Working Hunter League (3 of 5) – 29.1.12

Workers Work It

Sunday 29th January was the date of the third competition in the Laurel View Working Hunter five part league which saw a superb turnout of both ponies and horses. The very cold chill in the air made everyone very grateful for the indoor arenas.

Ponies had the first go at the well constructed course.  With quite a number of clear rounds it came down to Laurel Faloona as judge to decide that Eva McClurg and Linny were number one in the 50cm Newcomer class.  Sophie Winn and The Ferryman were only a couple of points behind in second.

Novice Pony were next over the 60cm course and it was Sparky and Sarah Brittain that put in the winning performance, with Eva McClurg and Linny having to settle for second this time.

Sasha Block and Golden Flight put in a fine performance to claim the red rosette for the Intermediate Pony class clearing the 75cm course.  Sarah Brittain and Sparky picked up the second in this class.

Fourth and final class of the day for the ponies was the Open Pony class. Ella Boyle and Pagan took the honours here, with Hannah Finlay and Noble Kilbeg Boy only a point behind.

Joanne McSeveney took on the judging of the Horse classes and she had a long and busy afternoon casting her eye over the competitors as they tackled the twists and turns of the course.

The warm up class was first on the schedule over a 70cm course.  A clear round and a good account on the judges sheet saw Shane O’Grady and Silken Allure claim the red rosette. Sonia Tester and Embarcadero were only a shade behind in second.

The 4 year olds had their chance over the 70cm course next and while there were no clear rounds for these youngsters they all put in worthy performances with Lola and Kate Johnston clear winners when the scores were totted up. Shane O’Grady on Mollie picked up a second in this class.

The fences were raised by 10cm for the Novice Horse class, then when all the jumping and showing was over Shane O’Grady picked up another rosette this time riding Destination Unknown.  Close behind him in second was Harlequin Rose ridden by Erin Faloona.

The Smalls class then took their turn over the 80cm course and it was Nicky Anderson and Ballynolan Renoir that put in the top performance, with Ruth Wilson and Home Alone City coming in second in the ranks. Over the same course it was Christine Cuthbertson and Fitz that claimed first in the Cobs.

The course was lifted to 90cm for the Intermediate Horse competitors, then showing a clean set of heels round the course put Simon Wylie on Rangehill Llwynog and Anne Sheridan on Western Independent in pole position for the top spots.

Up again with the jumps to a metre, for the Open class and Anne Sheridan on Western Independent upped the ante to claim 1st place, with Joanne judging Stephanie Eden and Harry to be second.

This drew a great day of working hunter action to a close.  The next competition on the 26th February is the fourth in a five part league, with ponies once again getting the show going at 10am, then the horses following no sooner than 1.30pm.

The Equi-Tog photographer was on hand to catch the competitors in action and his photos can be viewed by emailing details to info@equi-tog.com

To find out more about this league or any of the other activities or competitions at Laurel View check out www.laurelview.co.uk

Working Hunter Results (3 of 5) – 29.01.12

Working Hunter Ponies

Class 1: Newcomer Class – 50cm

1st Linny, Eva McClurg; 2nd The Ferryman, Sophie Winn; 3rd Blue, Connie Jordan; 4th Spud, Lauren Gordan; 5th Laurel View Pippa, Sophie McGuckin.

Class 2: Novice Pony – 60cm

1st Sparky, Sarah Brittain; 2nd Linny, Eva McClurg; 3rd Bacardi, Jamie Boyd; 4th Spud, Lauren Gordon.

Class 3: Intermediate Pony – 75cm

1st Golden Flight, Sasha Block; 2nd Sparky, Sarah Brittain; 3rd Noble Kilbeg Boy, Hannah Finlay; 4th Midnight Fox, Amy Griffith; 5th J For Joy, Danielle Graham; 6th Bacardi, Jamie Boyd.

Class 4: Open Pony – 90cm

1st Pagan, Ella Boyle; 2nd Noble Kilbeg Boy, Hannah Fnlay; 3rd Bacardi, Jamie Boyd; 4th Golden Flight, Sasha Block; 5th Goroman Oak, Danielle Graham.

Working Hunter Horses

Class 5: Warm up Class – 70cm

1st Silken Allure, Shane O’Grady; 2nd Embarcadero, Sonia Tester; 3rd Spikeopath, Louise Irvine; 4th Mollie, Shane O’Grady; 5th Ralph, Tracey Blair; 6th Summer Rose, Linda Nelson.

Class 6: 4 year old Horse – 70cm

1st Lola, Kate Johnston; 2nd Mollie, Shane O’Grady; 3rd Destination Unknown, Shane O’Grady; 4th Sky, Emma Fleming; 5th Lily, Katie Winning; 6th Loughmourne Diamond, Kirsty Marsden.

Class 7: Novice Horse – 80cm

1st Destination Unknown, Shane O’Grady; 2nd Harlequin Rose, Erin Faloona; 3rd Tifftarney Clyde, Wendy Forsythe; 4th The Castletown Lad, Miriam Wright; 5th Fitz, Christine Cuthbertson; 6th Ballinteer Boy, Claire Kinley.

Class 8: Small Horse – 80cm

1st Ballynolan Renoir, Nicky Anderson; 2nd Home Alone City, Ruth Wilson; 3rd Beech Burn Lass, Kirsten McDonald; 4th Rangehill Llwynog, Simon Wylie; 5th Ballinteer Boy, Claire Kinley; 6th Teenage Kicks, Nuala McNally.

Class 9: Cobs – 80cm

1st Fitz, Christine Cuthbertson.

Class 10: Intermediate Horse – 90cm

1st Rangehill Llwynog, Simon Wylie; 2nd Western Independant, Anne Sheridan; 3rd Sylvano, Gary Jackson; 4th Harry, Stephanie Eden; 5th The Diamond Duchess, Donna Barron; 6th Drinagh Lass, Megan Davies.

Class 11: Open Horse – 1m

1st Western Independant, Anne Sheridan; 2nd Harry, Stephanie Eden; 3rd Orchard Affair, Erin Faloona; 4th Sylvano, Gary Jackson.