Darryl Walker’s journey from Wicklow to Charleville Agricultural Show proved worthwhile last Sunday as he rode to victory in the TRM/ Horseware National Grand Prix with Manuela Martinelli’s Cushions. Cushions is a nine-year-old mare by Flexible and out of the Flagmount Diamond mare, Ard Flo.

Course designer Tony Hurley built a technical track with six combinations going through to the jump-off.

Peter Leonard played it safe with Bastion and he delivered the first double-clear in 51.37 seconds, which eventually saw him take the runner-up spot.

Francis Connors and Erne Ladygoldilocks fell victim to the clock as they incurred a single time fault (52.54), proving good enough for overall third. Using his last-to-go advantage, and maintaining a good pace throughout, Walker and Cushions crossed the line in 44.55 to take the win.

RDS Qualifiers

Early in the week, Barnadown played host to the penultimate round of RDS qualifiers. This round saw 150 four-year-olds vie for a place at the Dublin Horse Show.

Following some tough deliberation, judges Tom Olsmeijer, Eric Naberink and Alan Storme found their winner in Deirdre Bourns’s Sea Topblue, by Chacco Blue.

Taking the honours in the five-year-old qualifier was Ethen Ahearne. Riding Sportsfield Fleurie, he was fastest of seven clears in the jump-off in 40.05 seconds.

In the six-year-olds, it was Michael Murphy and AHG Whiterock Cruise Down who delivered the winning round in 33.91 seconds.

Liam O’Meara partnered Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight to a win in the seven- and eight-year-old division.