NIHB Mare classes and Show Jumping Challenge draws talent to the Meadows
HSI Breeding Grants support generous prize fund
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The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, provided the location for the 2023 running of the Northern Ireland Horse Board (NIHB) Mare classes and Show Jumping Challenge on Sunday, July 16, kindly sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland under the DAFM National Breeding Services.
Funded by the Horse Sport Ireland Breeding Grants in 2023, the Northern Ireland Horse Board was one of over 60 equestrian bodies, societies, and organisations to receive funding from the grant initiative, which totalled over €500,000 of investment throughout Ireland.
The Mare Production classes, which had their first outing in 2022, were devised by NIHB Director General Chris Bogle, with the aim of developing the mare herd in Ireland, by providing competitions that are directly linkable to the Merit award programme operated by Horse Sport Ireland for the Sport Horse Studbook.
Winning the 1m class was Tyrone Flanagan from Donegal riding Aileen Flynn’s ‘Mermus R’ mare, ‘Sivanna R’. The 1.10m class was won by Catherine Spence with her own mare ‘Flyhigh Mable’. The bay 10-year-old bay mare is sired by ‘Mermrus T’, out of a dam by ‘Cavalier Royale’ (HOLST). Placing second was Rebecca Knox with her own ‘Orestus’ mare, ‘Blossomhill Perfection’ and third place went to the GBBS Ltd bred ‘BP Elvandas’, owned by Elaine McIntyre and expertly ridden by Nicole Kershaw.
‘BP Elvandas’ went on to win the top prize in the 1.20m class with Kershaw taking home the lion's share of the €1,000 on offer for the class. Second on this occasion was Catherine Spence and ‘Flyhigh Mable’.
Meanwhile, over in Arena 2, the NIHB Show jumping Challenge was underway for horses aged four to eight years old. With a total prize fund of €2,000 on the day, over 70 combinations took to the arena.
In the Four-Year-Old class, 13 combinations divided the €650 prize fund on offer, whereas time became a deciding factor in both the Five and Six-year-old and Seven and Eight-year-old classes. In the Five- and Six-year-old class, the five-year-old horses dominated, with Cheryl Smith’s ‘Flora Dora’ winning the class with Jackson Laing. The five-year-old, sired by popular stallion ‘OBOS Quality 004’ was bred by Marina Reynolds, who also picked up one of the breeder prizes on offer.
The final class of the day was the Seven- and Eight-year-old horse class. Winning the class was the Lougherne Stud ‘Colestus’-sired, ‘Lougherne Kingfisher’, expertly ridden by Hannah Blakely. The gelding, owned and bred by Jane Allen-Collins, remained ahead of the pack, with Young Rider Oliver Doherty coming the closest with the ‘KMS Chicago’-sired, ‘CBI Cassandra’.
Results
Sunday, July 16
NIHB MARES PRODUCTION (SJ)
NIHB 1m Mares Production, sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland Breeding Grant:
1) Aileen Flynn’s Sivanna R, Tyrone Flanagan; 2) Egle Zakaraite’s Talbot Siss, Egle Zakaraite; 3) Mollie Crossley’s BGS Little Cadet, Mollie Crossley; 4) Caitriona Cody’s Shanroe Socialite, Caitriona Cody; 5) Rebecca Knox’s Blossomhill Perfection, Rebecca Knox; 6) Jackson Laing’s GS Temptation, Jackson Laing.
NIHB 1.10m Mares Production, sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland Breeding Grant:
1) Catherine Spence’s Flyhigh Mable, Catherine Spence; 2) Rebecca Knox’s Blossomhill Perfection, Rebecca Knox; 3) Elaine McIntyre’s BP Elvandas, Nicole Kershaw; 4) Pat Satchwell’s Yes Miss, Stacey Watling; 5) Lynne Russell’s Akasha, Lynne Russell; 6) Kieran O'Brien’s Doneybrewer Quest, Aidan O'Brien.
NIHB 1.20m Mares Production, sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland Breeding Grant:
1) Elaine McIntyre’s BP Elvandas, Nicole Kershaw; 2) Catherine Spence’s Flyhigh Mable, Catherine Spence; 3) Hilary Furlonger’s Poppys Flash Back, Jodie Creighton; 4) Francis Donnelly’s Beechmore Lady Lux, Eve Donnelly; 5) Brian McLaughlin’s Lincourt Quality, Shane McCloskey; 6) Brogen McCrum’s Tailormade For Me, Brogen McCrum.
1.20m (Open to all):
1) Tyrone Flanagan’s Trebra Indoctro Cruise, Tyrone Flanagan; 2) Aedi McCaughey’s Hariness, Aedi McCaughey; 3) Ruairi Holmes’s Coloo Colin, Tyrone Flanagan; 4) Eric Smith’s Corkhill Quality, Laura Cazzato; 5) William Jnr Adair’s Caltra Artic, Alfie Adair; 6) Ruairi Holmes’s Paquito V’T Merelsnest Z, Tyrone Flanagan.
1.30m (Open to all):
1) Jane Allen Collins’s Lougherne After Dark, Hannah Blakely; 2) Elizabeth Hermans’s Oakingham Euro, Katie Scott.
NIHB SHOW JUMPING CHALLENGE
Four-Year-Old:
=1) John O'Hagan’s CHS Mojito, Kathryn O’Hagan; Mary McShane’s Rosscarbery VIP, Mary McShane; Gary Jackson’s Dstud Billy Elliott, Barry McCormack; Abby Morton’s Blueoak Parker, Ronnie Morton; Linda Fahey’s Maias Touch, Tom Hearne; Emma Jackson’s Rockrimmon Legacy, Emma Jackson; Shannon Mackenzie’s Summer Agonax Tokyo Drift, Ryan Stewart; Stacey Watling’s Ben, Stacey Watling; Allison Mercer’s Corraghoe Natural Ability, Ellie Humphries; Jodie Creighton's CSF Tia, Jodie Creighton; Mary McShane’s Tullyrock Quality Succession, Mary McShane; Jackson Laing’s Kingsman Maximus, Jackson Laing; Alyson Henry’s Boleybawn Aariz, Kevin Mackey.
Five- & Six-Year-Old:
1) Cheryl Smyth’s Flora Dora, Jackson Laing; 2) Emma Jackson’s RRS Joe, Emma Jackson; 3) Alyson Henry’s Caugherty Ronan, Kevin Mackey; 4) Carol Armstrong’s Cornascriebe Electra Diamond, Shane Treanor; 5) Angela Taggart’s Caugherty Ruby, Kevin Mackey; 6) Robert Lowry’s Cullion Ark, Sean Nangle.
Seven- & Eight-year-old:
1) Jane Allen-Collins’ Lougherne Kingfisher, Hannah Blakely; 2) Oliver Doherty’s CBI Cassandra, Oliver Doherty; 3) Jodie Creighton’s Poppy's Flashback, Jodie Creighton; 4) Yvonne Whiteside’s LGS Decade, Yvonne Whiteside; 5) Jodie Creighton’s WKD Zest, Jodie Creighton; 6) Aaron McKinstry’s HVL Jack Pot, Rebekah McKinstry.