The newly rebuilt
Kill International Equestrian Centre
holds it's first Summer League Final for Horses
in bright sunshine!

Wednesday, 27th August, 2003
It was as though the "powers up above" were smiling on Kill International today as the sun shone brightly for the entire day and the great crowd relaxed and enjoyed themselves watching some sensational jumping on the amazing outdoor arena. The outdoor arena, which measures 90m x 60m and has been surfaced by Equestrian Surfaces with what they call their outdoor track complete with porous fibrouse membrane which gives it an extra "bounce".
Although Ireland has been experiencing the most superb of Summers there has been no concern from any riders about the surface at Kill International - this surface is designed to take all the water the heavens can drop and in case that doesn't happen the hi-tech irrigation system can pour on vast amounts of water on request and very quickly with the flick of a switch, so riders are guaranteed a consistently excellent surface to jump on all year round. The first show of the League saw a huge turnout as many wanted to see what the fuss was all about - they came,

they saw and they were impressed! And then they came back week after week throughout the League.

The Summer League for Horses ran on both Wednesdays and Sundays with a break for Dublin Horse Show and the numbers each week were excellent and the Flannelly's had the show running smoothly and as always the atmosphere was great fun from the moment you drive through the impressive new stone entrance! Everything has been thought of - the car park is big and well kept, the surroundings of the outdoor have picnic tables and plenty of the all important "viewing posts" for people to watch the jumping closely without having to scamble and push for a spot. The gardens are coming along well and no doubt next Summer the place will again have changed just with the growth of the gardens.
above - Course designer Jerry Byrne catches up for a quick chat with Centre Manager, Fintan Flannelly Jnr
above - the well utilised "viewing posts"

So back to Wednesday 2th August and the Summer League Final - the car park was full early on for the 80cm class which is the unofficial class and there was some very nice jumping in there but unfortunately I cannot bring you the results from this class.

Course Designer's throughout the League were Jerry Bryne and Denis Flannelly, with Jerry taking control of the Measuring Wheel for the Final and the comments I heard around the place certainly suggested that people were well pleased with Jerry's tracks.

The first of the classes was the 90cm and this saw 26 starters who all wanted to be the one to win the new look Kill International 1st place Rosette but the final result saw a very determined John O'Boyle, a Course Designer himself, take on the track Jerry had set and this combination set a cracking pace finishing with double clear in a time of 27.40secs. John is rightly impressed with his own Supremo Z, a bay gelding by the famous Rame Z out of a Supreme Leader mare. John has high hopes for this horse who shows plenty of all "the right attributes" both at and between fences.
John O'Boyle shows his winning style with the powerful Supremo Z. John, know for his cheeky good humour could not keep the smile off his face after winning this class.

Second placegetter saw Matthew Boylan on Patrick Boylan's mare, First Vision jump double clear in 28.69secs which was 1.29secs behind the winning time. Unfortunately there is no breeding given for this mare so I can't give you that information and this is a lovely mare who deserves to have her parentage listed.

Alan Creighton aboard Rosemary Reynolds lovely 4 year old Puissance mare, Lady Latoon took out third place after giving this mare a really super ride. lady Latoon is out of Latoon Girl, by Jamie Boy and this is one to watch for I suspect at Cavan in September - she jumped double clear and their time of 31.23secs was totally in keeping with a clever youngster.

Fourth placed, David Chawke has been a regular throughout the League with a lorry full of great horses and his own, Step it Out Mary was no exception. The 5 year old mare daughter of Coille Mor Pride (out of the Clover Hill mare, Wild Life) is quite obviously the pride and joy of both David and his wife Imelda and their fourth placing we well recieved by their freinds and suporters there on the day. This combination also jumped double clear in 31.53secs.

In what was turning out to be an "all male lineup", David Donnelly, riding Karlton Donnelly's mare Tikka Masala was another to jump double clear and their time of 33.14secs gave them the 5th spot in the lineup. Tikka Masala is another quality bred mare by Clover Brigade out of the master Imp mare Daffodil Imp so the future of shopjumping breeding looks to be in good hands!

Final placing in this 90cm class went to Robert Gailand aboard a 5 year old colt, The Laughing Cavalier and it will come as no surprise that this youngster is by Cavalier (FEI) and his dam, Graney Dusk is by I'll Be Lucky. Their double clear was very careful and they finished in a time of 46.66secs.

So the lineup for the 90cm class saw 4 mares, 1 colt and 1 gelding which is very impressive for this Aussie journalist and shows why Ireland is closing in on the top level rankings with both riders and horses - they have it beginning from the beginning levels.
< Step It Out Mary shows her style over the fence and I would think she has "earned her studguard" after this class!
David Chawke goes to presentation aboard the "other life of his life", stallion George the Magician and accepts his rosette from Fintan Flannelly Snr. >
< Fintan Flannelly Snr.continues down the line and presents 3rd place while John O'Boyle and Matthew Boylon look on as Alan Creighton takes his turn for the honours.

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