Two-Phase Event league gets underway at Cloncaw

THE changeable wea-ther in the preceding week, left ground con-ditions near perfect for the first leg of the popular Premier Saddlery Two-Phase Event league at

Cloncaw Equestrian, Glas-lough on Sunday, July 3.

The courses run over the undulating drumlin hills of

Cloncaw on the edge of the picturesque village of Glaslough, with competitors from all neighbouring co-unties and Donegal. The Maxi 100 and Midi 90 classes include many of the event fences over a track of approximately 2200m, with the Mini 80 having smaller event type fences and the Minimus 70cm is run over a slightly shortened course. The format is show jumping followed immediately by cross-country.

The Maxi class was hotly contested, with the show jumping phase causing few

problems and after com-pletion of the cross-country, five riders were on zero faults with closest to the optimum time deciding the placings. Laura Kee on ‘Ballymullan Jodie’ just pipped Declan Cullen based rider Ragur Singh on ‘Friday’ for first place, ahead of Neil Morrison on ‘Diane’ in third; Michael McGaffin on ‘Rosie’ in fourth and the speedy Jason McKeown on ‘Rockvale Moon River’ in fifth, while Suzanne Hagan and ‘Flossie’ picked up 1.6 time to place sixth.

In the Midi 90cm class, once again optimum time decided the top five places. Scotstown cousins, Madelaine Sherry on ‘Larry’ and Jessica Sheridan on ‘Butler’ came first and third on their debut over the Cloncaw course – both riders are Monaghan Pony Club members. Claiming second place was Dundalk rider Laura Bell McKevitt with ‘Honest Will’; Kevin McCarron on ‘Shadow of a Diamond’ placed fourth, just ahead of Berni Muirhead on ‘Hanslough’ in fifth, while sixth place went to Will Glendinning on ‘Rio’.

In the Mini 80 class, a number of riders had ‘sat nav’ issues at the water, which sadly saw them eliminated, however, Jenny Montgomery on ‘Milford Lady’ and George Anderson on ‘Drumnaclan Jet’ had no such issues, finishing on zero penalties in first and second respectively. Kerry McTaggart on ‘Cassia- Rg’ placed third on their first time competing cross-country, having one fence down show jumping, ahead of Kalie Monaghan on ‘Will’, also on four faults, while fifth went to Sarah Kee on ‘Willow’ and sixth to Molly McConnell on ‘Maximus’ – both had double clears jumping, but picked up time penalties.

Last to take on the challenge was the Minimus class, which is an introduction for riders and horses to the thrills of cross-country riding. The top three placings all finished on zero faults with time deciding the places. On her first event, Ella Rose Sands on her new pony ‘Rosie’ claimed first just one second under the time, with Eva McConnell on ‘Old Orchard Spirit’ in second and Jessica McKiernan on ‘Abbeydale Beauty’ in third. Danielle Sands on ‘Mollie’ in fourth was just over the time, but double clear jumping, as was fifth placed Anne Marie McMahon on ‘Kerry’; while Fiona Kovacs on ‘Diamond’ placed sixth on her first time attempting the Minimus class.

The second leg of the Premier Saddlery League is on Sunday, July 31; rider and horse combinations are awarded points for placing complete, compete with two best qualifying scores and the final deciding the Premier Saddlery Two-Phase Event League prize winners. There are prizes on each day. Entries open on July 10 for next leg on July 31. Competition details and the rules are posted on Cloncaw Equestrian Glaslough facebook page. Photographer on the day was Contrast Captured.

RESULTS

Sunday, July 3

Premier Saddlery Two-Phase Event League

Maxi: 1) Laura Kee, Ballymullan Jodie; 2) Ragur Singh, Friday; 3) Neil Morrison, Diane; 4) Michael McGaffin, Rosie; 5) Jason McKeown, Rockvale Moon River; 6) Suzanne Hagan, Flossie.

Midi: 1) Madelaine Sherry, Larry; 2) Laura Bell McKevitt, Honest Will; 3) Jessica Sheridan, Butler; 4) Kevin McCarron, Shadow of a Diamond; 5) Bernie Muirhead, Hanslough; 6) Will Glendinning, Rio.

Mini: 1) Jenny Mongomery, Milford Lady; 2) George Anderson, Drumnaclan Jet; 3) Kerry McTaggart, Cassia-RG; 4) Kalie Monaghan, Will; 5) Sarah Kee, Willow; 6) Molly McConnell, Maximus.

Minimus: 1) Ella Rose Sands, Rosie; 2) Eva McConnell, Old Orchard Spirit; 3) Jessica McKiernan, Abbeydale Beauty; 4) Danielle Sands, Mollie; 5) Anne Marie McMahon, Kerry; 6) Fiona Kovacs, Diamond.