With many riders now back from the Portuguese and Spanish Winter circuits, the numbers were well up this week for the second leg of the GUIDAM Grand Prix Spring Tour and today we saw 29 starters in the feature class.

Alan Wade built the 1.35m track which gave riders plenty of room in the big Kathleen Flannelly Memorial Arena at Kill International Equestrian Centre in Kill, County Kildare and the clear rounds came thick and fast throughout the first round of this class and by the time the last rider went through the finish flags there were 13 combinations through with no jumping and no time penalties so the good crowd in attendance were in for a great jump off round.

Alan set a very good 7 fence jump off track which gave riders places to cut time, if they were brave enough and some were!

Dave Darragh, the commentator for the Guidam series, spent some time with the camera men from SETANTA SPORT TV, setting up the interviews which will be aired in Ireland shortly.
Pictured right: Judge Maureen Bagnell, just back from a flying visit to Australia to visit her son, has a good vantage point from the great judges box at Kill International Equestrian Centre.
The Irish Army Equitation School were out in full force at the show today and in the 1.30m class they took all major placings with some lovely looking young horses who will obviously be seen on the circuit throughout this season.

Pictured left: Fintan Flannelly Snr. represented the Flannelly family at their world class facility today for the Guidam Grand Pring Tour's second leg and he was also interviewed for SETANTA SPORT.

Captain Gerry Flynn (pictured below) looks pensive as he watches the Grand Prix class.

The classes today saw many of the Junior Riders

starting in the Grand Prix class - the first of the trainings for the European Junior and Young Rider Championships was held this past week at Harmony Cottage Farm, with Cmdt John Leddingham and the riders understand that they must be competing in the National Super League Grand Prix to be competitive at the Championships.

This is another reason that this Guidam Grand Prix Spring Tour is such a bonus for riders - they are able to bring their horses in earlier and have quality competition available to prepare them for the major competitions throughout the year.

In previous years riders wishing to start their horses earlier had to "leave home", which becomes very expensive and for many just out of the realms of possibility - there is now an excellent alternative!

Pictured left: Junior rider, Mark McAuley and his dad, John walk the track. Mark was the unluckiest competitior last week at Kilronan when he won the class but was on a temporary ticket and so could not take his place in the lineup.

Mark and his super grey gelding Luciano 175 were members of the Irish Junior Team at the 2004 European Junior Championships and he will no doubt be looking for a place on the team again this year - and with his horse in the form he is in at this

stage he would surely be a "shoe in" but the competition is going to be tough with so many quality riders and horses available this year.

Pictured left: Irish International rider, Paul O'Shea catches up with Australian rider, Scottie Barclay who is this year competing a fine team of horses from his new base at Harmony Cottage Farm in Carbury, County Kildare.

Pictured below: Back from the Vila Moura Tour, Denis Flannelly's Groom, Wayne Sherry was enjoying a well earned rest as he watched the Grand Prix class with friend Mark Durning.

The Vila Moura Tour saw Denis Flannelly place third in the final Grand Prix class with Mary Lou Cassone's Euforia, a result the Flannelly family were delighted with as was Mary Lou Cassone.

Below: Roddy Deane, winner of the first leg of the GUIDAM Grand Prix Spring Tour 2005, walks the course and wonders can he make it two in a row perhaps with the talented Shanroe Spirit.

 

Pictured right: Hans Kuehnle of Tullibard Stud, was caught on the phone by our photogrpaher and what else could he do but smile!

Hans is the father of the very talented Junior Rider, who has just finished his pony career, Benny who will no doubt also be one looking for a place on the European Junior Team this year.

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