WHAT a beautiful day it was for Causeway and Glens Riding Club’s Working Hunter Show and in a fantastic location at Dirraw Farm Equestrian at Finvoy, Ballymoney. The view from the arena was amazing! Alan Campbell had the arena prepared and dressed perfectly, the surface rode very well and Adam Stevenson of ‘Stevenson X-Country’ designed a lovely traditional Working Hunter course, technical but yet inviting.
The atmosphere was so relaxed and welcoming, with a lovely crowd of spectators to cheer on the competitors. The day opened with a cheque presentation to John Dunlop representing Macmillan Cancer Support, for a £200 donation from Causeway and Glens Riding Club.
Cherie McHugh started the morning judging the horse classes, with Chloe Connon as scribe and it was Cormac Murtagh with ‘Bossy Flossy’ who took the first win of the day and a qualifying position for the Four-year-old class at the NI Festival. Gillian Kearney also qualified her four-year-old, ‘Fahy Peaches’ and took second place.
A busy 70cm class saw Samantha Talbot taking the win with ‘Caher Enda Quality’, just two points behind in second place was Claire Kirkwood and ‘Domino’.
Out of 10 starters in the 80cm NIF qualifier, it was Tracey Manson with ‘Dunraven Clover Cruise’, who took the red ribbon and just two points behind in second place was Janene Gamble and ‘Braeview Little Lion Man’.
A very close finish in the 90cm NIF qualifier again saw Tracey Manson with ‘Dunraven Clover Cruise’ taking top honours and in second was Eilidh Gribben and ‘V Zermie 51’.
It was a tough championship to judge, but Eilidh Gribben and ‘V Zermie 51’ took home the championship sash, with Claire Kirkwood and ‘Domino’ taking the reserve.
The afternoon was less busy, with the pony classes and the turn of sisters, Lynda Moore and Debbie Warke to judge and scribe respectively. Oliver McGlinchey had a busy afternoon with his ponies ‘Polo’ and ‘Rushway Louis’ and certainly went home happy with his ponies, having taken first and second place respectively, in the cross-poles class. Maya Grant with ‘The Gypsy King’ took third place.
Grace McCafferty and ‘Desert Delight’ took the red ribbon in the 30/40cm class, with Oliver McGlinchey and ‘Polo’ only one point behind in second place.
Grace and ‘Desert Delight’ then qualified for the 122cm M&M class by taking the win in the 50cm class. Grace also went on to win the 60cm class, again with ‘Desert Delight’, and in second place was Annabel Manson with ‘Lucky Lane Harry’.
Chloe Connon took a well deserved win on ‘Blakehill Scorpion’ in the 70cm class and Eva McCafferty qualified ‘Sparky Two’ for the Starter Stakes class at NI Festival in second place.
Ben Foster took the win in the 80cm class on ‘Annaghbay Gwennic’ and Chloe Connon jumped a foot-perfect round to win the 1m class with Shane Doyle’s ‘Doyle’s Lexie’.
As Chloe had more than one mount in the Pony championship, her sister Cherie McHugh took to the saddle and claimed reserve champion with her own ‘Blakehill Scorpion’, but it was Chloe who took the championship with the stunning ‘Doyle’s Lexie’. The pony championship marked the end of the day and what a fantastic day it was. A super atmosphere, fantastic arena and course!
A massive thank you goes to Alan Campbell and Adam Stevenson, who worked very hard in the weeks up to the show; the arena and course were prepared and dressed perfectly, receiving many compliments throughout the day. Thanks also to the judges and their scribes, organisers are very grateful to Cherie McHugh, Chloe Connon, Lynda Moore and Debbie Warke. Thank you to all the team at Causeway and Glens Riding Club, who worked hard to bring the show to fruition.
Derek McClean of ‘Foggy Photos’ took some fantastic shots throughout the day and you can find them on his facebook page. Judy Maxwell of Bailey’s Horse Feeds are exteneded thanks for the kind sponsorship – there were some happy ponies munching on their well-deserved treats! Finally, thank you to ‘The Roadside Chippy’, who kept everyone fed and watered throughout the day, the breakfast sodas were delicious!
The next Working Hunter show will be at Dirraw Farm Equestrian on Saturday, March 18; pre-entry on the website: www.causewayglens ridingclub.com. The club also have Schools’ Show jumping with the Balmoral Open Teams Qualifier at Eglinton Equestrian Centre on Saturday, March 11, again all entries to be made via the website. Keep an eye on the social media platforms for all upcoming events and activities.
RESULTS
Horses
60cm (incl. Four-year-old NIF Qualifier): 1) Cormac Murtagh, Bossy Flossy (four-year-old); 2) Gillian Kearney, Fahy Peaches (four-year-old); 3) Sonia Serramia, Ginger; 4) Sarah Brooks, Dolly.
70cm: 1) Samantha Talbot, Caher Enda Quality; 2) Claire Kirkwood, Domino; 3) Gillian Kearney, Fahy Peaches; 4) Ailish McBride, Tek Time Captain Cruise; 5) Judith Beattie, Duke; 6) Poppy Adams, Quarrytown Spot-On.
80cm (NIF Qualifier): 1) Tracey Manson, Dunraven Clover Cruise; 2) Janene Gamble, Braeview Little Lion Man; 3) Samantha Talbot, Caher Enda Quality; 4) Claire Kirkwood, Domino; 5) Ailish McBride, Tek Time Captain Cruise; 6) Geoffrey Ross Glass, Deano.
90cm (NIF Qualifier): 1) Tracey Manson, Dunraven Clover Cruise; 2) Eilidh Gribben, V Zermie 51.
Ponies
Cross-Poles: 1) Oliver McGlinchey, Polo; 2) Oliver McGlinchey, Rushway Louis; 3) Maya Grant, The Gypsy King.
30/40cm: 1) Grace McCafferty, Desert Delight; 2) Oliver McGlinchey, Polo.
50cm (incl. 122c M&M Qualifier): 1) Grace McCafferty, Desert Delight.
60cm (incl. Cradle Stakes Qualifier): 1) Grace McCafferty, Desert Delight; 2) Annabel Manson, Lucky Lane Harry.
70cm (incl. Starter Stakes Qualifier): 1) Chloe Connon, Blakehill Scorpion; 2) Eva McCafferty, Sparky Two.
80cm: 1) Ben Foster, Annaghbay Gwennic.
1m (incl. 153cm qualifier): 1) Chloe Connon, Doyle’s Lexie.
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