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18/01/2009
The Ballyrafter Centre, Lismore once more hosted the Inter Secondary Schools Team Showjumping Championship. Divided this year into two sections, it started last Sunday with the Open Team Championship, and what a superb standard of competition resulted. St. Augustine’s College, Dungarvan defended their title, last year won by an all boy team, but this year the all girl team of Sarah-Kate O’Donovan, Caoimhe Shanley, Emma Dwane and Mary Frost got another fantastic result for the school. St. Aloysius’ College, Carrigtwohill had four strong teams competing, but got their best result individually with Individual Champion Evelyn Healy and runner-up Eimear O’Connell.
After the initial two full rounds of jumping, just three teams got the elusive zero score. St. Augustine’s College, Dungarvan, Scoil Mhuire, Wellington Road, Cork and Pobalscoil na Trionaide, Youghal. Four teams finished on just four faults to fight it out for the placings, exactly the same as last year. The battle then truly began in the jump-off with two riders from each team going against the clock.
Drawn first Pobalscoil na Trionaide, Youghal chose the two boys Killian Hennessy and Patrick Joyce to jump against the clock. Killian kicked off in super style, clear in 37.42 then Patrick was flying, cheered on by fellow team members Nicole Hehir and Jenny Meade, but he was desperately unlucky to knock the last fence in 34.66 giving them a total of 4 faults in 72.08. Scoil Mhuire, Cork had a very strong team in Sophie Walsh, Elizabeth Bowen, Clodagh Roberts and Avril Riordan. Elizabeth and her marvelous partner Borrismore Queen, known to be one of the fastest competing, flew home in 32.62 to give them an edge. However, again luck deserted their second rider Avril Riordan with just one pole down for 4 faults in 39.34, but their total of four in 71.96 put them ahead with just St. Augustine’s to jump. Sarah-Kate O’Donovan and Caoimhe Shanley put all the pressure on Emma Dwane and Mary Frost as they took on the clock, but they kept remarkably cool. Emma, to team orders, went first with a great clear in 37.93. Then Mary had to jump another clear to secure the win. She and Knockroe Little Mike were in great form and never gave anyone an anxious moment jumping clean and quick in 36.02 to take the championship trophy back to the Friary.
The teams with just four faults had jumped-off to decide the lower placings. Two of the teams had an unfortunate start when each had a rider eliminated, but the two teams from St. Aloysius’ College fought a great battle for fourth. The team of Alex Butler, Eileen Leahy, Maria Corry and Evelyn Healy kept a clear score against the clock Maria and Evelyn getting a combined time of 68.66 to secure fourth. St. Aloysius’ College also had the team of Christine Morrissey, Jill O’Gorman, Robyn Butler and Orlaith Tully who placed fifth with good rounds against the clock from Jill and Robyn.
The individual competition as always proved very difficult to win, but Evelyn Healy and Pulp Panic for St. Aloysius’s College stormed round in the almost impossible time of 30.70. Eimear O’Connell gave it a tremendous try with Killtiera Fionn getting 32.60 the tightest margin ahead of Elizabeth Bowen for Scoil Mhuire who had 32.62 for third. Niamh Hennessy for Abbey Community College, Waterford had another great round in 33.76 for fourth ahead of Killian Hennessy and Sarah-Kate O’Donovan.
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