on hand to present prizes to the top six Pony Club members with highest points in the dressage phase. This was won by North Down’s Zara Reid on ‘Greylands Diamond Girl’.
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Another amazing feature of this year’s League was the spectrum of ages of the competitors who participated and that was very evident at the prize giving, where they ranged from 13 to 69 – a rare phenomenon in any sport!
Although Saturday was a non-qualifying day, there was another Flexi session, with very good entries across the board.
27 combinations in the Intro class came before Dressage Ireland Judge, Martina McKinley, who awarded her top mark of 73.3% to Zara Reid and ‘Greylands Diamond Girl’. There are just no words adequate enough to cover the achievements of this combination since Zara took over the reins from Alex O’Hare last year. They were leading this League by a significant margin at the penultimate leg, but they were unable to participate in the final qualifying leg due to a family holiday. However, they did finish in fourth place overall.
Second place, less than a point behind was BHS Stage 3 Coach, Craig Hills, from Hillsborough riding ‘Fred’ (‘Squeaks Bubble’), whom he evented last season, jumping five double clears back to back. ‘Fred’, owned by Lisa White, is another great example of the versatility of the Thoroughbred.
Gemma Esler proved that her win last week was no flash in the pan, when she replicated that performance with back to back wins in the Pre-Novice class, judged by Vanda Stewart, on a score of 76.3 with ‘Remember Bea’, a seven-year-old ‘Ramiro B’ mare, jointly owned with Norma Wilkinson.
Rosemary Bellew occupied second place on a score of 74.8% for her and ‘Belle Saru’. This is an eight-year-old Thoroughbred mare by ‘Sageburg’, with whom Rosemary’s sister, Caroline McQuillan, also competes.
Vanda Stewart also judged the Novice class of 11, where she was most impressed with the Amateur maestro, Denis Currie and his ISH gelding, ‘Arodstown Aramis’, who were one of two combinations in the class to break the 70% barrier (71.5). Coming closest to that was fellow Amateur rider, Symone Brown, riding ‘Merlot’, her 14-year-old Lancelot gelding, with whom she won the EI 110 Amateur class at Clonmahon last year.
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There was precious little dividing the two competitors in the Vanda Stewart judged Intermediate class but, yet again, this year’s Baileys Horse Feeds Champion, Denis Currie was victorious, just fractionally ahead of Laura Birley and ‘Bandit’, who were last year’s Tyrella 1 winners of the EI 115 class.
Clearly the show jumping fraternity are also gearing up for their season, as the classes in Arena 2 were particularly busy, as was the Cross-Country Arena.
As the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing draws to a close, organisers must say a huge thank you to the sponsors: Judy Maxwell of Baileys Horse Feeds, Treo Eile and Area 17 of the Pony Club, whose involvement really made this Series very special!
Thank you to all the helpers over the seven weeks - judges, course designers, scribes, call up, stewards, arena parties, office staff, hat taggers and scorers, whose dedication to duty was exemplary and very much appreciated.
Thanks also to Aaron McCusker and his team at the MEC for all their hard work and attention to detail, week on week.
Also, appreciation goes to Tori O’Connor and her team of photographers, who have captured all the action in every arena every week.
Finally, a sincere thank you to all the competitors who supported the League - it wouldn’t have been a competition without them and organisers value that support immensely. Organisers hope that riders and their horses and ponies have benefitted from the seven weeks of intense training and look forward to welcoming them all back in January 2025.
RESULTS
Saturday, February 24
Flexi Eventing
Dressage
Intro – Judge: Martina McKinley:
1) Zara Reid, Greylands Diamond Girl; 2) Craig Hills, Fred; =3) Karina McVeigh, Cococabana; Ella Rose Sands, Rosie; 5) Carys Black, Glencairns Little Monkey; 6) Amy Anderson, Casadh Na Taoide.
Pre Novice - Judge: Vanda Stewart:
1) Gemma Esler, Bea; 2) Rosemary Bellew, Belle Saru; 3) Gemma Esler, Rocco; 4) Holly Wray, Henry; 5) Tegan white-McMorrow, Pete; 6) Robert Newell, Louis.
Novice - Judge: Vanda Stewart:
1) Denis Currie, Arodstown Aramis; 2) Symone Brown, Merlot; 3) Kitty Cullen, Schnapps; 4) Heather McMillan, Rock Carnival; 5) Tilley Tumilty, Wee Fella; 6) Maya Constable, Rockon Pedro.
Intermediate - Judge: Vanda Stewart:
1) Denis Currie, Arodstown Aramis; 2) Laura Birley, Bandit.
Show jumping (double clear)
70cm:
Eabha Quinn, Theo; Edna Lyness, Thunder; Molly Reid, Little Me; Taylor Croke, Molly.
80cm:
Amelia Irwin, Moyans Dun Deal; Darren Irwin, Florence Gale; Eilis Donnelly, Sally Star; Rosie Strain, Angel.
90cm:
Aimee-Leigh Bailie, Villa Prince; Barbara Johns, Drumhowan Darlin Jazz; Carmel Conroy, Killarn PG; Emma Thompson, Lily; Eva McConnell, Maximus; Owen McCamley, Fred; Jayne Moore, Laylas Way; Holly Rice, Supreme Dream; Isabella Irwin, Molly XX; JP Meegan, Stephen; JP Meegan, Ted; Karina McVeigh, Cococabana; Lara Kelly, Enrosewood Diamond Girl; Lorna Costelloe, Luna; Niamh McFall, Millie; Nicole Lawther, Lyra; Olivia Stewart, Beezies Minty; Pauline Blair, Charley Browne; Robyn Rice, My Isabella; Ross Graham, Theo; Shauna Farrell, Ollie; Zara Reid, Greylands Diamond Girl.
1m:
Alex Bailey, Callie; Alex Best, Cali; Amie Ross, Lola; Conor Harris, Paddy; Darren Treacy, Philip; Eimear Farrell, Zena; Ella Watters, Shadows Golden Boy; Emma Stewart, Loughnageer Prince; Gaby Kirk, Roly; Gemma Esler, Bea; Harry Purdy, Junior; Jenna Morton, Estella Great Expectations; JP Meegan, Belle; Kitty Cullen, Bay Jay; Maya Constable, Rock On Pedro; Niamh McFall, Bob; Owen McCamley, Tinks; Robert Newell, Louis; Taylor Croke, Dougie; Taylor Croke, Barney; Tegan White-McMorrow, Pete; Lucy Gibson, Freda.
1.10m:
Conor Harris, Paddy; Kitty Cullen, Schnapps; Laura Birley, Bandit; Holly Ross, Star of Hollymount; Robyn Rice, Holiday Kruising; Taylor Croke, Dougie; Lucy Gibson, Freda.
1.20m:
Hannah Burns, Beach Buoy; Lucy Gibson, Freda.
Cross-Country (clear rounds)
70cm:
CJ O’Brien, Coolgarrane Candypops; Claire Ireland, Garryduff’s King Romeo; Edna Lyness, Thunder; Gordon Ireland, Molly’s Prince; Louise Reid, Bertie; Molly Reid, Little Me; Millie Mulvena, Cilla; Ruby Mulvenna, Dixie.
80cm:
Amy Robinson, Sherry; Arlene Greenaway, Warrior Bob; Caroline Millar, Alfy; CJ O’Brien, Ballymena Freddie Red; Eilis Donnelly, Sally Star; Gill McAreavey, Izzy; Lily Murphy, Willow; Lisa Mitchell-Talbot, Liadan Gal; Claire Ireland, Technicolour Dream; Michaela Glass, Lurganbane Sally; Rosie Strain, Angel; Amelia Irwin, Moyans Dun Deal.
90cm:
Ellen Douglas, Garfield; Harry Purdy, Junior; Karina McVeigh, Cococabana; Kat Butler-Ward, Stylebender; Lara Kelly, Enrosewood Diamond Girl; Lara Rocks, Vixen; Nikki Cullen, Danske Coevers Lass; Nikki Cullen, Gemstone Ruby; Robyn Rice, My Isabella; Ross Graham, Theo; Sophie Moore, Diamond Daydream; Victoria Grieves, Twister D’Euro; Zara Reid, Greylands Diamond Girl; Orla McCarron, Woodhill Star; Sarah McPolin, Magnum.
1m:
Zara Smyth, Tilly; Ellen Douglas, Yogi; Gemma Esler, Bea; Hannah Thompson, Jemeela Charm; Jenna Morton, Estella Great Expectations; Laura Birley, Bandit; Robyn Rice, Holiday Kruising; Isabella Irwin, Molly XX; Emily McPolin, Ronnie.