Greenhills RC Host 2nd Leg of Linda Moore League

The second leg of the West Leinster region Linda Moore league took place on Sunday 7^th March. The hosts for the second leg were Greenhills riding club and the venue was Chris Byrne’s Coilog EC in Kilmeague, Co. Kildare. This spring show jumping league is named in memory of former regional treasurer Linda Moore who passed away in December after a long battle with cancer. The league is supported by Linda’s husband John Moore and will run over 6 legs where regional members who are placed will earn points towards overall league prizes.

Host club Greenhills had an unprecedented high entry on the day of one hundred and forty entries over all. The weather was bright and sunny throughout the whole day and this no doubt helped to draw competitors to the venue.

The day began with the course walk at 9am where riders could take a look at and learn the track for the graded classes. The course of fourteen jumping obstacles was deigned by course builder Chris Byrne and challenged competitors to ride accurately and to learn their course well. The first class of the day was the clear round jumping which took place over a shortened course of eight fences. This class allowed competitors in the Primary, Advanced Primary and Intermediate grades to warm up over the course.

Once the clear round had completed, the first graded class, the Primary grade, began. There were fifteen entries in the primary and competitors aimed for a clear round closest to the set optimum time. The winner of this grade was Sinead Mullins from Moyglare riding club. Sinead and Treelo had a clear round closest to the optimum time. In second place were Jandy Lo and Darragh Diamond for Greenhills riding club.

The fences went up a notch as the prize giving for the primary took place and the advanced primary grade got underway. The advanced primary and green horse classes jumped over the same track and height but were judged separately based on optimum time. There were twenty seven entries in the advanced primary grade and five in the green horse class. The advanced primary winner was Michelle Keenan. Michelle from Enfield, competed on Sisco for Maynooth riding club. Susan McKeown and Dame Monte Christo from Killcarrick riding club were second in the advanced primary.

The top place in the green horse class, which is for riders graded advanced intermediate and over competing on green horses, went to Niamh Grimes from Calliaghstown riding club. Niamh was competing in this class on Kantico. Second in the green horse class went to Gay Parkinson and Park Annie also from Calliaghstown riding club.

Judge Maureen McGranahan and writer Geraldine Burke had their work cut out for them in the Intermediate grade as it had a huge entry of forty two horse and rider combinations. Of these forty two who started, seventeen rode a double clear round scoring zero faults and progressing to the jump off stage. The jump off took place over a shortened course of fences and provided great entertainment as riders tried to get home clear in the fastest time. Triona Burbage and The Artist’s Impression from Killcarrick riding club showed everyone how it was done galloping home clear in a time of 38.79 seconds to win the class.  Hot on her heels and finishing in second place were Marcella Gaffney and Winterdown Lola from Winterdown riding club who were clear in 39.35 seconds.

The advanced intermediate grade had twenty three entries and fences were raised to one metre to get this class underway. Nine riders cleared the first round without any faults to go through to the jump off stage. This was another exciting jump off as riders fought for the fastest clear round against the clock. Winner Stephen Holland from Phoenix riding club scorched around to come home clear in just 35.48 seconds. This left Liz Bloomer from Meath riding club in second place. Liz and Ardrums Pride were clear in 37.95 seconds.

In the open and advanced open classes the fading light posed an extra challenge for horses and riders. There were no clear rounds in the open class. The winner was Liam Gaffney riding Alphaville for Winterdown riding club who had just four faults. Greenhills riders Roland Dalton and Grainne Alexander placed second and third respectively with Midnight Bu and Kilmac Z. Both Roland and Grainne had eight faults in their rounds.

 The advanced open class saw another win for the Gaffney family from Winterdown riding club. Bernice and her horse Wembley were clear in their first round and put in a perfect clear in the jump off in 44.18 seconds. Julieann Gaffney finished in second place clear in 47.74 seconds with Winterdown Delight. Third place in the advanced open went to Orlagh Rossiter and Kokine Le Zeaux from Newcastle Lyons riding club who had just four faults in their first round.

The winning team on the day were Winterdown riding club. The winning team on the day of Greenhills show always takes home the Betty Fahy perpetual memorial cup. This cup will go to Winterdown for 2010.

Greenhills riding club would like to thank everyone who came and competed on the day and all of their members who worked hard on the day to run the show. The West Leinster region would like to thank John Moore for his generous sponsorship and support of the Linda Moore league.