Jill Twomey and the Millstreet International Horse Show committee are pleased to announce details of the ‘Hitchmough Bursary’ to be presented at the 2013 show.

The recipient of the Hitchmough Young Rider Bursary will receive the opportunity to travel to the UK with their horse and receive 3 days training and accommodation with Irish Olympic showjumper Billy Twomey.

The Hitchmough Bursary is being offered in memory of Iris & Avril Hitchmough; the founders of Hitchmough’s Riding School in Monkstown, Co. Cork. Both Iris & Avril had a lifelong association with the Irish equestrian scene that included hunting, racing and point-to-pointing, but it was in show-jumping that Avril excelled under the guidance of Iris; a lifelong member of the Showjumping Association of Ireland and also President of Cork/Kerry Showjumping Branch. Avril and Iris had a strong involvement in Irish pony teams in the late 1980’s and throughout the 1990’s including the bronze medal winning team at Millstreet and the Silver Medalists at Hanover, Germany in 1990. In 1996, Avril was responsible for taking a group of children and young riders to South Africa to compete on behalf of Ireland on South African horses – the first time such an event took place. Closer to home, Avril’s course building technique brought Munster Showjumping to a new level and led to stronger performances on a national stage. Avril was proactive in organizing the first amateur Showjumping series in Munster, with the inaugural final held at Millstreet in 1988. That series, now known as the “Sportsman” lives on today.

Competitors under 21 years of age in the 1.20m Young Rider class at Millstreet International Horse Show will be eligible for the Hitchmough Bursary. The top two Under 21’s in both Thursday and Saturday’s qualifiers will join the top two Under 21’s from the 1.20 Young Rider Final on Sunday.  These six riders will then jump against the clock in the Main International Arena for the chance to win the bursary on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking at the launch of the 2013 “Hitchmough Bursary,” Jill Twomey (mother of Billy) said; “Billy started his career in Hitchmough’s Riding School and I hope that this Bursary will go somewhere in helping a Young Riders dream come one step closer to reality.’

Millstreet International Horse Show director Thomas Duggan said; “Millstreet Horse Show is proud of its reputation in helping to bring on our younger riders. The opportunity to train with Billy Twomey will no doubt help the Bursary recipient on the road to success and hopefully future Olympic games!”

This week we passed the 100 day barrier and the countdown to Millstreet International Horse Show is now officially on! The Millstreet Horse Show Team are proud to present the schedule of International classes as approved by the FEI.

This year’s International schedule includes 8 International classes including two Longines World Ranking competitions. The show also plays host to the final of the Connolly’s RED MILLS GBI Tour which will take place during the €50,000 Grand Prix on Sunday 18th August.

The FEI Schedule can be downloaded here. Full details of the wide range of National Classes will be available shortly.

The 2013 Connolly’s RED MILLS Great Britain and Ireland Tour 2013 was launched on Friday 5^th 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 31^st  – June 3^rd  (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 – 18^th (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

• 1^st  = €7,000

• 2^nd  = €2,000

• Additional prize of €1,000 for the highest placed Under-25 year old rider as of 1/1/2013 in the Tour.