The second Northern Ireland International Horse Show qualifier was held at the Mullingar Equestrian Centre in cold and miserable weather conditions, which have been plaguing Ireland, the UK and Europe for most of June.

The numbers were again high for all classes with everyone wanting a place at what will be one of the most prestigious shows on the Irish claendar and with 98 horses in the 1.10m class places were not going to come easily - it will be the best of the best displaying their talent in October.
In the Amateur class, 13 horses made it to the jump off, where only four jumped clear rounds. Martin Wilson from Ballyclare, County Antrim, riding Database, won the group, following on from his success as the Amateur Champion in the 2006 Northern Ireland International Horse Show Final. Max O'Reilly Hyland - pictured below - from Brittas Bay, County Wicklow, on Lenamore Minnie Metro, won a highly competitive and very impressive 128AB class with a time of 29.77.
Picture right - courtesy PRIME PHOTOGRAPHY

This will be Max's first time at the finals. In the 138AB class, Shane Kenny from Gorey, County Wexford, gained both first place on My Little Lady and second place on Melview Black Diamond, and was the only rider to jump clear rounds. The 148 AB class was very close, with Shane Connell from Maydon, County Longford, on Murphy's Flight, winning by 0.23 seconds, over Caoimhe Kenny, from Gorey, County Wexford, on Frere Jacques.

Elaine Fagan from Moate, County Westmeath, on Nicara, jumped to victory in the 1.10m, with a clear round. In the 1.20m, John Floody from Bettystown, County Meath, dominated by winning on Diamond Chow with a time of 33.86, and gaining second place on Syriana. John, who qualified in the 1.30m class on Womack at the Dundalk Qualifiers, also took gold in the 1.30m on Athea Clover Mist, although Conor Drain from County Antrim, was a close second on Shanroe Penny.

The 1.30m class was very exciting, exhibiting superb jumping and the lead continually changed. Conor Drain also qualified on Tripoli in the 1.10m class and in third and sixth place on Shanroe Uccello and Tripoli respectively in the 1.20 Young Rider class. This class was won by Aaron Cawley of Ballina, County Mayo, on Wakely's Some Watt.

RESULTS- QUALIFIED

Class 1 Amateurs:
1. MARTIN WILSON, DATABASE, Faults 0/0, Time 32.66
2. KRISTINE MCGRATH, DRUMHILLS, Faults 0/0, Time 33.26
3. FIONA ROCHE, PEOPATRA, Faults 0/0, Time 35.51
4. URSULA JACKMAN, TAMLAGHT BAY, Faults 0/0, Time 37.86
5. VIVIANNE MURTAGH, DIAMOND SUPERB, Faults 0/4, Time 35.02
6. DOROTHY O'KEEFFE, DERRAVARRAGH BLAZE, Faults 0/4, Time 37.05
7. JOE HUGHES, ADERMIE, Faults 0/4, Time 40.83

Class 2 128 AB:
1. MAX O'REILLY HYLAND, LENAMORE MINNIE METRO, Faults 0/0, Time 29.77
2. PARAIC KENNY, DANS HILL, Faults 0/0, Time 30.06 (Qualified at Dundalk)
3. CORMAC HANLEY, FABO DUCHESS, Faults 0/0, Time 30.42
4. BERTRAM ALLEN, MAGIC SHADOW, Faults 0/0, Time 31.79 (Qualified at Dundalk)
5. BERTRAM ALLEN, LURGAN DARRAGH, Faults 0/0, Time 32.30
6. MAX O'REILLY HYLAND, MONTECARLO, Faults 0/4, Time 32.25
7. BRENDAN MCSORLEY, CASPERS WAY, Faults 0/4, Time 34.02

Class 3 138 AB:
1. SHANE KENNY, MY LITTLE LADY, Faults 0/0, Time 33.19
2. SHANE KENNY, MELVIEW BLACK DIAMOND, Faults 0/0, Time 38.20
3. JORDAN COYLE, BANNER BAY, Faults 0/4, Time 31.09 (Qualified at Dundalk)
4. KELLIE ALLEN, FRODO BAGGINS, Faults 0/4, Time 33.35
5. PARAIC KENNY, IRISH ROSE (NF), Faults 0/E, Time --.--
6. MARK MURPHY, KILDEA HERO, Faults 4, Time 65.38

Class 4 148 AB:
1. SHANE CONNELL, MURPHY'S FLIGHT, Faults 0/0, Time 33.00
2. CAOIMHE KENNY, FRERE JACQUES, Faults 0/0, Time 33.23
3. CONOR DRAIN, COTE D'OR, Faults 0/0, Time 34.16
4. MICHAELA MURPHY, SHANDOR, Faults 0/0, Time 36.06
5. ROBERT HARRISON, MOSSTOWN SAOIRSE, Faults 0/0, Time 36.75

Class 5 1.10m S:
1. ELAINE FAGAN, NICARA, Faults 0/0, Time 29.76
2. CATHERINE THORNTON, JE VIENS DES DUNES, Faults 0/0, Time 30.46
3. NICOLA FITZGIBBON, EQUESTRIANDIRECT WHATAJOKER, Faults 0/0, Time 31.16
4. NICOLA CARTY, GLEN LEGEND, Faults 0/0, Time 31.72
5. CHARLENE CLINGAN, ARDTANS JESS, Faults 0/0, Time 32.75
6. AMY SAMFEY, TANDARIS VAN HET KLOKKENENHOFF, Faults 0/0, Time 32.87
7. CONOR DRAIN, TRIPOLI, Faults 0/0, Time 33.29

Class 6 1.20m S:
1. JOHN FLOODY, DIAMOND CHOW, Faults 0/0, Time 33.86
2. JOHN FLOODY, SYRIANA, Faults 0/0, Time 38.54
3. AILISH CONNOLLY, AQUILO K, Faults 0/0, Time 38.88
4. JOANNE JARDEN, GEE APOLLO, Faults 0/0, Time 39.53
5. BRIAN KEEGAN, GOLDSMITH ARMANAI, Faults 0/0, Time 39.95
6. ELAINE O'NEILL, BALLYCOOLAN FLIGHT, Faults 0/0, Time 43.43
7. BILLY ADRAIN, CROFT GLORIOSA, Faults 0/0, Time 45.35

Class 7 1.30m Speed S:
1. JOHN FLOODY, ATHEA CLOVER MIST, Faults 0/0, Time 51.40
2. CONOR DRAIN, SHANROE PENNY, Faults 0/0, Time 51.97
3. AILISH CONNOLLY, AQULIO K, Faults 0/0, Time 57.83
4. JOANNE JARDEN, GEE APOLLO, Faults 0/0, Time 63.53
5. HOLLY LATIMER, F.W. JASPER, Faults 0/0, Time 68.33
6. CAROL- ANN SAUNDERS, ROSELYNN, Faults 0/0, Time 68.42
7. CHARLES O'REILLY HYLAND, CAVALIER ROCK, Faults 4, Time 58.65

Class 8 1.20m Young Rider:
1. AARON CAWLEY, WAKELYS SOME WATT
2. KATE KEEHANE, VIS A VIS
3. CONOR DRAIN, SHANROE UCCELLO
4. EOIN GALLAGHER, EURO VIEW
5. KERRY SAUNDERS, BADJARI
6. CONOR DRAIN, TRIPOLI
7. CAROL CAWLEY, CASTLE LYN

The classes are run under "S" rules which allows for the Course Builder to build 5cm over the listed height.

Picture right - courtesy PRIME PHOTOGRAPHY - Shane Kelly, winner of the 138cm class secures a place for the Northern Ireland International Show.

Picture below - courtesy PRIME PHOTOGRAPHY - John Floody takes the top honurs in the 1.20m and the 1.30m.

Intensely watching the jumping - pictured left - Paul and friends!

Pictured below: Conor Drain at 14 years of age is one of the youngest showjumpers looking for a place at the Northern Ireland International Horse Show riding both horses and ponies.

Pictured left - Elaine Fagan, winner of the 1.10m qualifier riding Nicara.

Pictured below - third in the 1.10m, with her qualification secured for October, Nicola FitzGibbon and Equestrian Direct What A Joker.
Pictured below - Amy Sanfey, Tandaris Van Het Klokkenenhoff were delighted with their 6th place which gave them qualification. Amy, just back from a 6 month study stint in Hong Kong was straight back in the saddle the first day back, regardless of the dreaded jet lag.

A horse event just wouldn't be a horse event without dogs everywhere and Mullingar was no exception.

The lad below obviously felt that "table service" was the order of the day for him!
The little munchkin - pictured right - is the new www.jumpingaround.com mascot - a mini jack russell terrier named Meg who now proudly owns our Dressage rider, Gem Gordon.
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