All systems go at two venues

It was all systems go yesterday at both the unaffiliated Millstreet Horse Show All-Ireland Championships in Co Cork and the Showjumping Ireland National Championships in Co Kildare.

A spokesperson for Millstreet said there were 878 entries on its second day and added: “We are anticipating about 5,500 entries over the five days of the show. This is compared to approximately 8,500 for our last show in 2008, but the recession has had a distinct effect in that, while people are coming to the show, they are bringing fewer horses.”

The SJI National Championships in Coilog Equestrian Centre, Co Kildare, were also characterised by high entries, said a spokesperson: “Overall, we are thrilled with the turnout and, in fact, the stabling is full. Today, we had around 140 in the 1.10m class, the 1.20m contest also had well over 100, which is typical for the non-age championship competitions.”

Millstreet is not affiliated to ShowjumpingIreland (SJI), as the show organiser Noel C Duggan is in dispute with the national governing body, questioning the quality of its insurance cover. The SJI has vowed to sanction members who participate in Millstreet and it has scheduled its championships to run at the same time as the Cork event.

Unsurprisingly, many of those at Millstreet did not wish to be identified — acutely conscious of the sanction threat — while the show is not issuing results for publication. However, former Irish show jumping team selector Peter Leonard yesterday had no problem giving his opinion. The Limerick rider said it was “sad” it had come to this, with members the real victims of the dispute.

“Being from Munster, that is why I supported Millstreet. I don’t condone that Millstreet show is unaffiliated, but it is a disgrace the SJI did not solve this,” said Leonard after he finished competing in the qualifier for five-year-old horses.

He pointed out the discrepancy, where one rule applies to Dublin Horse Show and another for every other show.

“I jumped last week in the national classes at Dublin Horse Show, but they too are unaffiliated. That may be a simplistic comparison, but it’s an honest assessment,” said Leonard.

While some at the Cork venue took a trenchant view of the SJI’s handling of the issue, in the main, people's views were moderate, with regret being the predominant feeling. Leonard too recognised there had been wrongs on both sides. He stressed, however, that the SJI should heed the message from members who were at Millstreet this week.

“The fact that there are so many people here in Millstreet is a message to the SJI and, while Noel C [Duggan] should not have withheld the levies, the insurance issue needs to be clarified by SJI,” said Leonard, who has nine horses at the Green Glens and felt that the dispute would have “far reaching implications”.

Speaking from Coilog, well-known rider Paul O’Shea took a conciliatory view. “I’ve been to Millstreet many times, but the national championships are also important to me. It is unfair on the riders, that they have been put in this position and have been forced to make a decision. I grew up going to Millstreet and I really like it and I try to see both sides, so I can understand why riders also went to Millstreet.

“I was always going to go the national championships, though. You have to respect the governing body and I am a committee member of the Showjumpers Club and they too are supporting the SJI. But Millstreet is a great show and hopefully it will be resolved for next year,” said O’Shea.

Meanwhile, yesterday’s feature class at Coilog, the grand prix qualifier, was won by Edward Little and Kalvinretto.

nEDEL KELLY notched up a notable double at last Sunday’s Whites Cross Charity Show, claiming the Horse Sport Ireland Amateur Championships and the Sean Kelly-sponsored 1.10m Grand Prix.

In the former, she rode Delphi Flyer to beat off 20 others in a hard-fought jump-off, earning the major part of the €2,500 prizemoney.

Tony Hurley’s demanding and technically-designed course included a crannog and a wooden bicycle, which was influential in the timed round, with the lead changing several times before Midleton-based Kelly clocked an unbeatable time of 33.07secs.

Second went to Laois’s Peter Brady (Hollymount Cruise Hill), with previous winner Phoebe Bright and Pitts Special slotting into third when last to go.

Kelly saddled up Coolnacrena Forest to reprise her 2009 win in the grand prix, while Limerick’s Caroline Conway, on board DJ, also repeated her 2009 win in the Ballymaloe Country Relish 1.20m.