And so despite the best of intentions regarding the start time of the feature class of the weekend, the GUIDAM Grand Prix Spring Tour class, things did not get underway until 5.45pm due to the huge numbers in the preceding two classes and the incredible number who got through to the jump offs in both classes.

Thanks must go to Tom Rowland and Eylene Nugent from Knightfield Equestrian for this fabulous new addition to the Irish Showjumping scene - no doubt Conor Swail and Barry O'Connor were also instrumental in getting this new Spring Tour happening and with Knightfield Equestrian having signed on for two years sponsorship, the guarantee that the tour will gain be held in 2006 would be incentive enough for riders to make sure their horses are in and ready for the frsit in the next series.

The GUIDAM Grand Prix Spring Tour 2005 is a join initiative between Knightfield Equestrian, The Showjumpers Club and the Showjumping Association of Ireland and between them they have put up a euro2000 prize fund for each leg of the series with the rug for the winner of each leg and also the highest placed Young Rider in each leg have been generously donated by Royston Rugs.

The commentary for this fourth leg was again undertaken by David Darragh who shared duties with Cavan's resident Judge Graham - as the series has developed David has been giving us more and more information about the riders and horses and that always makes things interesting for spectators.

But so the the class - of the 34 starters just 12 made it through to the jump off but plenty were unlucky in the first round finishing with four faults after sometimes barely breathing on the rail - but there were 12 who made it through without fault and they must have "held their breath at the right time" and so now with 6 lady riders and 6 gents, the challenge for the 7 placings on offer was on!

First out in the jump off was Linda Eckberg, based in Kilkenny and the Maloney family's Top Flight Equestrian Centre and Linda jumped a super opening round on Notting Hill (pictured below left)and they stopped the clock with no jumping penalties in a time of 35.66secs.

Victoria Clarke, wife of Stuart Clarke of the Cavan Equestran Centre, Clarke family, was next out riding Pauline Clarke's Shalom Twist (pictured below right) and they put up a cracking performance cutting plenty of Linda's time as they broke the beam at 32.10secs with the all clear on jumping - this was going to be a tough time to break I would have thought!

The girls opened the batting and clocked up two clear rounds so the boys had to keep the heat on now..... and first out for the lads was Andrew Bourns with his new acquisition, his Swedish bred Caprice (pictured below left) and he broke the start beams with every intention of cutting Victoria's time but when a rail was literally just breathed on he took his foot off the pedal and came through the finish flags with the four faults in 36.78secs.

Conor Swail and his newest acquisition, Poncho were next to go and the put in a blistering round
to come through the finish flags with no jumping faults but they hadn't quite knocked the time stopping the clock at 32.35secs. Poncho is pictured below right and this combination had a huge

fan club urging them on as they made their way around Stuart Clarke's jump off track - this combination have captured the hearts of the spectators with good reason - the horse is still only playing over these fences and he does it so easily that it makes us wonder, when wil Poncho have to try - or will it continue to be a game through to International classes!

Next out was Nicola Fitzgibbon and the horse everyone, everywhere wants - the eight year old bay gelding Puissance! Nicola and Puissance became a team in June 2004 and a short time later went off to the European Junior Championships where they did well considering they wee both green together - but then they came back to Ireland and set the country on fire winning some major 6/7 year old classes and Young Rider classes going through to Belfast International in both sections. Then just a few short weeks ago this combination came 5th in the final Grand Prix of the Portuguese Vila Moura Equestrian Tour - one would hope to see this combination representing Ireland in the Junior European Championships in July this year in Switzerland!

And today, Nicola jumped a super round, never scrubbing the ears of this talented horse but riding the horse forward and looking for a good time and Nicola (pictured below left) was rewarded for an excellent ride with no jumping faults and a time of 32.23secs which saw her in a placing at this stage.

Sixth to go, in this jump off which saw the crowd getting behind every rider as they jumped to encourage them to go faster and faster, was Ailish Connolly and her lovely Argentinus stallion, Aventyno. This stallion is a very careful horse who knows where the top rail is and tries to ensure he never touches it and today that was the result for this combination as they came through with no jumping faults and a careful time of 39.58secs.

Ailish and Aventyno are pictured below.

Linda Courtenay and Greenane Diamond, the mare by Cavalier out of a Laughtons Flight mare tripped after fence one in the first round but recovered brilliantly to go through to the jump off where they did have one fence down to finish with four faults in 35.32secs. Linda and Greenane Diamond are pictured below.
With just five to go Jack Doyle and the 8 year old Burgraff gelding Owen II were looking for a good placing and all was going really well until that dreaded Last Fence Syndrome hit this combination and they finished with four faults in 34.93secs - this talented young horse had some great placings on the Portuguese Vila Moura Tour and they are pictured below.
Following hot on Jacks heals was Yvonne Dunne and Nistria B and they too jumped a nice round taking things cautiously until they also had the dreaded Last Fence Syndrome strike them giving them a final score of 4 faults in the careful time of 53.20secs. They are pictured below.
Richie Maloney had two in the class but Millfall was the one to take him through to the jump off today but things didn't go their way and they finished with 8 faults in 33.14secs. They are pictured below left.
Next to go was Richard Wright and one of the most handsome and talented stallions around - Ard VDL Douglas, the stallion son of Darco and today they jumped two faultless rounds coming through the finish flags with no jumping faults in 33.04secs. Pictured below right is Ard VDLDouglas
There was one to go now, who could snatch the victory from Victoria Clarke and Shalom Twist and that was last to go, Clem McMahon and Herme de Reve who were joint winners of last years IJM Super Grand Prix League - and this horse is unconventional in so many ways but there is no doubting the horses talent, scope and ability and with a rider like Clem in the saddle this was a combination to worry about - and it was to be Clem who snatched first place in this fourth leg when they stopped the clock, with no jumping faults at 32.04secs to win the class. They are pictured below showing how easy they make it look!
RiderHorseFaults/Time
1stClem McMahon Hermes de ReveC - 32.04secs
2ndVictoria Clarke Shalom Twist C - 32.10secs
3rdNicola Fitzgibbon PuissanceC - 32.23secs
4thConor Swail PonchoC - 32.35secs
5thRichard Wright Ard VDL DouglasC - 33.04secs
6thLinda Eckberg Notting Hill C - 35.66secs
7thAilish Connelly AventynoC - 39.58secs
Clem McMahon took out the Royston Rug for first place and Nicola Fitzgibbon took out the Royston Rug for the highest placed Young Rider in the feature class of the show - and now the GUIDAM Grand Prix Spring Tour heads towards the last in this first series as the final leg is going to be held next Sunday, April 10th, at Barnadown, Wexford and we look forward ot bringing you all the results from the final leg.
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