A much anticipated title batlle in Barnadown, Co Wexford, last weekend to decide the National Grand Prix showjumping championship was settled in style by Vincent Byrne whose second place finish on Hannibal V Overis Z crowned the Co Kilkenny rider the 2014 National Grand Prix Champion.

Co Meath’s Alexander Butler led going into the final leg with Byrne and recently crowned National Champion Greg Broderick also in contention. Fifty-six starters took on Tom Holden’s track for this final Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix boasting a prize fund of €4,000.

Thirteen horses jumped clear to make it through to the jump-off which saw Omagh rider Peter Smyth make his long journey south pay off when his 11- year-old brown mare Victoria Rose, by Limmerick, delivered an impressive display of jumping. Their clear round in 42.82 proved to be too fast for the opposition.

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Title challenger Vincent Byrne came closest to the former national Grand Prix champion with another faultless round, this one stopping the clock in 45.26 to take second position on Hannibal V Overis Z. The league points secured by the 25-year-old Kilkenny rider guaranteed him the coveted title for 2014. To cap a memorable weekend, Byrne’s other mount, James Weldon’s Mr. Rockefeller, won the Leading Horse award. By Ard VDL Douglas, Mr. Rockefeller notched up five wins in the league this season. Sunday’s Leinster Summer Tour final went to Francis Connors riding Oilean Uno who won the class with a double clear in 23.66, closely followed by Greg Broderick and Rincoola Black Adder, also jumping clear in 24.09. Peter Smyth finished third in the class with Admiran Cassio, posting another clear round in a time of 24.18, enough to give Peter the overall Leinster League title.

Breeders Classic

Now in its third year, The Breeders Classic entries were up by 50% this year with the final of the I5 & 6-year-old competition featuring 25 of Ireland’s best young horses with a €39,400 prize fund on offer.

Five 5-year-olds and five 6-year-olds made it through to the jump-off with Waterford man Francis Connors having two horses through to the decider. Declan Egan with the 5-year-old CSF Mr. Kroon laid down the challenge with a blistering round in 41.79. However, Alexander Butler with the 6-year-old Talks Cheap took on the challenge and with a super clear round in 39.76 took the 2014 Irish Breeders Classic title. Talks Cheap is a 6-year-old mare by Tinaranas Inspector out of a Colin Diamond Mare. In seventh place in this final was recent Millstreet winner Ard Ginger Pop ridden by Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill.

Outside of the ring, Ger O’Brien’s filly by Ard VDL Douglas sold for €20,000 while Bourns Sporthorses’ Cybel, who qualified for the Classic final but did not jump in it, made almost €50,000. The latter is on its way to Britain.

In the four-year-old section, a €500 bonus offered by British-based riders Dave Quigley and Anthony Condon for the horse with the most potential who jumped a clear round went to SRS Dignity ridden by Conor Callaghan, owned by Maurice Cousins.