Popular Mid-Antrim Horse Show attracts record number of entries

Record entries were attracted by the range of competitions and great facilities for competing and parking. The three rings accommodated registered, non-registered and working hunter jumping, with the showjumping courses built by the well known Raymond Jess family and the working hunter course by the Hamilton and Graham teams.

The registered classes were extremely competitive and all levels attracted large numbers, especially the Blue Grass Ulster Region Summer Tour Leagues.The prestigious 1.35m Grand Prix, which offered a £1000 prize fund very generously sponsored by Dennison Commercials Volvo Trucks, was won by Calgot Pleasure ridden by Dermott Lennon, who is a member of the Irish show jumping team and former Individual World Show Jumping Champion and European Team Champion, with his stable jockey, Angela Percy on the runner-up Calgot Hero.

Dermott and Angela Percy between them scooped the majority of the prize fund winning 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th and 10th places in the Grand Prix which had 41 competitors and produced 5 clear rounds. The 1.20 class was very close with 13 clears and it was Aisling Doherty who won the star prize of the P & O Ferry ticket on Ursela, ahead of Simon Scott. He had a good day, also winning the huge 1.10 class, and being the only man in the first seven. In the metre class Caitlyn O’Kane and Helen Pearson Murray put Simon Scott into third place. Kathryn O’Hagan was ahead of Beverley Caves in the 90cm which produced 6 double clears. The Amateurs was won by Colleen Glasgow on Euro Double Act.

The higher classes of non-registered jumping were more popular with greater prize funds being distributed similar to the new cash jumping system. The evergreen Walter Irvine won the JB cup for the 80cm with Brigid Delargy who is no stranger to being in the ribbons, winning the pony 80cm.

She was beaten by Keavy Molloy who won the Castlehill Equestrian Centre Cup in the 90cm pony class with Caitlyn Foster winning the horse section. The metre class was very competitive with Courtney Hamilton as a worthy winner of the Stephens Catering Cup on her versatile pony Buddy, with Rachel Chapman from Portadown winning the Norshield horse trophy.

The Working Hunter course was, as always, beautifully designed with Kristen McLean being awarded the Championship with Susannah Graham as Reserve.

It was an extremely busy day for the organisers, judges, scribes, stewards and helpers with such record entries.

The show committee was delighted with the success of the show and would like to thank the Jess family, Hilary McClelland for judging the registered classes, and all the other judges and helpers for their hard work. Thanks are also due to Colleen Glasgow who found time between her S.J.I. duties to win the Amateur class, and Anthea Moffett was kind enough to sponsor this class for another year.

The Show would not be possible without the very generous support of all the sponsors, notably Dennison Commercials Volvo Trucks who provided the substantial £1000 prize fund for the Grand Prix, P & O Ferries who provided the Ferry Ticket star prize for the 1.20 m class, the Tullyglass House Hotel, Curtis Cars, The Country Garage, The Adair Arms Hotel, Ken McMillan, O’Connor Kennedy & Turtle, Abbey Upholsterers, Cunningham Covers, Tobermore Concrete, Castlehill Equestrian Centre, Wilsons Auctions, Roy Colvin & Sons, Sam & Neil Anderson, Jollyes Pet Foods, Gardiners Stores, Cater-Quip, Paul McAleese, Gary Mark, Wilsons of Rathkenny, Grounds2Go, Blue Grass Horse Feeds, N & P Tyres, Stephens Catering Equipment, Doherty & Gray, Greers of Antrim, Oldstone Vets, Old Mill Saddlery, Algram, Feedall Pet Foods, Clonkeen Equestrian Centre, Hazlett Fuels, Hamilton Hunters, Sean Reynolds, Doagh Farm Feeds, and the Ballymena Borough Council for the use of Ballee Playing Fields.

RESULTS

Registered Show Jumping. 1.35m Grand Prix. Sponsored by Dennison Commercials. Bluegrass Ulster Region League. Summer Tour. 1st: Dermott Lennon on L.Henry’s Calgot Pleasure. 2nd: Angela Percy on S. Lennon’s Calgot Hero. 3rd: Kevin Mackey on K.Gallagher’s Cruising Lux.

1.20m Bluegrass Ulster Region League. Summer Tour. 1st: Aisling Doherty on Neil Doherty’s Ursela, Winner of P & O Ferry Ticket. 2nd: Simon Scott on S.Lowry’s Dullerton Dawn. 3rd: Liam McKee on O.McCormack’s Penelope Cruz.

1.10m Bluegrass Ulster Region League. Summer Tour. 1st: Simon Scott on E.Anderson’s Rupert H. 2nd: Ann Marie Hughes, Ballyartan Blue Jay. 3rd Victoria Loane, Zara B.

1.00m Bluegrass Ulster Region League. Summer Tour. 1st: Caitlin O’Kane, Castlenavan Donoffe. 2nd: Helen Pearson-Murray, Cyrano Buttercup. 3rd: Simon Scott on I.Millar’s Ploverfield Lilyana.

90cm Registered. 1st equal: K. O’Hagan, CHS Krooze. B.Caves, Killadeas. C.Spillane Patterson, Cor De La. E.A.Craig, Cairnview Countess. K.Connor, Hallsmill Lux Likely. C.Spillane Patterson, Little Task.

Amateurs. Kindly sponsored by Anthea Moffett.

1st: Colleen Glasgow, Euro Double Act. 2nd: Catherine Drain, Alaska-M. 3rd: Sarah McLean, Diamond Obelix.

Non-Registered.

1m Horse: 1st and winner of Norshield Trophy; Rachel Chapman, Duffy. 2nd: Kirsty Ferris, Dookit Clover. 3rd: Laura Wylie, Perhaps B.

1m Pony: 1st and winner of Stephens Catering Cup; Courtney Hamilton, Buddy. 2nd: Leah McLeister, Chico. 3rd: Sarah Wylie, Diamond Snow.

90cm Horse: 1st and winner of Galgorm Manor Equestrian Centre Cup, Caitlin Foster, Larry. 2nd: Frances Kealy, CK Fernando. 3rd: Eamon O’Connor, Norman.

90cm Pony: 1st and winner of Castlehill Equestrian Centre Cup, Keavy Molloy, Misty. 2nd: Brigid Delargy, J Lo. 3rd: Sarah Wylie, Diamond Snow.

80cm Horse: 1st and winner of the JB Cup, Walter Irvine, Glittering Captain. 2nd: Caroline Kennedy, Rhett. 80cm Pony: 1st and winner of Kens Burger Bar Cup, Brigid Delargy, Promise. 2nd: Jamie Lee Mark, Shadow. 3rd: William Hamilton, Zebedee. 4th: Lindsay Cameron, Jess.

70cm Horse: 1st Equal: N.Moffett, Jack. E.Harkness, Keano. S.Harkness, Rory.

70cm Pony: 1st: Zoe Dickey, Danny.

50 cm Horse: Isobel Lee, Twiggy. Pony: Ben Maybin, Tom Thumb.