Show jumping spectacular at Balmoral Park
Top-class competition in the sun-drenched Eikon-ic main arena
The show jumping competitions at this year’s Balmoral Show (May 14-17), provided a great spectacle for onlookers, with national and international classes taking place on each day from Wednesday through to Saturday.
The national classes had seen qualifiers being held around the country for the Five-year-old, Six and Seven-year-old, 1.35m and Amateur classes, with the best combinations getting the opportunity to jump on the hallowed turf of Balmoral Park’s main arena - so competition was tough!
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Wednesday commenced with the national Bluefrog Five-Year-Old Championship, with fences sitting at 1.20m. Aisling McGreal rode her own Monbeg Crystal to win this class, ahead of Deane Rogan on board Declan McGarry’s ‘MCG Carrow Kuhnstuck’.
The Spillers Six and Seven-Year-Old Championship was next on the schedule, at a height of 1.35m. This proved to be no problem to Michael Pender, who won the class on Marion Hughes’s ‘HHS Flonix’ and also came second on Bravo Hughes Ltd’s ‘HHS Arezzo’.
The RUAS 1.35m Championship saw Katie Nallon take the win on Tara Brandon’s ‘CW Luiboutain’, ahead of Alex Finney riding Jean Finney’s ‘Absolutely Kingmar Z’.
It was a one-two for Ireland in the TopSpec International Speed (1.35m) class, when Anthony Condon (IRL) and Wyndham St John’s ‘LMD Marko’ took the win, followed by Jonathan Smyth (IRL) on Roy Craig and Noletta Smyth’s ‘Mulvin Lights Out’ in second place.
International excitement continued with the Clive Richardson Limited International Stakes at a height of 1.45m. This time there was British success, with Sameh El Dahan (GBR) winning the class with his own and Joanne Sloan-Allen’s ‘WKD Toronto’, ahead of James Whitaker (GBR) on his own and Ian Whitaker’s ‘Just Call Me Henry’.
Thursday saw two international classes on the card, starting with the MCL Group International Speed Challenge at a height of 1.35m. Harry Wood (GBR) and Steven Smith’s ‘Casino’s Boom’ took the win, followed by James Brennan (IRL) on Sinead Byrne’s ‘MHS I’m The One’ in second.
The Connolly’s Red Mills International Spectacular, with the fences standing at 1.40m, saw Seamus Hughes Kennedy (IRL) take the win for Ireland on board ‘Dure de Semily’, owned by The Racecourse Farm, with John McEntee (IRL) taking second place with Sandra Duffy’s ‘CSF Andrew’.
On Friday, the ClipMyHorse.TV International Accumulator at a height of 1.35m saw another British one-two, with Harry Wood (GBR) once again successful with Steven Smith’s ‘Casino’s Boom’, ahead of Joe Fernyhough (GBR) on Rowland Fernyhough’s ‘Calcourt Countdown’.
Friday afternoon saw the international classes conclude with the CAB Group and Dunlop Homes International Grand Prix, supported by Bottlegreen being held, with competitors taking on a 1.45m track. Spectators were treated to some fantastic displays of jumping and another Irish one-two, when Jessica Burke (IRL) won the class with Liam Nicholas’ ‘Express Trend’, with Francis Derwin on his own ‘Flexi K’ close behind in second.
Show jumping continued on Saturday with the Botanica International Amateur Championship at a height of 1.10m. AA rider Caitlin Duffy won the class on board Anita Duffy’s ‘Jockeyhall Midas Touch’, with A rider Kate Murray on her own ‘Crynolisk Feisty Blue’ taking the runner-up position.
The Grooms’ Group ran a competition for their best placed member in each of four classes, having secured some fantastic sponsorship. Grace Duddy, who grooms for Jennifer Torrens, won the Grooms’ Group prize of £250 in the Five-year-old Championship, while Caoimhe Murphy, who grooms for Katie McEntee from Keatingstown Stud, won £250 in the Six and Seven-year-old Championship and Francis Donnelly, who was with Eve Donnelly, won £250 in the 1.35m Championship.
A fantastic prize of £500 was up for grabs for the best-placed Grooms’ Group member in the Grand Prix and this was presented to Daniel Lazcano Bleis, who grooms for Jack Ryan.
The Schools’ team show jumping had seen much competition at the various qualifiers to secure one of the 10 places available to jump in the main arena at Balmoral Park. The winners on the day were Ballymoney High School, whose team of Miley Rouke, Taylor Barkley, Perrie Barkley and Megan Rouke came out in front of the second-placed team from Bridgetown College (Noah Sinnott Murphy, Hazel Slattery, Owen Carroll and Lily Walsh).
Tim Morton might only be seven years old, but he successfully defended his title in the Karlswood Under 10s’ Championship, when riding Martin McEvoy’s ‘Dutch Lady’ to win the class ahead of Jack Derwin on Jim Derwin’s ‘Ginger Rodgers’.
Tim’s speedy but accurate round and resulting win were a fitting conclusion to the show jumping at Balmoral Show 2025. The fabulous weather throughout the four days of the show added to the feeling of being at a mediterranean venue - a great experience for the international riders of the future!
Sincere thanks go to Prime Photography for providing the images to accompany these results.
RESULTS
Balmoral Show
May 14 - 17
Wednesday, May 14
SJ1 - The Bluefrog Five-Year-Old Championship (1.20m):
1) Aisling McGreal’s Monbeg Crystal, Aisling McGreal; 2) Declan McGarry’s MCG Carrow Kuhnstuck, Deane Rogan; 3) Cavan Equestrian Centre’s Eclipse Action, Victoria Clarke; 4) Cathal McMunn & Jonathan Reape’s BP Rioja, Senan Reape; 5) Caitilin Taggart’s Palm Springs (KWPN), Caitilin Taggart; 6) Dominic Rice’s Premier Jack, Shane Treanor.
SJ2 - The Spillers Six & Seven-Year-Old Championship (1.35m):
1) Marion Hughes’s HHS Flonix, Michael Pender; 2) Bravo Hughes Ltd’s HHS Arezzo, Michael Pender; 3) Susan Fitzpatrick’s Dare To Dream Z, Katie McEntee; 4) Bob Sweeney’s Aganix Summer Tokyo Drift, Katie Nallon; 5) Cooley Farm’s KHH Romanov Park, Amanda Goldsbury; 6) David Hedley’s Agana van't Vossenhof Z, Jamie Landers.
SJ3 - The RUAS 1.35m Championship:
1) Tara Brandon’s CW Luiboutain, Katie Nallon; 2) Jean Finney’s Absolutely Kingmar Z, Alex Finney; 3) Victoria Loane’s Lord of the Rings BMH, Sean Foley; 4) Ailsa Sexton’s Sparky Lad (IHR), Ailsa Sexton; 5) Anne Bannon’s Gorsehill Ruby, Elliott Reeves; 6) Andrew Dunlop’s Questro Z, Jenny Dunlop.
SJ4 - The TopSpec International Speed (1.35m):
1) Wyndham St John’s LMD Marko, Anthony Condon (IRL); 2) Roy Craig and Noletta Smyth’s Mulvin Lights Out, Jonathan Smyth (IRL); 3) Rowland Fernyhough’s Calcourt Countdown, Joe Fernyhough (GBR); 4) Hadley Sport Horses’ Maximum Numero Too HSH, Sven Joseph Hadley (IRL); 5) Tim Brennan’s Diadema Della Caccia, Tim Brennan (IRL); 6) Eamon Bishop’s L’Esprit Hero Z, Harrison Blair (IRL).
SJ5 - The Clive Richardson Limited International Stakes (1.45m):
1) Joanne Sloan-Allen and Sameh El Dahan’s WKD Toronto, Sameh El Dahan (GBR); 2) Ian Whitaker and James Whitaker’s Just Call Me Henry, James Whitaker (GBR); 3) Rowland Fernyhough’s Calcourt Particle, Joe Fernyhough (GBR); 4) Johanna Buckley’s Millfield Hickson, Simon Buckley (GBR); 5) Sinead Byrne’s MHS I’m The One, James Brennan (IRL); 6) Halo Capital’s Coblue PS, Tim Brennan (IRL).
Thursday, May 15
SJ6 - The MCL Group International Speed Challenge (1.35m):
1) Steven Smith’s Casino’s Boom, Harry Wood (GBR); 2) Sinead Byrne’s MHS I’m The One, James Brennan (IRL); 3) Eamon Bishop’s L’Esprit Hero Z, Harrison Blair (IRL); 4) GBBS International’s Haifa OL, Tabitha Kyle (IRL); 5) Susan Fitzpatrick’s Keatingstown Mister Cool, Katie McEntee (IRL); 6) Pieraccini Neri’s Lejeune, John McEntee (IRL).
SJ7 - The Connolly’s Red Mills International Spectacular (1.40m):
1) The Racecourse Farm’s Dure de Semily, Seamus Hughes Kennedy (IRL); 2) Sandra Duffy’s CSF Andrew, John McEntee (IRL); 3) Maurice Devlin’s HHS Ice Flo, Molly Hughes Bravo (POR); 4) Heathcroft Stud’s Izara des Dames, Rebecca Marsh (GBR); 5) Minister For Defence’s DHF Alliance, Commandant Geoff Curran (IRL); 6) Charlotte Hughes’ Lana Del Rey, Adrian Whiteway (GBR).
Friday, May 16
SJ8 - The ClipMyHorse.TV International Accumulator (1.35m):
1) Steven Smith’s Casino’s Boom, Harry Wood (GBR); 2) Rowland Fernyhough’s Calcourt Countdown, Joe Fernyhough (GBR); 3) Isabelle De Melo and Rosemary Farm’s Hector de Kezeg, Katie McEntee (IRL); 4) Jessica Burke, Michael McCann and Michael Tarpey’s Seapatrick Toulon, Jessica Burke (IRL); 5) Eamon Bishop’s L’Esprit Hero Z, Harrison Blair (IRL); 6) GBBS International’s Daliradas Boy, Niamh McEvoy (IRL).
SJ9 - The CAB Group and Dunlop Homes International Grand Prix, supported by Bottlegreen (1.45m):
1) Liam Nicholas’ Express Trend, Jessica Burke (IRL); 2) Francis Derwin’s Flexi K, Francis Derwin (IRL); 3) Ian Whitaker and James Whitaker’s Just Call Me Henry, James Whitaker (GBR); 4) Rowland Fernyhough’s Calcourt Particle, Joe Fernyhough (GBR); 5) Susie Gibson’s Stevie G, Rebecca Marsh (GBR); 6) Adrian Whiteway’s BP Baxter, Adrian Whiteway (GBR).
Saturday, May 17
SJ10 - The Botanica International Amateur Championship (1.10m):
1) Anita Duffy’s Jockeyhall Midas Touch, Caitlin Duffy [AA]; 2) Kate Murray’s Crynolisk Feisty Blue, Kate Murray [A]; 3) Egle Zakaraite’s Talbot Siss, Egle Zakaraite [A]; 4) Jane Hennigan’s Mayfield Romeo, Jane Hennigan [A]; 5) Tara Elizabeth Patton’s Castleroche Pretty Women, Tara Elizabeth Patton [AA]; 6) Craig Lovett’s Sligo Candy Call, Craig Lovett [A].
SJ11 - Schools’ Team Show Jumping:
1) Ballymoney High School: Miley Rouke, Two Socks; Taylor Barkley, Super Martin Boy; Perrie Barkley, Future Memories; Megan Rouke, Seapatrick Quality; 2) Bridgetown College: Noah Sinnott Murphy, Lily Bell Of Tullykittagh; Hazel Slattery, Breolie Mist; Owen Carroll, Untouchable Royale; Lily Walsh, Catch Me Now; 3) Omagh Academy: Zoe Keys, Gamesport T'other; Zoe Smyth, Rosie Raine; Zara Smyth, Neat Ruby Blue; Ted Gibson, Glenarousk Flash Bandit; 4) Assumption Grammar School: Emma Burns, C C Brodie; Emily Turley, Budore Mystic Legend; Molly Marner, Gelato; Riona Savage, Thornhill Jenny; 5) Saintfield High School: Aoife Davis, Oldtown Starling; Freddie Thompson, Honky Tonkin Ted; Zac Hanna, Marylynn Tn; 6) Kilkenny College: Alannah Bailey, Glenpatrick Sparkle; Gloria Queally, Glenrock Lisa; Georgia Queally, Carraun Ferdy; Isabel Smithwick, Donode Don’t Forget.
SJ12 - The Karlswood Under 10s’ Championship
1) Martin McEvoy’s Dutch Lady (NL), Tim Morton; 2) Jim Derwin`s Ginger Rodgers, Jack Derwin; 3) Linsey Mason’s Shining Star (LHI), Emily Mason; 4) Derval Barry’s Ryehall Marble Arch, Mairead Kate Barry; 5) Deirdre Murphy’s Sparkling Lackaghmore Katie, Saoirse Murphy; 6) Ashley Bingham’s Sweet Lily (CPBS), Georgia Bingham.