Ger O’Neill is certainly proving to be a force to be reckoned with as he rode to victory in the Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix at Galway County Show last Saturday. Riding Dondoctro Ryal K, he was one of only three double clear rounds in 30.01 seconds in the €5,000 Walsh Heating and Plumbing Galway-sponsored class. This is the second Grand Prix win for this combination having claimed victory earlier at Barnadown.

The win puts O’Neill top of the leader board just ahead of Damien Patrick Griffin. O’Neill has had a good run on the national circuit as he dominated the RDS horse qualifiers with his team at Castlefield Sport Horses taking no less than eight qualifying slots.

O’Neill said: “It was a tough enough course and the rain made the conditions very difficult. I had the advantage as last to go and that allowed me to judge it a bit better and as a result, I knew when to make up time without taking any unnecessary chances. The stallion is jumping great at the moment and with a good few shows coming up, it will be important to pick the ones that will suit him. I am in a good position on top of the leader board at the moment and hopefully this will continue.”

Owned by Eamonn Murphy and produced by O’Neill, Dondoctro Ryal K is an eight-year-old stallion by Indoctro out of the Ahorn-sired mare Toverfee S.

The season has started well for the O’Neill and this young stallion with a series of good results which include a fifth place in the Premier Series in Ballinasloe and fourth in the seven/eight-year-old RDS qualifier at Barnadown.

Technical track

Course designer Paul Duffy built a technical track for the 49 starters which saw seven combinations proceed to the jump-off. In the first round, three riders Mervyn Clarke, Francis Connors and Emily Turkington were denied a place in the jump-off when incurring a single time fault each.

Captain Geoff Curran’s more careful approach with the 10-year-old mare Shannondale Rahona paid dividends as a clear in 38.03 ensured him the runner-up spot.

It was a well worthwhile trip for Francis Connors as he delivered the last of the double clears with Hilda Anthony’s nine-year-old mare Lates Du Carel albeit in the slower time of 39.50 for third place.

Kilkenny rider Vincent Byrne proved out of luck when he faulted once with Mr Rockefeller in 36.74 for eventual fourth place. There was no shortage of support for local rider Mark Duffy, but despite this, four faults with Puesta De Sol in a time of 41.47 meant a fifth place. Fellow Galway rider Cormac Rafferty also proved out of luck when he incurred four faults with KMR Benzini in the slower time of 45.15 for sixth place.

On Sunday, the Horseware/Premier Series was called off due to adverse weather conditions. This will put extra pressure on riders who will be looking to gain their place in international classes at Dublin via the Premier.

According to Showjumping Ireland, the top three riders will automatically gain qualification to the international classes in the Dublin Horse Show.