THE sun shone on September 18 at Cloncaw Equestrian, Glaslough, for last leg of the Premier Saddlery Two-Phase Event League, with competitors travelling from north Donegal and the counties surrounding Monaghan, taking on the challenge of the courses over the undulating drumlin hills at Cloncaw. It has been great to see young rider horse combinations improve over the league and to get such positive feedback from riders and parents on the events.
Leon Murtagh of Premier Saddlery, Armagh, has been the sponsor for 11 years since the first Two-Phase league in 2012 and attended the event with his daughters, Bella and Lois, who did the presentations and are already planning for when they can compete.
In the Maxi 1m class, Alish McBride on ‘Covehill Boy’ had a superb run on the cross-country, securing first place on her second encounter of the maxi, coming in five seconds inside the optimum time, with a pole lowered in the show jumping. Wendy Kirk on ‘Beware of the Bear’ also had a pole down show jumping and added a few time penalties to place second – this combination have had a very successful league and claimed first in the Maxi League class. Dalton Beattie and ‘Chester’ slotted into third on the day, with Jackie Conn and ‘Monty’ in fourth place. In the Maxi league, Donegal combination Ryan McBride on ‘Burinex’ was second; Raymond Scullion on ‘Buddy’ was third and Donegal rider Rachel Carton on ‘Aughnavanon Merlin’ came fourth. All three had ‘sat. nav.’ issues at the water complex and did not place on the day.
In the Midi 90cm class, the optimum time decided the top four placings. Robert Newell on ‘Beauty’ slotted into first place by being closer to the optimum time than Laura Bell McKevitt with ‘George’ in second, who has steadily improved over the league. Madelaine Sherry on ‘Larry’ placed third, with Alish McBride on her second ride of the day, ‘Gortmore Spring Belle’, in fourth. Cavan riders, Joanna Cole on ‘Mystic Mia’ and Kevin McCarron on ‘Shadow of a Diamond’, filled fifth and sixth, just being marginally over the time.
In the Midi league, Madelaine Sherry on ‘Larry’ was first; Laura Bell McKevitt placed second on ‘Honest Will’ and fourth with ‘George’; Kevin McCarron on ‘Shadow of a Diamond’ placed third, with Alish McBride on ‘Gortmore Spring Belle’ in fifth and Berni Muirhead on ‘Hanslough’ in sixth. This was a very hotly contested class and hinged on the midi result on the day.
The next class out to take on the challenge was the Mini 80cm, with four riders inside the time double clear. Donegal’s Liz Potter on ‘Clyde’, having her first spin round Cloncaw in 2022, claimed first, narrowly ahead of Kerry Taggart on ‘Cassia – RG’ – this combination’s consistency gave them first place in the Mini League.
Ciara Browne on ‘Belsgrove Lad’ came third, just holding Sara Ward on ‘Dotamado Lady’ in fourth. Local riders Maria Fitzpatrick on ‘Rockrimmon Buddy’ placed fifth and Coleen Moffett on ‘Paw Prince’ came sixth – both lowered a pole show jumping.
Coleen had a busy day, juggling riding with being the photographer of Contrast Captured, who captured riders as they took on the tracks. Coleen on ‘Paw Prince’ also placed sixth in the league. Maria Fitzpatrick on ‘Rockrimmon Buddy’ was second, ahead of Rosie Holywood on ‘Blitzen’s Dream’ in third; Rushelle Kerr on ‘Speedy’ in fourth and Molly McGonnell on ‘Maximus’ in fifth.
The last class of the day was the Minimus 60/70cm, which runs over a slightly shorter track and this was hotly contested. The top four placed had zero faults, with Ella Rose Sands on super pony ‘Rosie’ finishing first in the Minimus class and also overall winner of the Minimus League. Charlie Watson on ‘Socks’ had a great run, finishing second and placing fifth in league; Emily Jebb with ‘Poppy’ came third in the class and league, with Nina Stronge on ‘Boogies Girl’ fourth in the class and sixth in the league. Orlaith McCarron on ‘Woody’ was a speedy fifth and Karyn McConkey on ‘Pebbles’ added a few time penalties to finish sixth. Eva McConnell on ‘Old Orchard Spirit’ placed second in the league, while Danielle Sands with ‘Mollie’ placed fifth in the league.
A massive thank you to all the volunteers who steward; the judges and the Bellew family team, who pull out all the stops preparing and presenting the tracks and running the event on the day, as well as long time sponsor, Premier Saddlery. Photos of the events are posted on Contrast Captured.
The event course will be available for hire / schooling on September 24 and 25 – details of further events and competitions will be posted on the Cloncaw Equestrian Glaslough Facebook page.
RESULTS
Sunday, September 18
Two-Phase Event League final
Maxi: 1) Alish McBride, Covehill Boy; 2) Wendy Kirk, Bear of the Bear; 3) Dalton Beattie, Chester; 4) Jackie Conn, Monty; 5) Charley Hanna, Farhill Golden Angle.
Midi: 1) Robert Newell, Beauty; 2) Laura Bell McKevitt, George; 3) Madelaine Sherry, Larry; 4) Alish McBride, Gortmore Spring Belle; 5) Joanna Cole, Mystic Mia; 6) Kevin McCarron, Shadow of a Diamond.
Mini: 1) Liz Potter, Clyde; 2) Kerry McTeggart, Cassia – RG; 3) Ciara Browne, Belsgrove Lad; 4) Sara Ward, Dotamado Lady; 5) Marie Fitzpatrick, Rockrimmon Buddy; 6) Coleen Moffett, Paw Prince.
Minimus: 1) Ella Rose Sands, Rosie; 2) Charlie Watson, Socks; 3) Emily Jebb, Poppy; 4) Nina Stronge, Boogies Girl; 5) Orlaith McCarron, Woody; 6) Karyn McConkey, Pebbles.
Premier Saddlery Two-Phase Event League
Maxi: 1) Wendy Kirk, Beware of the Bear; 2) Ryan McBride, Burinex; 3) Raymond Scullion, Buddy; 4) Rachel Carton, Aughavannon Merlin.
Midi: 1) Madelaine Sherry, Larry; 2) Laura Bell McKevitt, George; 3) Kevin McCarron, Shadow of a Diamond; 4) Laura Bell McKevitt, Honest Will; 5) Alish McBride, Gortmore Spring Belle; 6) Berni Muirhead, Hanslough.
Mini: 1) Kerry McTeggart, Cassia – RG; 2) Maria Fitzpatrick, Rockrimmon Buddy; 3) Rosie Hollywood, Blitzen’s Dream; 4) Rushelle Kerr, Speedy; 5) Molly McConnell, Maximus; 6) Coleen Moffett, Paw Prince.
Minimus: 1) Ella Rose Sands, Rosie; 2) Eva McConnell, Old Orchard Spirit; 3) Emily Jebb, Poppy; 4) Charlie Watson, Socks; 5) Danielle Sands, Mollie; 6) Nina Stronge, Boogies Girl.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
