Archive for April 13, 2013

Welcome Tour – Review

April 13, 2013 admin No comments
Tom Foley and Zamir - 2013 Welcome Tour Grand Prix Winner

2013 Millstreet Welcome Tour

Tadhg Ryan

After eight days of showjumping featuring four thousand entries across one hundred and forty five classes, the inaugural Millstreet Welcome Tour came to a close last Sunday. Developed following feedback from riders, the new initiative brought a diverse range of visitors to the Co. Cork venue from far and wide including newly appointed H.S.I. Chairperson Patrick Wall, High Performance Manager Robert Splaine, Minister of State Lucinda Creighton and S.J.I. Chairperson Tony Hurley. International visitors included Fiona Quennell and her daughter Kirsty Richardson who made the twelve hour journey from the Cabin Equestrian Centre in Aberdeen while fifteen year-old Lucinda Roche travelled from Coventry with four horses to compete at the show. Also travelling from abroad to join the team of course designers were Fabrice Kettmus (BEL) and Olaf Herrmann (GER) who were praised for building a series of tracks that educated young horses. Away from the showjumping arenas, visitors found the various evening events hugely beneficial with discussions on topics including equine nutrition, veterinary medicine and sports psychology. The launch of the Connolly’s Red Mills GBI Tour also proved to be a focal point, with the final due to be held during Millstreet International Horse Show CSI*** on 18th August.

Sven Hadley and Adelgonde Z - Grand Prix Winner (Welcome Tour (1))

Sven Hadley and Adelgonde Z – Grand Prix Winner (Welcome Tour (1))

The 1.35m Welcome Tour Grand Prix headlined a schedule of events that attracted a lot of professional riders and producers of young horses including 19 year-old Sven Hadley. Fresh from his time on the Sunshine Tour in Veter De Fontera, the 2012 European Junior Team Gold medallist brought fifteen horses to Millstreet over the Easter weekend and succeeded in winning twelve classes before travelling to Barnadown where he went on to win the International Young Riders Grand Prix at the SJI European Trials. Hadley returned to Millstreet the following Sunday in an attempt to follow up on his success in the previous weekend’s Grand Prix but in the end, victory in the €5,000 Welcome Tour Grand Prix went the way of Tom Foley. Another rider to travel to Barnadown during the Welcome Tour hiatus, the Clare-based rider partnered Susan Sweetnam’s “Zamir” in a faultless performance; capping off a successful week that included taking the top two positions in the Junior Grand Prix at the Young Rider European Trials.

Tom Foley and Zamir - 2013 Welcome Tour Grand Prix Winner

Tom Foley and Zamir – 2013 Welcome Tour Grand Prix Winner

The qualifying places on offer for the Millstreet Boomerang and Ruby classes in August were hotly contested on both weekends of the Tour. Michael Duffy won the 6/7 Year Old class on Easter Monday with Vinnie Duffy’s “Cass.” Duffy is making a very good start to his first year competing horses and is a brother of Alex who is based in Germany with Carl Hanley. On the second weekend, Gemma Phelan took the

second Boomerang qualification on offer with Rory Costigan’s “GRC Tadmus.” From Cappagh, Co. Waterford, this was Phelan’s first major since she took over the ride twelve months ago on the gelding whose sire previously stood at Lissava Stud.

Liam O’ Meara had a busy week and was successful in picking up two qualifying slots for the Millstreet Ruby class in August. The Toomevara-based rider took the first weekend’s 5 Year Old Final with father Martin’s “Curraghgreigue Jack Takes Flight” and repeated this feat a week later with his own “Kenny’s Flight.”

Event horse riders and producers were also catered for during the Welcome Tour with Danny Dulohery taking time off from preparing for his International Horse Trials at Kilguilkey to build a young-horse friendly “CrossJump” track that proved ideal for green and novice horses. The arena was kept busy across both weekends and further developments to this part of the Green Glens Complex are ongoing ahead of August’s International Show.

At the Farewell Reception, Thomas Duggan acknowledged the positive feedback received from riders and owners alike and said; “there is a great appetite for this unique concept on the Irish equestrian calendar and we are very pleased to have been the ones to provide this service. We aim to build on the success of this inaugural Welcome Tour and make further innovations and developments for 2014.”

 

Useful Links

Results

Denisa Equine Photography – Official Photographer

Millstreet Horse Show Facebook Page

 

Welcome Tour

Connollys Red Mills GBI Tour 2013

April 6, 2013 admin No comments
Lucinda Creighton addresses the audience

The 2013 Connolly’s RED MILLS Great Britain and Ireland Tour 2013 was launched on Friday 5th April 2013 at the Green Glens Arena in Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland. The Irish venue will host the final of the Tour in August. The initiative was the brain child of Robert Fagan of Mullingar Equestrian Centre and the first tour in 2012 was very successful, offering a prize fund of €5000 to the leading rider. Anna Edwards (GBR) was the Leading Rider on that occasion, winning by just one point from Joe Clayton (GBR).

Four shows were involved in the tour in 2012:  Mullingar International, the Royal Highland Show, the British Masters and Millstreet International. The series has been extended to five venues for 2013 with the addition of Chepstow International Horse Show and the prize-fund for the leading riders has been increased to €10,000. €7,000 of this will go to the leading rider, €2,000 to the runner-up and there will also €1,000 for the leading Under-25 rider of the series.

Robert Fagan (Director of Mullingar Equestrian Centre and the man behind the GBI Tour concept) feels that “this type of tour is essential for both Irish and English riders as it offers such fantastic prize money at six of the best shows on the British and Irish show-jumping circuit.” The riders who competed in the tour last year are in agreement that the prize fund together with the additional award for the leading rider under 25 years of age make the Connolly’s RED MILLS GBI Tour an important part of their 2013 competition schedule.

Venues and Dates for the Connolly’s RED MILLS Great GBI Tour 2013 are as follows:

  • Chepstow International Horse Show CSI 2* May 2nd – 5th (David Broome Event Centre,Wales)
  • Mullingar Country Fayre and International Horse Show CSI 2* May 31st  – June 3rd  (Mullingar Equestrian Centre, Ireland)
  • Royal Highland Show June 20th – 23rd (Edinburgh, Scotland)
  • British Masters Showjumping Southview CSI 3* July 4th to 7th (Southview Arena, England)
  • Millstreet International Horse Show CSI 3* August 15th – 18th (Green Glens Arena, Ireland)

Rules

  • The Connolly’s RED MILLS GBI Tour 2013 consists of four legs and a final.
  • The rider will accumulate points if placed in the top 9 of each Grand Prix. In the eventuality of a rider being in the lineup twice, only the highest placed result will be taken into account. Additional results in the same Grand Prix will be discounted.

 

  • Points Allocated at each leg of the tour will be as follows:
  • 1st – 12 points, 2nd – 10 points, 3rd – 9 points, 4th – 8 points, 5th – 7 points, 6th – 6 points, 7th – 5 points, 8th – 4 points and 9th – 3 points. If one competes in the Grand Prix but is not in the line-up 2 points will be allocated. Points-and-a-half will be awarded at the Grand Final at Millstreet CSI 3* International.
  • Where the winning rider competes in four of the five shows they will receive 80% of the prize fund. In the event that the winning rider competes in three of the five shows they will receive 75% and similarly competing in two shows or less will guarantee the winner 50% of the prize fund.
  • The greater the number of legs of the series one competes in the larger the prize fund there is to be won.
  • Sponsors request that the winning rider must compete in the final at Millstreet to win.

Prize-fund

 

  • Total Prize fund is €10,000
  • 1st  = €7,000
  • 2nd  = €2,000
  • Additional prize of €1,000 for the highest placed Under-25 year old rider as of 1/1/2013 in the Tour.

 

 

2013, International

Welcome Tour – Changes to Sunday Schedule

April 6, 2013 admin No comments

Due to the threat of heavy rain coming in on Sunday afternoon, we have decided to alter the schedule for the final day of classes in the 2013 Welcome Tour.

Sunday April 7th
Event Time Class Arena
138 08:30 1.20m -1.25m Final Main Arena
139 11:00 1.30m-1.35m Final Main Arena
140 13:00 6/7 Year Old Final Main Arena
141 08:30 1.00m Final Arena 1
142 11:00 1.10m-1.15m Final Arena 1
143 13:00 5 Year Old Final Arena 1
144 10:00 80-90cm Final Arena 2
145 12:00 4 Year Olds Arena 2
Welcome Tour

Stallion Parade

April 5, 2013 admin No comments

List of Stallions participating in the Stallion Parade at Millstreet on Friday 5th April at 7:30PM in the Main Indoor Arena.

Stallion Name Type
Mandou Gold Arab
Rockrimmon Silver Diamond Irish Draught
Derg Showtime Irish Draught
Berkly Cruise Irish Sports Horse
Uskerty Sweet Lad Irish Sports Horse
Astral Heartbreaker Show Pony
Dunleigh Thoroughbred
Tau Ceti Thoroughbred
Diamond Discovery Thoroughbred
Taylor Stone Thoroughbred
Munther Thoroughbred
Castleforbes Lord Lancer Warmblood
Tabasco Van Erperkon Warmblood
Master Blue Warmblood
Welcome Tour