Natives Challenged at The Moy

Where you at Moy Riding School on Saturday 14 September? If not you missed a great new competition called the Native Challenge, organised by the NI Branch. Competitors travelled from all over Ireland to participate. Over 80 competitors accumulated points towards the overall championships by participating in almost 300 classes in Ridden Hunter, Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country. Competitions for purebred and partbred Irish Draught horses and Connemara ponies were provided.

The Farm Lay Eggs Purebred Irish Draught Championship was awarded to Kate Beaumont and her gelding Greenhills Willow by Kildalton Gold, who made the journey from Kill, Co Kildare worthwhile. She was the winner of the open horse showjumping class and placed second in her ridden hunter class. Kate was of course the driving force behind the Irish Draught performance championship previously held at Kill. A very popular Reserve Champion was Show Secretary Liz Elliott's RID mare Cusher Pride, by Annaghdown Star, beautifully ridden throughout the day by Susan Roberts. The Open Cross Country competition was won by Tom Kennedy from Carlow on his Purebred Irish Draught mare Silver by Fast Silver. Alison Mastin also had a good day on Nicholas Branniff's Registered Irish Draught stallion, Come T, winning both preliminary and novice dressage tests in addition to a ridding class.

Carolyn Avery collected the Championship honours with her Rakish Paddy gelding Rakish Pride in the Chieftain Trailers Partbred Irish Draught section. She was the winner of a very large novice cross country class, was second in her ridden class and placed third in the Novice dressage class. Reserve Champion was Bernadette Curry with Dungar Boy who was a consistent performer throughout the day. Liz Wilson on her Diamond Lad horse Crouching Tiger kept the pressure on her all day.

With 30 purebred Connemara ponies contesting the Ulster Bank section the competition was intense. The eventual Champion was Mr and Mrs J Liggett's Athenry Cliff ridden by Phillippa Baird. Pushing her all the way was Norma Spurr's Clanrye Milford Magic ridden daughter Niamh. Suzanne Posnett was also a strong contender winning her ridden class and placing third overall in the open Cross Country on her mother's Coolmore Donna Mist.

LA Fitness Armagh, had a local winner of their Championship for Partbred Connemaras in Dungannon's John Goodwin's Dolly ridden by Kerry Ann Johnson. Linda McKinney from Strabane collected the Reserve Championship with Bruckless Tina, a mare sired by the Connemara Granard Storm and out of Clive Evans' Irish Draught mare Bruckless Tessa.

There was a relaxed atmosphere throughout the day helped by efficient organisation and the assistance of a large number of helpers co-ordinated by hard working Secretary Liz Elliott. The superb facilities at The Moy reflected the hard work expended by the Corr family in the preparation for the Native Challenge. At the conclusion of the event Patrick Traynor, IDHS NI Branch Chairman, thanked all those who contributed to the success of the Native Challenge.

Class Results

Purebred Connemara, 4 or 5 year old.

1. Dave Brittain's PRINCE'S PRIDE (Jennie Brittain)
2. Karen Glendinning's SMOKEY OWEN (Laura Glendinning)
3. Anne Shekleton's BALLINASLOE PIXIE BLAZE (Zoe Shekleton)

Purebred Connemara, 6 years and over.

1. Pamela Posnett's COOLMORE DONNA MIST (Suzanne Posnett)
2. Norma Spurr's CLANRYE MILFORD MAGIC (Niamh Spurr)
3. Mr and Mrs J Liggett's ATHENRY CLIFF (Phillipa Baird)

Partbred Connemara 4 or 5 year old.

1. W J Parks' GEORGES DAYDREAM (Helen Parks)
2. Brenda McCully's MADISON LADY (Susan Hunter)
3. Mary and Dessie Corr's BOSCO (Aisling Murray)

Partbred Connemara 6 years and over.

1. Linda Mckinney's BRUCKLESS TINA
2. Martina Loughran's BLANEY
3. C McParland's SPRING BREEZE (Caoimhe McParland)

Purebred Irish Draught 4 or 5 years old.

1. Brigid Quinn's LEONSGARVE RUBY s Rakish Paddy
2. Kieran McKay's CUSHLEAKE CLOVER s Cloverhill (Martin Traynor)
3. Helen Troughton's SILKEN LIGHT s Western Light (Iona Pirie)

Purebred Irish Draught 6 years and over.

1. Nicholas Branniff's COME T s Carrabawn View (Alison Mastin)
2. Kate Beaumont's GREENHILLS WILLOW s Kildalton Gold
3. Liz Elliott's CUSHER PRIDE s Annaghdown Star (Susan Roberts)

Partbred Irish Draught, 4,5 or 6 years and over.

1. Janet Heaney's MOURNEVIEW PRIDE
2. Carolyn Avery's RAKISH PADDY s Rakish Paddy
3. Liz Wilson's CROUCHING TIGER s Diamond Clover

Open Horse Jumping.

1. Kate Beaumont's GREENHILLS WILLOW
2. Sarah Fitzhenry's FLAGMOUNT AMBER s Flagmount Amber (Brian Clarke)
3. Bernadette Curry's DUBGAR BOY s Ragabash

Novice Horse Jumping.

1. Sarah Graham's McIVOR
2. Liz Wilson's CROUCHING TIGER
3. Linda McKinney's BRUCKLESS TINA

Open Pony Jumping.

1. Norma Spurr's CLANRYE MILFORD MAGIC (Niamh Spurr)
2. Mr and Mrs J Liggett's ATHENRY CLIFF (Phillipa Baird)
3. John Goodwin's DOLLY (Kerry Ann Johnson)

Novice Pony Jumping.

1. Joan Byrne’s FLOW MO (Amy McCarthy)
2. Veronica Magill’s INISHFREE BARNEY
3. Brenda McCully’s MADISON LADY (Susan Hunter)

Dressage Purebred and Partbred Irish Draught Preliminary.

1. Nicholas Branniff's COME T (Alison Mastin)
2. Clare Toal's GLEN GIRL 111 s O'Malley
3. Gary McKinley's CROSSTOWN CORKER s Crosstown Dancer

Dressage Purebred Connemara Preliminary.

1. Esther Skelly's CLARE SILVA WHISPA
2. Norma Spurr's CLANRYE MILFORD MAGIC (Niamh Spurr)
3. Mr and Mrs J Liggett's ATHENRY CLIFF (Phillipa Baird)

Dressage Partbred Connemara Preliminary.

1. Helen Troughton's MUSTARD MAN (Kelly Troughton)
2. W J Parks' GEORGES DAYDREAM (Helen Parks)
3. C McParland's SPRING BREEZE (Caoimhe McParland)

Dressage Novice.

1. Nicholas Branniff’s COME T (Alison Mastin)
2. Linda McKinney’s BRUCKLESS TINA
3. Caroline Avery’s RAKISH PRIDE

Open Cross Country.

1. Tom Kennedy's SILVER s Fast Silver
2. John Goodwin's DOLLY (Kerry Ann Johnson)
3. Pamela Posnett's COOLMORE DONNA MIST (Suzanne Posnett)

Novice Cross Country.

1. Carolyn Avery’s RAKISH PRIDE
2. John MacOscar’s SAM (Anne MacOscar)
3. equal John MacOscar’s MINDY (Claire MacOscar) George Graham’s FINBAR s Glidawn Diamond.