SHOW JUMPING

Emer Bermingham

Victory in the Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour at Cavan Equestrian Centre last Sunday stayed north as Derry native Jordan Coyle claimed the win in the second round. Riding Amigo VH Winkenshof Z, Coyle lodged his first points on the overall leader board and took home the winner’s share of the €2,550 in the host-sponsored class.

Owned by Jim Maneely, Amigo VH Winkenshof Z is a nine-year-old gelding by Amoroso Van De Helle and out of Luna. The gelding has been under Coyle’s command since early 2015 with a series of good placings at this level. Prior to this, the gelding was campaigned by Claire Doherty and before that was produced as a young horse by Coyle’s brother, Daniel.

Resident course designer at Cavan Stuart Clarke set the challenge for the 43 starters, which saw eight combinations proceed to the jump-off. Those chasing the win needed to negotiated a series of tight turns from the off. In particular, riders needed to be take a tight line back to the double and later back to the penultimate vertical, matched with a strong gallop to the last.

Going early in the class, Frank Curran set the bar high as he lodged a clear in 42.57 with Susan Stewart’s Hawkswings, to put it up to the rest.

All eyes were on last week’s winner Liam O’Meara and he didn’t disappoint as he lodged a clear with Helen Sheridan’s Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight in 42.57 seconds, which temporarily saw him share the lead with Curran. Despite a fast time, O’Meara and Curran’s target held only temporarily as Jordan Coyle threw caution to the wind from the off with Amigo VH Winkenshof Z. Setting off strong, Coyle negotiated the tight lines but it was his daring gallop to the last that saw him clock the winning time of 39.41.

Kildare’s Nicola FitzGibbon didn’t hold back with Georgina Forbes’ Poker Des Dames but a clear in 43.59 proved good enough for fourth. A previous winner in Cavan, John Floody knew what he needed to do, setting off strong with Matthew Birch’s Mise Le Meas. Floody kept all the poles in their cups, albeit in a slower time of 45.55 for eventual fifth. Floody also accounted for eighth place when he crossed the line carrying eight faults in 46.76 with Brian Kieran’s HTS Blackrock. Floody didn’t go home too disappointed as he took victory in the earlier 1.30m class with Michael McAleese’s MCA McCool and sixth with Brian Kiernan’s HTS Blackrock.

Young riders have always featured strongly in this tour and this week they made their presence felt with two riders accounting for sixth and seventh place in the lineup. Roisin Fagan was up on target with Edith O’Sullivan’s Ikan, but four faults in 43.59 saw her take sixth, ahead of Christopher Connell and BVS Echo Island, who also was carrying four faults in 44.93.