Star performances at Gransha RUAS qualifiers

Bangor equestrian centre hosted Irish Draught and Star of the Future Performance Qualifiers

Saturday, March 29 saw Gransha Equestrian Centre, Bangor hosting Irish Draught and Star of the Future Performance Qualifiers.

The judges were both experienced and accomplished, with Helen Troughton from Ballinteggart Stud judging on the flat in the Irish Draught classes and Victoria Teuton judging the jumping for all four classes.

Maria McNamara took a one-two in the Four and Five-year-old Irish Draught qualifier, taking the top spot with Shanbally Master on 137 points, with ‘Shanbally Hipflask’ just a fraction behind in second 136.5.

Maria McNamara took the top two places in the Gransha qualifier for Balmoral's Four and Five-year-old Irish Draught performance class, winning with ‘Shanbally Master’ (here) and a very close second with ‘Shanbally Hipflask’ at Gransha.

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The Six-year-old and over Irish Draught qualifier saw Sammy Weston riding ‘Tullys Cherry’ into first place with a very commendable 154.5 points, with Nicola Martin on ‘Dundrum Misty Blue’ in second on 150.

Scores in the Five-year-old Performance Horse class were very close. Ben Rainey on ‘Monbeg Dunard Blue’ won the class on 92 points, followed by Jonathan Steele on ‘Punchlion’ taking second place on 91, while Rachel Thompson on ‘Garvant’, also scoring 91, had to settle for third.

Ben Rainey and ‘Monbeg Dunard Blue’ qualified for Balmoral by winning the Five-year-old performance class qualifier at Gransha.

The Six and Seven-year-old Performance Horse class saw a win for Jackson Laing on ‘GS Benedicti’, with a score of 94, while Rory Lavery on ‘Forever My Girl’ took the runner-up spot with 91 points.

Congratulations to all those who have qualified to compete at Balmoral Show.

Thanks are extended to Pegus Horse Feeds, who sponsored the Irish Draught classes.

RESULTS

Saturday, March 29

RUAS Balmoral Irish Draught and Star of the Future Performance Qualifiers

Class 1 - Four and Five-year-old Irish Draught qualifier:

1) 215 Maria McNamara, Shanbally Master (g) 137 Q; 2) 225 Maria McNamara, Shanbally Hipflask (g) 136.5 Q; 3) 222 Gwen Scott, Rockdale Star Bouncer (g) 132.5 Q; 4) 228 Sammy Weston, Ainninn Kamaria (m) 128.5 Q; 5) 223 Darren Jordan, Kings View (g) 125 Q; 6) 229 Maria McNamara, Shanbally Pippalo Pat (g) 125 R; 7) 226 Victoria Mullen, Whitegate Zidane (g) 121.5 R.

Class 2 - Six-year-old and over Irish Draught qualifier:

1) 236 Sammy Weston, Tullys Cherry (m) 154.5; 2) 240 Nicola Martin, Dundrum Misty Blue (m) 150; 3) 237 Zohra Smyth, Cloonan Hector (g) 140.5; 4) 239 Ben Rainey, Dowdstown PJ (g) 139.5; 5) 231 Marie Helene Finegan, Hollyrock Danny Boy (g) 121; 6) 238 David O’Connor, Inishroan Orlagh (m) 117; 7) 230 Marie Byrne, Knocknagow Midnight Express (g) 110; 8) 235 Darren Jordan, Windy Carrick Clover (g) 109.5; 9) 234 Brioch Meehan, Mountbolton Luna (m) 108.

Sammy Weston and ‘Tully’s Cherry’ won Gransha's qualifier for Balmoral's Six and Seven-year-old Irish Draught performance class at Gransha.

Class 3 - Five-year-old Performance Horses:

1) 254 Ben Rainey, Monbeg Dunard Blue (g) 92; 2) 242 Jonathan Steele, Punchlion (g) 91; 3) 227 Rachel Thompson, Garvant (g) 91; 4) 250 Emma Jackson, Cushlas Jowesie (g) 90; 5) 252 Victoria Mullen, Greenhall Overtake (g) 86; 6) 249 Jonathan Steele, Quality Julio (g) 85.

Class 4 - Six & Seven-year-old Performance Horses:

1) 268 Jackson Laing, GS Benedicti (g) 94; 2) 266 Rory Lavery, Forever My Girl (m) 91; 3) 274 Emma Jackson, Master Lion (g) 88; 4) 267 Sadie McMahon, Creevagh Golden Balls (g) 88; 5) 265 Myah McLean, Tykillen Jazz (m) 81.

Jackson Laing and ‘GS Benedict’ won Gransha's Balmoral Six and Seven-year-old performance class qualifier at Gransha.