Charity gymkhanas end summer season for Route Hunt's riders

Alan Campbell had prepared the field and the dry week before the show meant the going was ideal.

Three jumping arenas were set up in the one field with ringside parking and a games arena in the next field catered for several teams from neighbouring Pony Club branches who enjoyed tense competition.

The pony show jumping started at 10am while the horse Working Hunters competed in the next arena. Showing classes very kindly judged by Mrs Liz Payne went on in Arena 3.

The show was stopped early in the afternoon when it became evident that Mr James Wray had suffered a cardiac arrest which proved fatal. Mr Wray, who will be sadly missed, was the husband of NWWHA secretary Marina, and was assisting in the ring adjusting fences for the start of the pony classes when he collapsed.

The committee of the RHPC would like to express their sincere condolences to Mrs Wray.

* The Bowl Arena Portrush on September 11 was the venue for the final outdoor show of the year for the Route Hunt branch of the Pony Club where the horse classes started off the day at 10am on perfect ground conditions.

A large turnout of 23 local riders took on the 80cm modified class with five successful in double clears to share the prizes. The 90cm two-phase competition attracted 25 riders, 17 going against the clock in the second phase.

Carole Young on Roo set the standard going clear in a good time (44.36) which the following 10 riders were unable to better.

Zara Leslie on Stepping Stone, a new partnership, managed to take two seconds off the time to take the lead only to lose it to Melanie Muirhead on Lady Phoenix.

The lead changed again when Philip White on Julie Smyth’s Redwood Humphrey went clear in 38.55 seconds only to be beaten into second place by Rebecca Love on Mad Mick who had a blistering round in 35.60 seconds to take victory.

The 1m jump off class saw seven of the 11 contenders going clear. Rosie Alcorn with her new mount, Whizz, jumped a lovely round to set the standard in 44.93s.

Tegan White followed on the first of her two rides, Texas, and went into the lead six seconds faster. Anthea Moffett, on George, cleared all the fences but missed one of the turns and had to settle for fourth place.

The lead changed again when Kim Campbell flew round on Whispering Wave, two seconds faster, however Rebecca Love just clipped the second fence to complete her round on four faults.

Tegan White knew where to shave the corners and on her mother’s horse Splash rode a polished round to win the class by over 1 seconds.

The final horse class was the speed, an exciting class, where experience showed and the top three places went to Rebecca Love, Philip White and Tegan White with less than half a second dividing them.

The younger riders took the ring in the 60cm modified pony class, which was followed by the 70cm and 128 open competition where four riders shared the prizes in the novice section and young Niamh Carr beating her older sister Aoife and Christine McNally in the 128 open section.

Chloe Wright (Flashing Amber) set the standard in the 138 open and was delighted to hold on to top spot despite valiant efforts from Britney McAfee and Chloe Allen.

Five other combinations went double clear in the novice section. The final pony class saw just two riders going onto the second round and Eimear McMahon won the competition on Bannville Lass from Chloe Allen on Miss Verna.

The committee of the RHPC have many people to thank for helping us in the organisation and running of these gymkhanas.

Sponsors, Auto Smart, Harrigan Fuels, Chestnutt Mills, Roy Boylan, James Wallace, and Christie and Son who gave generously to support the nominated charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.

Also thanks to Mrs Betty Elizabeth Brown who presented a new trophy “The Roy Brown Memorial Trophy” which was won by Eimear McMahon in the 148 Open class and to Noel Laverty who presented the Mill Tea Room Shield which was won by Chloe Wright in the 138 Open class.

Thanks to the showjumping judge, Mrs Noosha Darragh, showing judge, Mrs Liz Payne and WH judge, Ms Debbie Cherry. The Route branch would also like to thank the North Antrim Agricultural Association for their WH fences as the RHPC fences and trailer had been stolen the previous week.

The RHPC begin their autumn programme “Riding with Hounds” by kind invitation from the Route Hunt on October 9, followed by working rallies for all levels, dressage training, qualifiers for Dengie showjumping and dressage and mounted games training. New members are most welcome, for more information check out the Route Hunt website www.pcuk.org.

Results

September 4

Pony Jumping: 60cm novice: =1st Orlagh Smith (Annie Mac), Olivia Quinn (Tootsy Pop), Christine McNally (Millie).

70cm novice: Charlotte Dixon (Polo), India O’Connor (Archie), Laura Abernethey (Copper), Danielle Lynch (Silken Thomas), Kathie Woodrow (Lisnamann Pure Magic), Karlie Anderson (Diesel), Clare O’Hara (Bandit)

128 Open Sponsored by Harrigan Fuels: 1st Christine McNally (Millie), 2nd Niamh Carr (Party Pop).

80 cm novice: =1st Eilish Smith (Gypsy), Laura Abernethey (Copper), Claire O’Hara (Sam), Kim Campbell (Miss Pepper).

138 Open Sponsored by Chestnutt Mills: 1st Chloe Allen (Miss verna), 2nd Kathie Woodrow (Lisnamann Pure Magic), =3rd Chloe Hamilton (Malin) and Danielle Lynch (Silken Thomas).

148 Open Sponsored by Roy Boylan: 1st Beckah Sim (Monarch of the Glenn), 2nd Kim Campbell (Miss Pepper), 3rd Orlagh McLaughlin (Freddie), 4th Simone Crawford (Biddy)

Working Hunter

70cm Class: 1st Jennifer Campbell (Mr Kipling), 2nd Lynsey McClane (Midnight Flight), 3rd Sarah Lamont (Balteagh Prince), 4th Nicola Stewart)

80cm Class: 1st Julianne Hegarty (Jagermeister), 2nd Jennifer Campbell (Mr Kipling), 3rd Nicola Stewart (Clonkeen Cheeky Charmer), 4th Stephanie McLernon (Rockin Ronnie).

90cm Class: 1st Stephanie McLernon (Rockin Ronnie), 2nd Kathryn Knox (Springvale Prince), 3rd Caroline Kennedy (Supreme Silver), 4th Donna Barron (Henry Joy)

Showing Classes, sponsored by Auto Smart:

Family Pony First Ridden: 1st Lois Brown (Smurph), 2nd Jamie Hockley (Little Pilot) 3rd Emma Marrs (John Joe).

Lead Rein: 1st Sophie McAllister (Angus), 2nd Lucy Logan (Charlie Chalk), 3rd Shannon Stewart (Kensington Lady).

Pony Riding Class: 1st Aoife Carr (My Party Pop), 2nd Emma Marrs (John Joe), 3rd Katie Curry (Tandy).

Family Pony/Cob: 1st Charlotte Dixon (Mac), 2nd Katie Curry (Tandy), 3rd Megan McGill (Charlie Chalk).

Family Pony/Horse, Rider under 21: 1st Amy McMillan (Polo) 2nd Rachel Kelly (Mickey Bo).

Coloured Horse/Pony: 1st Ellie Beynon (Morgan), 2nd Rachel Kelly (Mickey Bo), 3rd Lisa Taylor (John Joe)

Native Breeds: 1st Jenny Lindsay (Cassie) 2nd Julie Moore (Caspian’s Knight), 3rd Charlotte Dixon (Polo)

Horse Riding Class: 1st Aimee Torrens (P.J.), 2nd Nicola Stewart (Clonkeen Cheeky Charmer)

Charity Gymkhana, Bowl Arena, Portrush, September 11

Horse Results: 80cm class Sponsored by Mr James Wallace: =1st Katyryn Know (Springfield Prince), Rosemary Moffett (The Jarvey), Carole Young (Roo), Gillian Murdock (Oliver), Zara Leslie (Stepping Stone).

90cm class Sponsored by Harrigan Fuels: 1st Rebecca Love (Mad Mick), 2nd Philip White (Redwood Humphrey), 3rd Melanie Muirhead (Lady Phoenix), 4th Zara Leslie (Stepping Stone), 5th Carole Young (Roo), 6th Geraldine Parker (Milo), 7th Kathryn Knox (Springvale Prince), 8th Tegan White (Pascalle).

1m class Sponsored by Christies & Son: 1st Tegan White (Splash), 2nd Kim Campbell (Whispering Wave), 3rd Tegan White (Texas), 4th Anthea Moffett (George), 5th Rosie Alcorn (Whizz), 6th Rosie Alcorn (Ace of Diamonds)

Speed Sponsored by Christies & Son: 1st Rebecca Love (Mad Mick), 2nd Philip White (Humphrey), 3rd Tegan White (Texas), 4th Shirley Smith (Rhyme), 5th Zara Leslie (Stepping Stone), 6th Liz Magee (Kiera)

Pony Classes, sponsored by Auto Smart:

60cm class: =1st Emma Wright (Blue), Britney McAfee (Toffee), Rachel Kelly (Mickey Bo), Sarah McNally (Millie), Christine McNally (Millie).

70cm novice: =1st Sian Sutherland (Ellie), Chloe Wright (Flashing Amber), Laura Abernethey (Copper), Eilish Smith (Gypsy).

128 Open: 1st Niamh Carr (Pop). =2nd Aoife Carr (Nunn) and Christine McNally (Millie)

80cm novice: =1st Eimear McMahon (Bannville Lass), Laura Abernethey (Copper), Eilish Smith (Gypsy), Rachel Hall (Splash), Rachel Allen (Max)

138 Open: 1st Chloe Wright (Flashing Amber), 2nd Britney McAfee (Toffee), 3rd Chloe Allen (Miss Verna)

148 Open: 1st Eimear McMahon (Bannville Lass), 2nd Chloe Allen (Miss Verna), 3rd Rachel Hall (Miss Jubilee), =4th Rachel Hall (Splash), Sian Sutherland (Ellie), Eilish Smith (Gypsy)