Byrne secures Cavan grand prix

A very busy day at Cavan Equestrian Centre saw a late start to the fifth leg of the Horseware/TRM Grand Prix League 2014. Fifty riders took on Claus Holle’s track, on a day when 18 combinations went clear for a place in the jump-off. Last to jump, it was on-form Vincent Byrne who took the top spot with James Weldon’s Mr Rockefeller, the 10-year-old gelding by ARD VDL Douglas out of a King’s Servant mare. The league stays in Ulster, moving to Ravensdale on 25 May.

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Studbook series

Meanwhile an on-form Edward Butler finished off a good week’s jumping when winning the third leg of the seven-year-old ISH studbook series at Cavan on Rincoola Rua (ISH). This was a repeat performance of their success in the first leg at Louth County. The combination were hotly pursued once more by Pat and Clare Duffy’s Concorde mare Brookwood Supersonic, ridden by Sean Kavanagh, who left nothing behind when placing third last weekend behind the Lux Z gelding Shenick ridden by John Floody. The winning horse is by Diamant De Semilly (SF) and out of the Dam Rincoola Abu (ISH) and was bred and owned by Harold McGahern.

Ten horses shared the six-year-old class with eight sharing the five-year-old. For a full list of winners and their breeding information please see www.horsesportireland.ie

Clarke victory

Gerard Clarke and Kings Best landed a tough opening round of the 2014 Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix league at the Aglish gymkhana in Co Waterford that saw just four horses and riders make it through to the jump-off. Local rider Gemma Phelan from Dungarvan grabbed runner-up spot with RVS Harley Ger just ahead of another Co Waterford rider, Peter Moloney and Ribanbelle Tame to take third.

The next round of the Grand Prix league will take place this Saturday 24 May as the rescheduled Ballylawn Show goes ahead, while on Sunday, Midleton will host round three.