Connaught Awards: a hard act to follow

Ponies and young riders

Frank Mulvihill

Breaffy House in Castlebar was the fitting location for the Connaught Region SJAI Awards Night to acknowledge the talent and achievements of riders during the 2003 showjumping season.

Here, there weren't any superficial awards, no favouritism, no politics. The standards set mean that the receipt of one of these awards is a highly prestigious honour. None is given away without merit, and the quality of the statuettes and cut glass presented by sponsor, Ray Halpin, of Elite Trophies and Rosettes, Galway, reflected this high standard.

Young guns

The night began with the youngest award winners of the evening, ranging in ages six to 10 years. The Connaught Region is one of the strongest in this category with a total of 36 under-10 members. Luke Corcoran, Crossmolina, took the National Under-8 title and Jack Dodd, Knockmore, took the National Under-10 title. Coreen Conway, Connaught's Pony Representative, presented the under-10 awards to Cormac Hanley, Luke Corcoran, Joseph Sweeney, twins David and Ronan Corcoran, Trevor Gray, Ian Gordon, Orla Dixon, Jack Dodd, Aoife Judge and Megan Sweeney.

Making points

The awards for the points leaders in the pony categories went to Paddy McDonagh, Claregalway, (128cms), Shane Goggins, Claremorris (138cms) and Martin Duffy, Knockmore, (148cms). The Duffy Family, Knockmore, are always ones to watch and they certainly made their mark in 2003. As well as Martin taking the 148cms Leading Points category, he was winner of the 148BC Derby Final in Millstreet this year.

However, his younger brother and award recipient, Alex, is following closely in his footsteps. While Martin was receiving his winner's rosettes in Millstreet, 14-year-old Alex was finding his way in dramatic fashion to the winner's enclosure in the main arena as he captured the coveted 138AB Derby Final title to add to this string of victories.

The Gort flyer

Then to the National Pony and Young Riders Championships held in Goffs. Apart from the Under-10 winners already mentioned, Connaught emerged with just one other Championship title. This was the 128cms Grand Prix won by Gort girl Jessica Burke, who has won just about every major title on the pony circuit this year, including the 128 Derby Final in Millstreet, the 128 Grand Prix in Cavan, and the 128 Grand Prix Final in Necarne Castle. Although just 11 years of age, Jessica has graduated to the 138cms ranks where she has been making her mark as a speed machine.

Scaling heights

October of this year saw a new pony high-jump record being made in Portlaoise. For his achievement in jumping 1.85m, Athenry rider David O'Brien was another award recipient. They broke the old record set 25 years ago by Philip Dagg and Michael Blake.

Young riders

Graduating from the pony ranks to horse ranks is always a difficult transition and it is at this point that the SJAI National Body loses many of its members. However, statistics appear to be reversed in the Connaught Region where there are more Young Rider members than Pony members.?

Two of these Young Riders emerged as winners in their category at the RDS this year, while two others were winners at the Connaught Championships in the Senior category. Thomas O'Brien and Cathal McMunn were winners of 1.20m Young Rider Competitions at the RDS this year and Joseph O'Brien was the winner of Turlough Nurseries Championships and the 1.20m at the Connaught Championships.

Then, to add icing to the cake, a Connaught Young Rider team consisting of Shane Quinn, Liam Glavin, Joseph O'Brien and Olive Clarke were winners of the inter-provincial team event at the Young Rider National Championships in Cavan?

International riders

Riders selected to represent their country have reached a much sought after milestone in their sport. Connaught Riders, whose selection for International Duty was acknowleded, were Eaodain McLoughlin, Carrick-on-Shannon (the sole representative in pony ranks) and the three Connaught members of the Irish Young Rider team, Michael Kearins (Sligo), Andrew Bourns (Eyrecourt), and Carl Hanley, (Claremorris).